That 1909-11 T206 Piedmont Honus Wagner card hitting $5.856 million at Heritage? Yeah, that got our attention. It's a reminder that some corners of the hobby just keep climbing, even when other parts feel a little shaky. We've been saying for a while that smart money is moving into vintage, and sales like this really drive that point home.
It wasn't just old cardboard making headlines this week, though. The high-end modern stuff is also putting up some serious numbers. A 1-of-1 Yoshinobu Yamamoto 2024 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs SuperFractor sold for $500,200 at Heritage, setting a new public record for the Dodgers pitcher. That's a huge jump from his previous best just five months ago. We're seeing this kind of aggressive bidding for top-tier modern rookies, especially unique pieces.
Over in hockey, that 1-of-1 Macklin Celebrini Young Guns Outburst Gold rookie card from 2024-25 Upper Deck fetched $1.281 million at Goldin. We've been bullish on Celebrini and the broader hockey market, and this sale, the highest for any non-Gretzky hockey card ever, clearly signals the direction. It confirms what we've seen with modern hockey rookies; there's a serious surge in demand there.
Jordan's Market Swings
Michael Jordan cards are always worth watching, and this week gave us a few different looks. We saw a 1997 Skybox Premium Thunder & Lightning Michael Jordan #TL5 graded BGS 8.5 sell for $18,648. That's a strong number for a card from that era, showing that iconic inserts, even in mid-grades, can still command serious cash. It's not the same story across the board though. A 1990 Fleer Basketball Michael Jordan #26 PSA 9 went for $110.00, which feels pretty accessible to most collectors. We also saw a 1995 SP Championship Shots Die-Cut Michael Jordan #S16 PSA 7 go for just $57.00. That's a good example of how even with a legend, the exact card, year, and grade really matter for value.
What Else Is Moving
The soccer card market is still on the move, just like we predicted the World Cup would spark. A 1-of-1 Lionel Messi autograph card, showing him with the World Cup Trophy, sold for $126,000. That's an all-time record for an on-demand card, which is interesting. We also saw a PSA 10 Lionel Messi rookie card from 2006 sell for $29,520 on Goldin. These aren't record-shattering prices for Messi's top stuff, but they show strong, consistent demand, and we expect that to keep growing as we get closer to 2026.
We're also tracking some interesting individual player performance pushing cards. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been on a tear, crossing 30/30 again, and his card values are definitely reflecting that. Fernando Mendoza cards have been hot sellers since 2026 Topps Flagship Football dropped, with a number of sales over $1,500, including a $10,000 autograph /50. This kind of immediate market reaction to new product and player performance is common, but these numbers for Mendoza are significant.
Looking Ahead
What does all this tell us? The market definitely has a K-shape thing going on right now. The absolute high-end, whether it's vintage or super rare modern 1-of-1s, is doing really well, pulling serious money. The vintage market, especially those foundational cards, continues to look like a safe bet for smart money. We're also seeing some mid-tier modern cards, particularly those lacking extreme rarity or iconic status, struggle a bit more, which might be a sign of a "Junk Wax 2.0" situation for that segment. We'd suggest collectors keep an eye on those accessible Jordan cards under $100 and maybe consider some of the strong performing modern rookies, like a raw Pete Crow-Armstrong, before they get out of reach.