CGC Cards Celebrates 5 Million Cards Graded!

CGC Cards™ is thrilled to announce that the company has reached a major milestone: more than 5 million cards have been graded in total, including TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards!

"CGC Cards is honored by the overwhelming support we have received from collectors and dealers," said Steven R. Eichenbaum, CEO of Certified Collectibles Group (CCG), which includes CGC Cards. "The worldwide trust in our services and high prices realized for CGC-certified cards has not only allowed us to achieve this major milestone in just three years, but also allowed CGC Cards to expand to international markets, including Europe and China. We thank all of our submitters and can't wait to see what the future has in store."

To celebrate this momentous occasion, CGC Cards is sharing some interesting facts about the cards that have been graded so far.

Click images to enlarge.

What does 5 million cards look like by the numbers?

Check out some of our favorite data that shows what 5 million cards looks like by the numbers!

• CGC Cards has graded a total of 2.98 million Pokémon cards!
• A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 graded CGC 8 realized $1.25 million in auction, becoming the highest-selling CGC-certified sports card!
• The most popular of any single card graded by CGC Cards is the Charizard V, Pokémon (2020) Champions Path Elite Trainer Box — Sword & Shield — SWSH050 promo card, with 19,572 examples in the CGC Cards Population Report as of November 2023!

For all of the stats lovers, check out the infographic at the bottom of this article by clicking here.

TCGs and non-sports cards

In July 2020, Certified Guaranty Company® (CGC®) — the world leader in pop culture collectibles grading — launched a brand-new grading division dedicated to the authentication, grading and encapsulation of trading cards. CGC Cards began by grading Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering trading cards, adding more TCGs and non-sports cards sets over time. Today, there are an incredible 3.47 million TCGs and non-sports cards, with cards from hundreds of sets representing those present in the CGC Cards Population Report.

“Being a part of CGC Cards since its inception, I’ve seen the company grow from only grading two TCG sets to the global service it is today,” commented Matt Quinn, Vice President of CGC Cards. “It’s been a fantastic experience, being entrusted to certify everything from my favorite Magic: The Gathering cards to the most obscure TCGs and non-sports card sets.”

As a fun exercise, we asked Matt to pick out his favorite cards that have been graded by CGC Cards. Here is his list:

• Alpha Black Lotus graded CGC Pristine 10: This stunning CrossOver submission is the only example of an Alpha Black Lotus graded CGC Pristine 10 in the CGC Cards Population Report, with none graded higher.
• Base Set 1st Edition Charizard graded CGC Pristine 10: No Pokémon TCG card is more iconic than the Base Set 1st Edition Charizard, and this particular example is a beauty that received the coveted Pristine 10 grade.
• Alpha Force of Nature graded CGC Pristine 10: One of Matt's favorite cards from his childhood, the Alpha Force of Nature is easily recognized by an error in its text box, which mistakenly tells the player to pay "GGGG" instead of the standard mana cost.
• Alpha Black Lotus graded CGC Gem Mint 10: A client asked to open a sealed Limited Edition Beta deck with the CGC Cards graders at the Sarasota, Florida headquarters, and this Alpha Black Lotus was pulled on camera!
• Alpha Ancestral Recall graded CGC Pristine 10: This Alpha Ancestral Recall was pulled live on the set of "Pawn Stars Do America," where Matt was present for the opening! CGC Cards graded the Ancestral Recall afterwards, along with several other cards within the Beta deck that was opened on the set.

Sports cards

CGC Cards began accepting sports card submissions in February 2021, less than a year after beginning to accept TCGs and non-sports cards. Though CGC Cards began by grading standard-sized cards and large vintage Topps cards, the company now grades virtually all sports cards and continues to expand with additional holder sizes coming in 2024.

“I’ve been grading sports cards professionally for over 20 years,” said Andy Broome, Vice President of CGC Cards. “Sports card collecting has changed dramatically over the years, and CGC Cards is working hard to adapt and grow with the market. I’m thrilled to have been a part of its growth, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here… I’m already going to China in December!”

CGC Cards also asked Andy to share some of his favorite sports cards that have been graded by CGC Cards. Here is his list:

• 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle graded CGC 8: One of the most iconic cards in the sports card collecting hobby, Mantle's legacy shines through on this exceptionally clear example. For a card that was printed in 1952, this example is incredibly vibrant and free of yellowing.
• 2000 Autographed Playoff Contenders Tom Brady graded CGC 9: For the modern sports card collector, no set is more sought after than the 2000 Playoff Contenders set. Unfortunately, there are many counterfeits out there, but this Tom Brady is legitimate, unaltered and high grade.
• 1997-98 UD3 Michael Jordan graded CGC 7: This special Michael Jordan autograph card was the one millionth sports card graded by CGC Cards! This season-ticket-themed card was meant to mimic the appearance of an actual season ticket and is very valuable to collectors.
• 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson Partial #311 Mickey Mantle graded CGC 1: This interesting print error was likely the result of the sheet shifting as it was fed through the cutting machine. The Jackie Robinson shows some of the 1952 #311 Mickey Mantle card that sat next to it on the sheet.
• 1910 E104-3 Nadja Caramel Fred Tenney graded CGC 2.5: This early sports card is one of Andy's personal favorites. In fact, only a handful of these Tenney cards exist, and they were unknown to modern collectors until just a few years ago.

The CGC Cards Registry

In addition to grading, CGC Cards has introduced several avenues for collectors to come together and share their collections in the form of the CGC Cards Registry, an online tool that lets collectors post and share their TCG, non-sports card and sports card collections with their fellow collectors. The CGC Cards Registry has evolved to include dozens of the hobby’s most popular sets!

If you're searching for some inspiration to start building your own CGC Cards Registry set, check out the CGC Cards Featured Registry Set series. Each month, CGC Cards highlights a TCG, non-sports card or sports card Registry set, including photos and interviews with the set owner.

The 2023 CGC Cards Registry Awards are coming up soon! Winners will be announced in late January 2024. To learn more about the CGC Cards Registry, click here.

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for many other types of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. The newest division of CGC, CGC Home Video, provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes.

Submit today!

Are you ready to submit your TCGs, non-sports and sports cards for expert authentication, grading and encapsulation? It’s easy! Learn how to submit to CGC Cards by clicking here.