Test Print Pokémon Cards Steal the Show in Fanatics Collect's August Auctions

A lot of three Test Print Pokémon cards certified by CGC Cards™ were the stars of a recent Fanatics Collect auction. These cards were just some of the thousands of CGC-certified TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards that were sold through the Fanatics Collect marketplace in August 2024. (Expect to see even more soon as CGC Cards begins grading on-site at Fanatics Collect’s facility. Learn more here.)

The lot included an Articuno, a Zapdos and a Moltres, Pokémon (1997) Japanese The Mystery of the Fossils Test Print – Glossy, each graded as CGC Gem Mint 10. These are some of the earliest iterations of Pokémon TCG cards printed by Wizards of the Coast. The lot realized an impressive $24,000 on August 22 in Fanatics Collect’s August Premium Auction.

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Meanwhile, a Charizard, Pokémon (1999) Base Set 1st Edition Holo graded CGC 9 realized $20,400 on August 25. Base Set Charizard is one of the most popular cards in the entire Pokémon TCG and often commands a premium at auction, regardless of condition. This CGC 9 example is in excellent condition and is now one of the highest-selling CGC-certified examples on Fanatics Collect’s platform.

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Meanwhile, hundreds of CGC-certified sports cards sold through Fanatics Collect in August as well, with the top highlight being one of the earliest cards of baseball legend Jackie Robinson's MLB career. A 1949 Bowman #50 Jackie Robinson graded CGC AA sold for $2,760 on August 18. Though the card was released during his second season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, many collectors consider this to be a rookie card of the six-time All-Star.

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Another sports highlight from August's Fanatics Collect sales was a rare Signature Patch combo rookie card from the current star quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals. A 2020 Panini Immaculate Collection Signature Patches #SP1 Joe Burrow graded CGC 9, with an autograph graded CGC 10 sold for $1,800 on August 25. After leading LSU to an undefeated championship-winning season, Burrow is now in his fifth NFL season. He led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in just his second NFL season, and while injuries have hampered his progress, he is still considered one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL today, making collectibles like this one sought after and valuable.

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

• an Ancestral Recall, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Edition Alpha graded CGC 9.5 Qualified that realized $17,400 on August 18
• a Charizard, Pokémon (2003) Skyridge Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $10,200 on August 4
• a Charizard, Pokémon (1999) Base Set Holo graded CGC Pristine 10 that realized $9,600 on August 4
• a Flareon Gold Star, Pokémon (2005) Japanese PLAY Promotional Cards – 024/PLAY 30,000 EXP Points graded CGC Pristine 10 that realized $9,300 on August 25
• a Clefairy, Pokémon (1999) “Disco” Holo Test Print Shadowless Base Set Partial Print graded CGC 9 that realized $9,000 on August 22
• a Charizard, Pokémon (1999) Base Set Shadowless Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $9,000 on August 11

Other recent sports card sales highlights include:

• a 2020 Panini One Rookie Dual Patch Autographs #31 Joe Burrow graded CGC 9, with an autograph graded CGC 10 that realized $1,140 on August 25
• a 2024 Topps Chrome Strokes #S-22 Elly De La Cruz - Red Refractor graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $810 on August 11
• a 1949 Bowman #84 Roy Campanella graded CGC 5 that realized $750 on August 25
• a 2020 Panini One Rookie Autographs #103 Justin Herbert - Bronze graded CGC 9, with an autograph graded CGC 10 that realized $660 on August 25
• a 2024 Topps Chrome Fanatical #FAN-9 Elly De La Cruz graded CGC 9.5 that realized $630 on August 11

Notable Upcoming Fanatics Collect Sales

Fanatics Collect continues to offer CGC-certified cards in their weekly, fixed and premium auction formats. One of the highlights available in September is a Charizard, Pokémon (1996) Japanese Beta Presentation graded CGC 8. Presentation cards are the third iteration of Pokémon TCG cards, produced after the creation of prototype and playtest cards. This Charizard features artwork by Ken Sugimori and features the same energy symbols that would be used in Base Set. Like its predecessors, the Beta Presentation Charizard lacks a rarity symbol. Beta Presentation Pokémon cards are extremely rare, so you won’t want to miss this opportunity to add one to your collection!

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

• a Mewtwo, Pokémon (1996) Japanese Alpha Playtest graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Lucky Stadium, Pokémon (2000) Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Unnumbered Promo graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Library of Alexandria, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Arabian Nights graded CGC 9
• a Mox Sapphire, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Edition Alpha graded CGC 9
• a Charizard Gold Star Delta Species, Pokémon (2006) EX Dragon Frontiers Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10

Sports cards in the upcoming September auctions include:

• a 1954 Topps #20 Warren Spahn graded CGC 3
• a 1973 Topps #89 Franco Harris graded CGC 8
• a 2011 Upper Deck MLS #198 Alex Morgan - WPS Super Draft graded CGC 9.5
• a 2017-18 Panini Select Rookie Signatures #RS-DEA De'Aaron Fox graded CGC 9, with an autograph graded CGC 10
• a 2023-24 Upper Deck Extended Series #740 Connor Bedard - Outburst graded CGC 8

Sell Your CGC-certified Cards on Fanatics Collect!

In July 2024, PWCC Marketplace became Fanatics Collect — a new collectibles marketplace that connects dealers and collectors through fixed-price listings, auctions and a myriad of tools and features, all in one app. CGC Cards and Fanatics Collect remain partners and will continue to provide a streamlined pathway to grading and selling. The grading and selling program is still accessed via an online submission process through Fanatics Collect's website, and everything is still managed through the Fanatics Collect vault. For more information about Fanatics Collect, click here.

Cards sent to CGC receive priority grading and encapsulation through its third-party grading service for sports cards. Graded cards are returned to Fanatics Collect and immediately added to their Auction Builder Curation Algorithm process, which optimizes cards for sale in upcoming Fanatics Collect 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.