The year is 2025, and amidst headlines filled with political upheaval, environmental woes, and the odd alien sighting, one narrative stands tall in the cardboard corridors of the trading card universe: Pokémon has officially claimed the throne, overthrowing its long-time rival, sports cards. According to freshly minted data from GemRate, Pokémon cards have surged to become the overwhelming majority of submissions to third-party grading behemoths, with a staggering 97 of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA belonging to the whimsical franchise.
If you find yourself confused and wondering how Pokémon—a franchise largely fueled by nostalgia and adorable critters—managed this cardboard coup, let me guide you through the numbers. In a stunning reversal, non-sports and TCG (trading card game for the uninitiated) cards now make up 59% of all graded submissions across the four key titans of authentication during the first half of the year. A total of 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards passed through the grading chambers from January to June alone, showcasing a jaw-dropping 70% year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, the once-mighty sports card realm scrambled to maintain relevance, totaling a mere 5.1 million submissions—a 9% descent into obscurity.
Leading this papier-mâché parade of heroes and pocket-sized monsters is the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, the most graded single card of the year, with an ambitious 45,600 copies making the grade. Yet, despite this upstart’s gallant endeavor to claim the spotlight, Pikachu continues to reign as the definitive face of the Pokémon kingdom. With more than 345,000 graded examples in 2025 alone, this electric mouse is truly sparking up a storm. At the helm of this swelling tide of Pika-frenzy is the ever-iconic “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” from the Van Gogh Museum collaboration, sporting nearly 84,000 graded manifestations, thereby seizing the title of PSA’s most-submitted Pokémon card in history. Never mind the massive population density, as PSA 10 examples of this cultural artifact still command princely sums, recently fetching over $900 a piece!
Meanwhile, sports cards are but a whisper in the cacophony. A mere trio managed to sneak into PSA’s top 100 annals: the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie (#347), a 2024 Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY triumph, and a solitary Donruss rendition of Jayden Daniels, each achieving between 8,800 and 10,500 submissions. It’s a humble showing that hints at changing tides and shifting collector passions.
Flipping the monthly calendar to June, the trend is crystal clear. TCG and non-sports cards accounted for a stout 63% of submissions, with PSA alone grading an astonishing 911,000 of these miniature masterpieces, eclipsing the combined sports card tally of 743,000 across all four grading juggernauts.
Riding the crest of this wave is CGC Cards, who has embraced the Pokémon zeitgeist with gusto. The company has graded an impressive 2.18 million cards thus far in 2025, nearly on par with its entire output from the previous year. Among these, over 1.8 million were TCG or non-sports cards—a testament to the enduring magnetic pull of non-sports cards.
However, the tide hasn’t been kind to all. Beckett, that stalwart of the grading world, has found the going tougher, now positioned at a rather unceremonious fourth among the grading giants. Their 366,000 cards graded in 2025, with Pokémon or TCG-related submissions numbering around 214,000, tell a tale of slipping dominance in a reshuffling market.
The phenomenon is further propelled by PSA’s strategic alliance with GameStop. This dynamic partnership, commencing in October, catapulted over 1 million grading submissions into the mainstream, turbocharging the TCG boom and reinforcing Pokémon’s vice-like grip on our collector hearts.
Out in the wild, retail landscapes have transformed into battlegrounds where only the bravest shoppers emerge victorious, clutching Pikachu-laden treasures. Widespread sellouts, serpentine lines, and strict per-customer limits have become the new normal as Pokémon’s allure reaches unprecedented heights. With new releases vanishing from shelves faster than a startled Zapdos, it seems clear the world’s Pokémon fixation isn’t poised to wane anytime soon. Amidst the glossy cardboard jungle, one truth resonates louder than Ash Ketchum’s battle cry: Pokémon reigns supreme.
