The hype train continues to chug along after the Knicks took the title last week. A Jalen Brunson rookie card that sold for $300 in 2019 just went for $312,000. The No. 1 overall pick signed his first NBA card on live television while millions watched. Vintage Pokémon reverse holos from the Legendary Collection are hitting $400k at auction. And with the World Cup in full swing, soccer cards are now a seven-figure category. What a week to be a collector.

This week:

💰 Jalen Brunson's 1/1 sells for $312,000 after the Knicks win their first title since 1973
🏀 AJ Dybantsa signs his first card live on TV, and Topps debuts a new RC logo
✨ Legendary Collection Pokémon cards are hitting $400k at auction
⚽ The 10 most expensive soccer cards ever sold (one just set a record weeks ago)
🔥 Heatseekers: Top upcoming releases

Let’s get into it.

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For the first time since 1973, the New York Knicks are NBA Champions. And collectors are losing their minds.

The day after Brunson clinched Finals MVP and led New York to its first title in over half a century, his 2018 Panini Prizm Choice Nebula 1/1 rookie card sold for $312,000 at a Fanatics Collect auction. That same card sold in November 2024 for $96,660. And before that? In 2019, somebody let it go on eBay for just $300.

That's a 103,900% increase in seven years.

Brunson's card market is on fire. According to Card Ladder data reported by ESPN, he had the largest month-over-month growth of any athlete across basketball, football, baseball, soccer, and hockey at 131.9%.

Other notable sales:

If you held Knicks cards through the rebuild years, this is the payoff you were waiting for.

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The 2026 NBA Draft wrapped up this week, and the hobby is already buzzing.

Washington selected BYU's AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick on Tuesday night, and within minutes, Topps had him signing his first-ever NBA card live on television. On the card, Dybantsa inscribed four words that could one day be worth millions: "My 1st NBA auto."

That 1/1 inscribed autograph card is now being chased by collectors everywhere. Topps released draft night cards for Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson (No. 2 to Utah), Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and others, with parallels including:

But the bigger news for long-term collectors: Topps debuted a brand-new Rookie Card logo that will appear on all Topps Basketball products going forward. The new design features the NBA logo alongside bold "RC" lettering in white, a clean upgrade from last year's orange version.

Before the draft, Dybantsa's BYU cards were already commanding serious prices. If he becomes the superstar everyone expects, those early numbers will look like pocket change.

The 2002 Legendary Collection, famous for its "fireworks" reverse holo pattern, just had its biggest auction week ever.

More than 50 Legendary Collection reverse holos sold at a recent Fanatics Collect auction, with several setting new all-time records:

What's driving the prices? PSA 10 copies of LC reverse holos are incredibly rare (the Gengar has a population of just 12 worldwide), and the set's unique fireworks pattern has never been replicated.

If you've got a binder of Legendary Collection cards sitting in your closet from when you were a kid, now might be a good time to dig it out.

With the World Cup in full swing, soccer cards are having a moment. And Collectibles.com just updated their definitive ranking of the 10 most expensive soccer cards ever sold.

Spoiler: the top two spots belong to exactly the players you'd expect. Lionel Messi's 2004-05 Panini Mega Cracks rookie (PSA 10) holds the crown at $1.5 million. But Cristiano Ronaldo just closed the gap in May, when his 2018 Panini Kaboom Green 1/1 sold for $1.35 million via Fanatics Collect. That's more than triple his previous record.

The list includes:

What makes the full breakdown worth reading: the stories behind the cards, the condition scarcity that drives the prices, and a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut.

Check out the full top 10 here.

The world of collectibles is wide and deep, and there's a constant stream of new releases. Here are some of the big ones that are coming up:

In summary: A 53-year championship drought ended, and a $300 card became a $312,000 card overnight. The No. 1 overall pick signed his first NBA card live on television while millions watched. Vintage Pokémon holos from 2002 are selling for $408,000. And with the World Cup in full swing, soccer's most expensive cards are now trading in seven-figure territory.

The hobby keeps proving it's not just about nostalgia anymore. We're watching real-time wealth creation (and destruction) happen across every category, from sports cards to Pokémon to soccer memorabilia. Championship runs, draft nights, and global tournaments all move markets now.

See you next week!