CGC Cards-certified Highlights in December PWCC Auctions

A high-grade Unlimited Black Lotus certified by CGC Cards™ sold for five figures in PWCC’s December Premium Auction. The Magic: The Gathering rarity was just one of the thousands of TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards that were graded through the partnership between CGC Cards and PWCC Marketplace and then sold in December 2023 and January 2024.

The Black Lotus, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Unlimited Edition graded CGC 9.5 realized $24,300 in the December PWCC Premier auction, which ended on December 22. Black Lotus is one of the most powerful cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to add 3 mana to the user’s mana pool at any time — even during an opponent’s turn — was so powerful that Black Lotus was later restricted and banned. Black Lotus has become extremely rare, especially in such impressive condition.

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Meanwhile, many CGC-certified sports cards were sold through PWCC in December as well, including a classic baseball card of New York/San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays. A 1959 Topps #50 Willie Mays graded CGC 6 sold for $408 on December 11. The colorful 1959 Topps set was one of the largest ever produced at a whopping 572 cards. Anchored by the rookie card of Bob Gibson and several future MLB Hall of Famers like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Yogi Berra, the Mays card was another high point in this iconic Topps set. Arguably the greatest center fielder in MLB history, the "Say Hey Kid" was a 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove winner, two-time NL MVP (1954, 1965) and a 1954 World Series champion. In addition, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978.

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Another sports card highlight from December's PWCC sales was a fellow New York baseball icon: Mickey Mantle. A 1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle graded CGC 6.5 sold for $372 on December 11. One of the last official cards from his 18-year MLB career, the 1969 Topps issue is still highly coveted by collectors. The Yankees legend brought an end to his storied career in late 1968, retiring as one of the greatest all-around players and sluggers in league history. Mantle was a 20-time All-Star, four-time AL home run leader, three-time AL MVP and seven-time World Series champion. In 1974, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame alongside his longtime Yankees teammate Whitey Ford.

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Other recent TCG and non-sports card sales highlights include:

• a Charizard, Topsun Original Series (1997) 006 No Number 1st Print graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $7,800 on December 18
• a Mox Pearl, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Edition Alpha graded CGC 5 that realized $4,440 on December 6
• a Mox Emerald, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Edition Alpha graded CGC 4.5 that realized $4,200 on December 11
• a Uxie, Pokémon (2021) Japanese Creatures Deck: Corp. History 25th Anniversary – 2008 graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $3,720 on December 6
• a Charizard, Topsun Original Series (1997) 006 1st Print graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $3,480 on December 6

Other recent sports card sales highlights include:

• a 1974 Panini World Cup Stickers #246 Johan Cruyff graded CGC 8 that realized $372 on December 25
• a 1956 Topps #33 Roberto Clemente - White Back graded CGC 4 that realized $360 on December 4
• a 1968 Topps #280 Mickey Mantle graded CGC 6 that realized $348 on December 11
• a 1936 Novitas Olympia #79 Jesse Owens graded CGC 2 that realized $336 on December 18
• a 1968 Topps #280 Mickey Mantle graded CGC 5 that realized $336 on December 11

Notable Upcoming PWCC Sales

PWCC Marketplace continues to offer a wide selection of CGC-certified cards in their weekly, fixed and premium auction formats. One of the highlights available in January is a rare rookie card of a young NBA star who has elevated his game to All-Star status the last couple of seasons: Tyrese Haliburton. A 2020-21 Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Autos Premium #129 Tyrese Haliburton graded CGC 9.5, with an autograph graded CGC 10, is available... for now. The Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket cards are sought after each season as one of the most popular rookie issues, especially the signature inserts. Now in his fourth season as a pro, Haliburton has become a bona fide superstar and the de facto leader of the Indiana Pacers. At only 23 years old, his rookie cards are expected to continue to rise in popularity and value if the young guard continues to play at an elite level.

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Other TCG and non-sports cards in the upcoming January auctions include:

• a Blastoise, Bandai Carddass (1997) Pokémon – Part 4 – No. 009 Prism Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Grim Monolith, Magic: The Gathering (1999) Urza’s Legacy graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Gengar, Bandai Carddass (1996) Pokémon – Part 2 – No. 094 Red Card Prism Holo graded CGC 8.5
• a Blastoise, Bandai Carddass (1996) Pokémon – Part 1 – No. 009 Green Card Prism Holo graded CGC 9
• a Charizard, Bandai Carddass (1996) Pokémon – Part 1 – No. 006 Green Card Prism Holo graded CGC 8

Other sports cards in the upcoming January auctions include:

• a 1992 Classic World Class Athletes Autographs Muhammad Ali graded CGC 7, with an autograph graded CGC 9
• a 2021 Bowman's Best Best of '21 Autographs #B21-JR Julio Rodriguez - Blue Refractor graded CGC 9.5, with an autograph graded CGC 10
• a 1979-80 Topps #18 Wayne Gretzky graded CGC 5
• a 1951 Bowman #165 Ted Williams - UER graded CGC 5
• a 2020 Panini Prizm #255 Tom Brady - Orange Disco graded CGC 9.5

Sell Your CGC-certified Cards on PWCC Marketplace!

PWCC Marketplace and CGC Cards have created a streamlined pathway to grading and selling through an operational partnership between the two companies. The grading and selling program is accessed via an online submission process on the PWCC website, and everything is managed through the PWCC Vault.

Cards sent to CGC receive priority grading and encapsulation through its third-party grading service for sports cards. Graded cards are returned to PWCC and immediately added to PWCC’s Auction Builder Curation Algorithm process, which optimizes cards for sale in upcoming PWCC Weekly Sunday Auctions.

For more information about this program, click here.

Prices realized include buyer’s premium.

Note: At the time some of these cards were graded, they were encapsulated with the original CGC Cards label. Starting July 11, 2023, CGC Cards began encapsulating cards with the new CGC Cards label. In addition to the new label, collectors enjoy many other benefits with CGC Cards, such as the ability to submit without purchasing a membership and an industry-standard Gem Mint 10 grading scale. For more information, go here.