While Basketball, Baseball and Football remain the "Big Three" of sports card collecting,
there's still a growing market for many other sports, both here in the USA, and worldwide!
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Back for its seventh consecutive year, 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter Baseball saw the return of one of the most eclectic sets in the hobby. Bringing together baseball's best with champions from other, often quirky, realms, the set always brings with it several surprises. From sea monkeys to mini cards highlighting the world's weirdest foods, to butterfly cards, 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter Baseball is no different. Mini card inserts vary from Biblical personalities to history's greatest military minds to a set focusing on dog breeds. Boxes burst with three hits per box. The autograph checklist is one of the strongest in years, featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Arnold Palmer, Roger Federer, Cal Ripken, Bob Knight, Albert Pujols, Willie Mays, Kate Upton, Erin Andrews and more.
2024 SP Game Used Golf follows up on the year’s flagship release with a much more hits-leaning configuration. Hobby boxes had five cards, three of which were either autographs, memorabilia cards or a combination of the two. The 100-card base set was split between rookies, and veterans and legends.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are well-known professional golfers who have a strong friendship despite occasional disagreements. They are both considered to be among the greatest players of their generation and have achieved significant success on the PGA Tour. McIlroy has idolized Woods since childhood and even called him his "hero". They have also collaborated on projects like TGL, a technology-focused golf league.
Tiger Woods solidified his status as one of the greatest by spending a staggering 623 weeks as the World No. 1 Men’s Golfer, an accomplishment spanning nearly 12 years. In comparison, Rory McIlroy’s impressive record shows him as World No. 1 for a cumulative 122 weeks during nine reigns. He particularly shone in the 2010s, securing the top position for an admirable 94 weeks.
If you've watched movies or TV in the last 50 years, chances were you’d recognize some of the names in 2015 Panini Americana. The brand was back, bringing a broad mix of celebrity-driven content including autographs and memorabilia. Hobby boxes came with four hits, at least two of which are autographs. Rather than opting for a license on a specific show, movie or other property, 2015 Panini Americana was a hodgepodge focusing on the actors and singers themselves. And while it wasn’t all A-list talent, there were some major names lending their signature and wardrobe. Bradley Cooper, Kevin Hart, Al Pacino, and Sylvester Stallone were among the big names with autographs in the set. And while the focus of 2015 Panini Americana was largely about the world of entertainment, a limited amount of sports content is also available. Winner’s Circle was dedicated to the world horse racing. Autographs and memorabilia were available from jockeys and trainers like Bob Baffert, Pat Day, Gary Stevens, Mike Smith and D. Wayne Lukas.
D. Wayne Lukas was an American horse trainer and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. He won 20 Breeder’s Cup races, 15 Triple Crown races, received five Eclipse Awards for his accomplishments, and his horses won 25 year-end Eclipse Awards. Alongside Lukas, on this card, is Bob Baffert – another racehorse trainer. He trained both American Pharoah and Justify (Derby winners in 2015 and 2018). His horses have won the Kentucky Derby six times, tying the record with Ben A. Jones for wins by a trainer. He holds the trainer record for the Preakness Stakes with eight wins and has won the Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Oaks three times each. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.
The designs aren’t the only thing that was big in 2023 Leaf Vibrance Multi-Sport. The checklist included top-tier athletes from a full spectrum of sports, both in North America and in other corners of the globe. A follow-up to 2022’s debut, designs were bold and colorful. While modern, there’s also a ’90s sensibility to many of the themes. Tony Hawk and Shaun White share a significant bond, with Hawk acting as a mentor and inspiration for White's career in skateboarding and then snowboarding. Hawk discovered White at a young age and guided him into the professional skateboarding world, ultimately influencing his transition to snowboarding. White has publicly acknowledged Hawk's influence and mentorship, highlighting his role in shaping his approach to both sports.
Nicknamed “Birdman,” Tony Hawk is a pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding. He completed the first documented “900” truck in 1999. He also has licensed skateboarding video game series named after him published by Activision. Although he retired from competing professionally in 2003, he is widely-regarded as one of the greatest skateboarders of all time. Shaun White is a five-time Olympian, and three-time Olympic gold medalist in the half-pipe snowboarding. He hold the world record for the most X Games gold medals and the most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder. He has also won 10 ESPY Awards throughout his career.
In November 2016, McLaughlin signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Kentucky and compete for their track and field program. In March 2018, she set the world junior 400-meter record of 50.36 seconds at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. On May 13, McLaughlin-Levrone broke the collegiate record in the 400 m hurdles, running 52.75 s to win the event in her first SEC championship appearance. On September 18, 2024, McLaughlin-Levrone was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. She won gold in the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics, as well as at the 2022 World Athletics Championship and 2025 World Athletics Championships. She set a world record time in the 400 m hurdles of 50.37 seconds at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She set a championship record in the flat 400 of 47.78 at the 2025 World Championships, making her the second fastest woman in history over that distance.
2023 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions remains as eclectic as ever. There’s no product out there where you can go from chasing Michael Jordan autographs in one pack, finding surfers in another then finding glow-in-the-dark patch cards highlighting the wonders of the galaxy a few packs later. The full base set has 150 cards. It covers the full spectrum of sports, showcasing past and present athletes from basketball, baseball, football and plenty more. Some pop culture personalities and celebrities can also be found. Traditionally, Goodwin Champions and Allen & Ginter are the two annual releases that delve deep into sports seldom found on trading cards.
Kylian Mbappe Lottin is a French professional footballer playing forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and captains the France National Team. He is widely-regarded as one of the best soccer players of his generation, known for his pace, dribbling and clinical finishing.
The 200-card base set covered the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League. Besides the standard stars and rookies, the Future Stars subset highlighted some of soccer’s top young talent. Heavy on Refractors, autographs and inserts, there was a lot going on for one of the cornerstone UEFA releases for 2023-24. Beside a lot of colorful parallels, there were also different background patterns like Lava, X-Fractors, Wave, Prism and Geometric.
Parkside Collectibles released the extraordinary 2023 US Women's National Team ReCap Collectible Trading Card Set. This remarkable set is not just a collection; it's a gateway to reliving the most thrilling moments and celebrating the phenomenal athletes who defined last year's USWNT season. Each card in this set is a tribute to the exceptional skill, relentless dedication, and inspiring achievements of these incredible athletes. Total print run were 5,000 sets; each set including 25 base cards with 2 bonus insert cards in every pack. Although signature cards were limited to only 500 total, this card is autographed on-card.
Jaedyn Shaw plays forward (or attacking midfielder) for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League and the United States National Team. She represented the United States on the under-17, under-19 and under-20 national teams, and was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2022. She was also part of the roster that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Named to the 23-players roster for the inaugural 2024 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, she played all 6 matches and scored 4 goals – becoming the first player in US Women’s history to score in their first four starts for the team. Her performance earned her the Golden Ball, given to the best player of the tournament as the team defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final.
2024 Leaf Metal Pop Century took an everything-goes approach with its checklist. Actors, singers, athletes, athletes turned actors — collectors never know what could pop up. The one guarantee? The product shifted back to being all autographs. Collectors looked for inscriptions with things like character names or famous lines alongside their autograph.
Kiya Johnson was the junior Nastia Liukin Cup all-around, vault, and beam champion in 2015, earning 2nd on the vault and 5th place in the all-around at the Junior Olympic National Championships that same year. In 2019, Johnson earned the bronze medal in the all-around at the Nastia Liukin Cup, and successfully defended her J.O. National Championship all-around and floor exercise titles, adding another title on the balance beam. Johnson began competing for the LSU Tigers gymnastics team in the 2020 season. She competed all-around in 9 of 11 meets. She was named SEC Freshman of the Week for four consecutive weeks beginning in January, and also earned the SEC Gymnast of the Week honor following an all-around win against Auburn on January 17. At the conclusion of the season, Johnson was named SEC Specialist of the Year 2021. On February 5, 2022, Johnson scored her sixth career perfect 10 on floor exercise against Auburn. On February 18, she scored another perfect 10 on the balance beam against Alabama. At the NCAA regional semifinals, she contributed scores on all four events, however LSU suffered two uncharacteristic falls on balance beam and as a result was eliminated from the postseason during the first round of regionals, failing to qualify for the national championship as a team. Johnson qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual competitor on vault. She finished sixth on the event with a score of 9.9125. Johnson returned for the 2024 season for her fifth year of eligibility. On January 19, she scored a perfect 10 on floor exercise in a meet against Kentucky, one year after she tore her Achilles competing on the same event against the same team. At the SEC Championships, Johnson competed in the all-around, helping LSU win the SEC conference title. She also tied for the SEC floor exercise title with Kentucky's Raena Worley and teammate KJ Johnson, all posting 9.975s. During the NCAA Championships, Johnson once again competed in the all-around, helping LSU win their first national championship title in program history.
2024 Panini Prizm LIV Golf was the first mainstream set to sports cards for the pro tour. It’s also the first set of golf cards under the Prizm brand. With it came a similar chrome look and feel that has made it one of the biggest lines in the industry. That meant rainbows galore, autographs and some popular chase sets. The “Destinations” insert was a short 12-card set.
Sergio Garcia turned professional in 1999, and played on the European Tour and PGA Tour prior to joining LIV Golf in 2022. He has won 36 international tournaments as a pro, most notably the 2008 Players Championship and the 2017 Masters Tournament.
Leaf Trading Cards announced a newly revamped and reinvigorated signature series edition with 2024 Leaf Signature Series. Collectors searched for new themes, many more multi-signed cards, inscriptions, and some exciting new designs to bring this product into the hierarchy of signature heavy releases. This one features a humorous inscription from the one and only Grace Charis.
Charis has quickly become one of the biggest golf influencers in recent years, raking up over three million followers on Instagram and TikTok separately. So, how did the 22-year-old get involved in golf, which led her to competing in her first Ladies European Tour (LET) event and starting her own golf brand, Dialed golf? She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Geography, attending on a full-ride scholarship. At the same time, she was building a career as a content creator, sharing her own life online and connecting with an audience that grew faster than anyone could have imagined. Golf became part of that story early on — at first as fun content, but as her love for the game grew so did her commitment to the sport.
The set kicks off with a base set that highlights golfers. One of the things that make LIV different from the PGA is the team aspect. This could add another angle to the product as some may opt for a team-based approach to their collections. Rahm was a dominant force on the LIV circuit, securing a top-10 finish in all 12 events he played, which included two individual victories and the overall individual title. He also captained his Legion XIII team to a second-place finish in the team standings. His 2024 total LIV prize money was approximately $34.8 million.
2024 Panini Prizm LIV Golf is the first mainstream set to sports cards for the pro tour. It’s also the first set of golf cards under the Prizm brand. With it comes a similar chrome look and feel that has made it one of the biggest lines in the industry. That means rainbows galore, autographs and some popular chase sets. Not only is this Rahm’s silver “rookie card” from the set, but it also achieved CGC’s Pristine 10 grade after I personally-pulled it out of a box from Meijer!
Chastain famously wore #6 for the U.S. Women’s National team throughout her most iconic years, including during the 1999 World Cup victory. She played for Team USA from 1988 to 2004. In her 192 caps on the team, she scored 30 goals playing primarily in the defender and midfielder positions. She scored a World Cup-winning penalty shootout goal against China in the ’99 FIFA Women’s World Cup final. In 2017, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Featured on this awesome 10/10 “White Crystal” numbered 1-of-2, she also inscribed her jersey number #6 next to USA on the auto!
2025 Sports Heroes offered a deep roster of multi-sport superstars all featured on vibrant metal technology and crystal clear acetate. Footballers in the 2025 “Sports Heroes” collection include Alex Morgan, Brandi Chastain, Gareth Bale, Gianluigi Buffon, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Mia Hamm, Phil Foden, Ronaldo Nazário, Ruud Gullit, Trinity Rodman, Vinícius Júnior, Yunus Musah, Andriy Shevchenko, Hope Solo, Bukayo Saka, Julián Álvarez, Heung-min Son, Robert Lewandowski, Briana Scurry, Joy Fawcett, Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Carla Overbeck and Tisha Venturini.
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