From LeBron James to Lamine Yamal, it’s a hunt for collectible cards with staggering prices

The sports trading card market is exploding. Just think that a Mickey Mantle from 1953produced by Topps and graded SGC 9, was sold for $12.5 million. A fact that fits perfectly into the picture exponential growth of this sector, valued at $9.69 billion in 2022 and set to reach $20.48 billion by 2030 (Kigs Researc). But what fuels this passion that drives collectors to spend exorbitant amounts of money on a single card? “The trend was born in America and is spreading rapidly in Italy too”he explains to Adnkronos, Emanuele Crispo, Topps Italy sales managera leading company in the sector.

“While in the United States the focus is on baseball and American football, in our country football reigns supreme”tells. Topps, thanks to its American experience, is importing this model into our country, adapting it to local preferences. In Italy, the most popular collections are those dedicated to UEFA competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League), with products ranging from basic boxes, with a guaranteed autographed card, to premium cards with Chrome technology.

“These papers – continues Crispo – are thicker, of higher quality and they offer the possibility of finding unique pieces: autographed, numbered cards, with relics such as pieces of jersey or stadium”. A recent example is the online card of LeBron James and his son Bronnya rare piece that celebrates young James’ championship debut with his father. And in the football field? “The most sought after paper at the moment is Lamine Yamalthe young talent of Barcelona, ​​considered the new Messi. His rookie card, the one from his debut, numbered one of one, can reach staggering figures.”

Topps’ target audience is the ‘kidult’, a conscious collector who invests in high-value cards. Prices vary from 25 euros for a basic product up to hundreds of thousands of euros for rare and numbered cards. “A sealed product can even reach 10,000 euros, while for a single card you can reach 200,000 euros”Crispo specifies. Topps is investing heavily in the Italian market, expanding its offering with NBA cards starting from January 2025 and acquiring the rights to wrestling (WWE), baseball and the entire Disney universe, including Marvel and Star Wars. “These are real miniature paintings”, describes Crispo. “The most important cards are then graded, from 1 to 10, and the value increases based on their preservation”.

To strengthen its presence in Italy, Topps is organizing events dedicated to collectingsuch as card shows and ‘Rip Nights’, evenings with unboxing sessions, card exchanges and meetings with athletes such as Adani and Ambrosini. After the 80 square meter stand at Lucca Comics & Games, the company has other events planned for next year, including the reconfirmation of the Milan card show and two other dates yet to be announced. “We aim to create a strong community of collectorsboth at fairs and in specialized shops”, concludes Crispo.