A once-mythical Pokémon card took center stage again. After years of debate about whether Prerelease Raichu was real, CGC authenticated two copies using provenance, specialized imaging, and XRF testing; PSA has since graded additional examples, and auction records have reached $699,625. Coverage also questioned how hot the broader Pokémon market has become, underscoring the attention flowing to key non-sports pieces. CGC’s grading of the exclusive One Piece Grévin Museum promo in Paris added another notable niche item to the slabbed non-sports pipeline.
High-end vintage is in the spotlight at Mile High Card Company’s fall auction, headlined by rare Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle cards along with iconic complete sets. A feature on Ruth’s family stewardship of his legacy and memorabilia, paired with fresh collector discussions about Mantle’s recurring role in hobby history, framed why the very top tier of prewar and postwar baseball remains so compelling to bidders.
On the modern front, performance and product both moved attention. Ben Rice’s postseason surge for the Yankees has pushed his cards higher. In football, short-print chases from 2026 Bowman Football are drawing premiums, with Tom Brady leading recent SSP sales, while injuries at quarterback have some observers talking about potential buying opportunities. As the WNBA playoffs press toward the Finals, hobby coverage highlighted A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, and others as players to watch.
Platform and product updates rounded out the day. eBay will expand trading card authentication in the UK, Poshmark will end its subsidy of USPS HAZMAT fees leaving sellers to absorb the full $50 charge, and Mercari outlined new arbitration terms. Upper Deck detailed year two of its rebooted golf line and introduced a new Rush of Ikorr TCG chapter. In collecting research, a study documented primary-source grading access in at least 78 of 250 markets, and fresh looks at 1971 Topps Tattoos and Mantle-era hobby history kept vintage education circulating among collectors.
Yesterday’s Wire published 104
stories across
17
editions from
8
sources.
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