In the whimsical world of collectible cards, 2025 has ushered in a phenomenon not even the psychic abilities of an Alakazam could have foreseen: Pokémon has decisively claimed the throne in the realm of card grading submissions. Imagine the roars and cheers that once echoed in stadiums around glistering sports memorabilia; those have been now replaced with the clinking of Pokémon card cases as they stack higher and higher. According to fresh data from GemRate, a staggering percentage of graded submissions by third-party companies are Pokémon cards, with 97 out of the top 100 most-graded cards at the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) originating from this beloved franchise.
A collective gasp may escape sports memorabilia enthusiasts when they see that during the first half of this year, non-sports and Trading Card Game (TCG) cards, including Pokémon, comprised a whopping 59% of all graded submissions among the top four authentication bodies. In a world where sports once reigned supreme, it seems Pikachu and its colorful cohorts have somehow charmed their way to the top.
From January through June, a total of 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards passed through grading services, marking a dazzling 70% increase compared to the same timeframe the previous year. In stark contrast, the poor sports cards, decked in their hues of nostalgia, saw a decline, bringing in just 5.1 million submissions—a mere sneeze when talking in a 9% descending trajectory.
In the hierarchy of graded cards, the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232 stands majestic, having amassed over 45,600 submissions already this year. Still, it’s Pikachu who is ever the mascot of both the games and this grading phenomenon. An awe-inspiring 345,000 iterations of Pikachu-anything have been graded in 2025 alone. Prominently, the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” from the celebrated Van Gogh Museum collaboration has swaggered its way to the top with nearly 84,000 graded cards. Despite this proliferation, PSA 10 examples still command a princely sum, with sales surpassing $900 each—proving that Pikachu’s marketing image isn’t the only thing generating buzz.
And what of the once-parading lions of sports cards? Only a negligible few—count them, three—crumbled their way into PSA’s esteemed top 100 lineup. Among these are the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie card (#347), the 2024 Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card, and another nod to Jayden Daniels from Donruss (#389). Each made it with submissions ranging between 8,800 and 10,500—a far cry from the Pokémon onslaught.
As the months cascaded to June, the stats only reinforced this bewildering twist. TCG and non-sports cards dominated submissions, with PSA itself grading an astonishing 911,000 entries—dwarfing the combined sports card tally of 743,000 across all major grading companies.
The vibrant, colorful waves of Pokémon success have buoyed some of these grading companies to new heights, with CGC Cards notably surfing these tides. In 2025, they’ve graded around 2.18 million cards, nearly catching up to their total output from the previous year. Of this veritable ocean of cardboard treasure, over 1.8 million were TCG or non-sports cards.
While CGC rides high, Beckett, another grading giant, finds itself treading in murkier waters. Ranking fourth amidst its counterparts, of the 366,000 cards it’s graded in 2025, about 214,000 were tied to the Pokémon and TCG craze.
PSA’s surge in Pokémon prosperity can be largely credited to its ongoing partnership with retail giant GameStop. This collaboration, forged in October, has poured more than 1 million grading submissions into the PSA vaults, further propelling the Pokémon boom.
Stepping away from the confines of plastic casings and graders’ scrutinous eyes, Pokémon’s influence extends to retail shelves where treasures are sold to eager hands. Its popularity has spurred widespread sellouts, with queues the length of black serpents snaking around stores. Consumers face limited-per-customer policies in an attempt to satisfy, albeit fleetingly, the unprecedented demand for pocket monsters.
With robust sales surpassing anything imaginable back in 1996 when Pokémon first introduced the world to its eccentric universe, it’s more than clear that this captivating franchise continues to dig its claws deeper into the hobby industry’s fabric. Given the current pace, one might wonder if Pokémon cards may soon outnumber the stars themselves. Pokémon’s story, and its continued rise, is one for the ages—both nostalgic and cutting-edge in its impact. Who knows what they’ll conquer next? Maybe Diglett has its eyes set on real estate.