In a world where nostalgia meets investment, Pokémon cards are proving to be a goldmine of sentiment and speculation. Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape dramatically tilts towards these colorful pieces of cardboard fantasy. According to the latest revelations from GemRate, Pokémon cards are not just a part of the grading industry—they are the industry.
In an impressive flex of franchise muscle, Pokémon cards account for 97 of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA, one of the stalwarts in the card grading community. It appears that the allure of catching them all has expanded far beyond trading and battling, venturing deep into the realms of collection value and rarity.
This is part of a broader trend where non-sports and Trading Card Game (TCG) cards now comprise 59% of all grading submissions across the four major authenticators for the first half of the year. A whopping 7.2 million non-sports and TCG cards were sent for grading from January through June, reflecting a jaw-dropping 70% year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, sports cards seem to have fumbled the ball, summing up only 5.1 million submissions—a 9% decline.
Among the sea of submissions, one card stands out like a jewel in Professor Oak’s crown—the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232. Over 45,600 copies of this card have been diligently graded this year, yet it doesn’t quite overshadow the popularity of Pokémon’s mascot powerhouse, Pikachu. Signing autographs and melting hearts across the globe, more than 345,000 Pikachu cards have found their way into PSA’s expert hands in 2025 alone.
Particularly noteworthy is the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” card. This charming character emerged from an imaginative collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum, boldly tipping its hat to culture and creativity. With nearly 84,000 graded copies, it has secured its throne as PSA’s most-submitted Pokémon card in history. Despite this card’s massive population, the allure of a pristine PSA 10 grade continues to fetch a staggering $900 or more.
Amidst all this Pokémon pandemonium, sports cards are feeling more benched than most would have ever predicted. Only three sports cards have managed to bluster their way into PSA’s esteemed top 100. This exclusive club includes two cards of Jayden Daniels from the 2024 Panini Prizm and Donruss, and the 2024 Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card. With submission numbers hovering between 8,800 to 10,500, these cards have their work cut out for them.
June continued to pave the way for Pokémon’s dominance, with TCG and non-sports cards comprising 63% of all submissions. PSA alone racked up an impressive 911,000 cards in this category, leaving the sports card brigade struggling to keep up at 743,000 graded cards across all major companies.
Riding the crest of the Pokémon wave is CGC Cards, whose efforts have matched the moment. With 2.18 million cards graded in 2025, and a staggering 1.8 million of them belonging to TCG or non-sports categories, they are lighting up the leaderboards. Beckett, once a bigwig, now sits at the fourth rank with 214,000 Pokémon or TCG-related cards graded so far.
A significant tailwind for PSA’s escalating figures has been its partnership with GameStop. Launching back in October, this collaboration has morphed into a magical trove, bringing in more than a million grading submissions and electrifying the market.
The madness does not end there. Pokémon fever has turned retail stores into scenes reminiscent of toy shops in the 1990s—lines stretching out doors, shelves evacuated of inventory in mere moments of release, and retailers adopting limited-per-customer sales strategies. Fresh releases are gold dust, evaporating from shelves faster than a Rapidash on a mad dash.
In the eyebrow-raising tussle between sports cards and TCG, Pokémon has emerged victorious, establishing an empire poised to thrive and flourish in the hearts of millions and the ledgers of collectors. The future of this franchise is as bright as a lightning-struck evening sky. One thing is clear: Pokémon’s stranglehold on the card collecting community isn’t releasing its grip any time soon. As new generations rediscover and cherish these dynamic cards, the phenomenon shows no signs of foam bursts or slowdowns. Pokémon’s vibrant journey through the society’s collective consciousness continues, like the verses of a legendary theme song unfurling to infinity.