Introduction
The sports card market has been nothing short of electric this week. Between postseason baseball drama and NFL breakout performances, collectors are witnessing massive percentage gains, including one football card and a baseball card up an incredible 844%.
Whether you’re an investor, a hobbyist, or a casual collector, understanding these surges gives insight into where excitement and money are flowing. In this week’s roundup, we’ll explore the biggest risers across football, baseball, and college sports, along with the latest Sports Card Market Pulse data showing where the overall market stands.
Sports Card Market Pulse
Every week, we check in on the broader landscape before zooming in on individual card stories. This “market pulse” is your thermometer for how the overall sports card market is behaving.
-
The SEI 500 Index, which tracks 500 of the most prominent sports cards, saw a slight dip this week, down about 0.1 %.
-
But that’s nothing dramatic in context: over the last 30 days, the index is up over 3 %, and year-to-date it’s up 27 %.
Think of this as the underlying tide that most of the cards you see rising or falling are riding on that larger wave. Still, individual volatility is high, so diving deep on each card matters.
Top 5 Sports Cards Heating Up This Week
Let’s count down the five hottest cards lighting up the market right now, spanning NFL, college football, and MLB postseason stars by Sports Card Investor.
#5. Brandon Aubrey
For the first time in a while, a kicker makes the top five. Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey is having a perfect season, 10-for-10 on field goals, 100% on extra points, and a jaw-dropping 64-yard bomb that forced overtime.
Collectors and fans are taking notice, and his card prices are reflecting the hype:
-
2023 Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto (Raw): +50% over 30 days (from $37 → $56)
-
2023 Optic Blue Hyper (Raw): from $3 → $9 just 30 days ago
-
2023 Optic Stars SP (Raw): from $14 → $30 just 30 days ago
Aubrey’s performance and growing media attention have turned what were once dollar-bin cards into legitimate collector items. With his consistency and possible contract extension ahead, his value may still have room to grow.
#4. Dante Moore
College football’s newest headline-maker, Dante Moore, is rapidly becoming a favorite for the Heisman Trophy after leading the Oregon Ducks to a 5-0 start. His impressive stat line, 1,210 passing yards, 14 TDs, and only one interception, has made his cards some of the hottest in the hobby.
Here’s how his key cards are performing:
-
2023 Bowman Chrome University Auto: from $23 → $52 a month ago
-
2023 Bowman Chrome Refractor #/499: from $40 → $85 just 30 days ago
-
2025 Luminance Future Signatures (Raw): from $40 → $55 just 30 days ago
Collectors love getting in early on potential NFL talent, and Moore’s cards are reflecting massive speculation. If he maintains his pace through the playoffs, expect even higher spikes.
#3. Mac Jones
Mac Jones stepped into the spotlight and delivered a clutch 342-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception performance to lead the San Francisco 49ers to an overtime win over the Rams.
The market quickly reacted:
-
2021 Donruss Press Proof Premium (PSA 10): +360% over the last 30 days (from $10 → $46)
-
2021 Optic Downtown (PSA 10): from $265 → $425 just 30 days ago
-
2021 Prism Silver (PSA 10): from $40 → $72 just 30 days ago
Collectors are betting that Jones could revive his career with solid performances in high-pressure moments. Even if he remains a backup, he’s proven his ability to make an impact, and his market is rewarding him for it.
#2. Shohei Ohtani
Few names in the sports world carry as much weight as Shohei Ohtani. The two-way superstar continues to dominate both on the mound and at the plate, batting .282 with 55 home runs and posting a 2.87 ERA.
With the Dodgers advancing in the postseason, Ohtani’s card values are seeing renewed life:
-
2018 Bowman Chrome (Batting, PSA 10): from $1,250 → $1,975 in just 30 days
-
2024 Bowman Anime SSP (PSA 10): from $1,213 → $1,550 just 30 days ago
-
2025 Bowman Spotlight SSP (PSA 10): from $1,775 → $2,550 just 30 days ago
His unmatched talent and global following make Ohtani one of the safest and most consistent investments in modern baseball cards.
#1. Trey Yesavage
Taking the top spot this week is Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays’ sensational rookie pitcher whose meteoric rise has been nothing short of historic.
In just his fourth Major League start, Yesavage delivered 5⅓ hitless innings with 11 strikeouts, setting a franchise playoff record and tying the MLB postseason record for most strikeouts in the first four innings.
That breakout performance sent his cards skyrocketing:
-
2024 Bowman Draft Chrome Auto (Raw): from $30 → $135 (+350%) just 30 days ago
-
2024 Bowman Draft Chrome Auto Refractor #/499 (Raw): from $76 → $219 (+188%) just 30 days ago
-
2024 Bowman Draft Chrome Auto Sky Blue Refractor (Raw): from $5 → $30 (+500%) just 30 days ago
-
2024 Bowman Draft Sapphire Edition (Raw): from $3 → $30 (+900%) just 30 days ago
For a player barely known two months ago, Yesavage’s meteoric rise underscores the excitement and unpredictability that drives the sports card hobby.
Key Takeaways from This Week’s Market
-
Performance drives price: On-field excellence immediately translates to hobby momentum.
-
Speculative rookies, high risk and high reward: Players like Yesavage and Moore offer big upside but volatile swings.
-
Diversification matters: Spread across sports and tiers to balance short-term hype and long-term stability.
-
Use analytics tools: Platforms like Market Movers help collectors monitor trends and avoid emotional buying.
Final Thoughts
This week’s sports card market proves how quickly narratives can change. From a kicker’s unexpected rise to a rookie pitcher’s playoff dominance, the market rewards performance and punishes inconsistency faster than ever.
While short-term flips can be profitable, remember that the best portfolios balance excitement with patience. Whether you’re chasing the next Trey Yesavage or holding legends like Ohtani, informed investing will always beat hype-driven speculation.
—-------------------------------------------------------------
Like what you just read? Keep the momentum going with these: