CGC-certified Charizard Realizes $66,000, Topping Fanatics Collect's September Auctions

A Charizard playtest card certified by CGC Cards™ realized five figures in Fanatics Collect’s September Premium auction. The elusive Pokemon card was just one of the thousands of CGC-certified TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards that were sold through Fanatics Collect marketplace in September 2024. (Expect to see even more soon as CGC Cards begins grading on-site at Fanatics Collect’s facility. Learn more here.)

The Charizard, Pokemon (1996) Japanese Delta Playtest graded CGC 9 realized $66,000 on September 19. The Pokemon TCG went through several design and playtest phases, with the Delta Playtest being one of the final phases before the TCG was revealed to the public. This Delta Playtest Charizard looks very similar to the final product introduced in Base Set, complete with the Charizard artwork illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. To learn more about the progression of the Pokemon TCG’s development, click here.

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Meanwhile, hundreds of CGC-certified sports cards were sold through Fanatics Collect in September as well, with the top highlight being a high-grade rookie card of NFL icon Tom Brady. A 2000 Upper Deck Black Diamond #126 Tom Brady - Gold graded CGC Gem Mint 10 sold for $3,480 on September 15. This rare high-grade Gold parallel was from the final Upper Deck Black Diamond Football set, which was only produced from 1997 to 2000. These rookie cards are numbered to only 500 copies, making them one of the scarcer Brady issues from the legendary quarterback's debut season in New England.

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Another sports highlight from September's Fanatics Collect sales was a rare SuperFractor of one of the top young MLB prospects. A 2024 Topps Chrome Radiating Rookies #RR-19 Jackson Holliday - SuperFractor certified CGC Authentic sold for $1,410 on September 29. Holliday is the son of former MLB star Matt Holliday and was the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball before the Baltimore Orioles called him up to the big leagues earlier this season. He's had an up and down first season in Baltimore, but the franchise has one of the youngest and most talented rosters in all of baseball. The Orioles may have bowed out of the playoffs early this season, but MLB fans can expect to see much more from the 20-year-old and his teammates in upcoming seasons.

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

• a Mewtwo, Pokemon (1996) Japanese Beta Presentation graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $25,500 on September 19
• a Lucky Stadium, Pokemon (2000) Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Unnumbered Promo graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $18,000 on September 19
• a Chansey, Pokemon (2021) Japanese Creatures Deck: Corp. History 25th Anniversary – 1995 graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $18,000 on September 15
• a Mewtwo, Pokemon (1996) Japanese Alpha Playtest graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $18,000 on September 19
• a Nidorino, Pokemon (1995) Japanese Alpha Prototype graded CGC Gem Mint 10 that realized $13,200 on September 19

Other recent sports card sales highlights include:

• a 2000 Upper Deck Black Diamond #126 Tom Brady - Gold graded CGC 9 that realized $1,110 on September 15
• a 1996-97 Topps Chrome #138 Kobe Bryant graded CGC 9 that realized $1,080 on September 22
• a 2020 Bowman Draft Chrome Autographs #CDA-SS Spencer Strider - Orange Refractor graded CGC 9.5, with an autograph graded CGC 10, that realized $780 on September 15
• a 1911 T205 Gold Border Christy Mathewson certified CGC Authentic that realized $576 on September 29
• a 2023-24 Upper Deck Black Diamond Gemography #G-CM Connor McDavid - Purple graded CGC AU that realized $480 on September 29

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 October is a 2023-24 Topps Chrome #23 LeBron James - Speckle Refractor graded CGC Gem Mint 10. James is now entering his 22nd season in the NBA, and he'll be joined by his eldest son and L.A. Lakers second round draft pick Bronny James this season. The all-time leading scorer doesn't look like he'll be slowing down anytime soon, coming off a gold medal performance in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris while also taking home the tournament's MVP award. King James' cards are always in demand, and this vibrant refractor would be a great addition to any basketball collection.

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Other sports cards in the upcoming October auctions include:

• a 1958 Topps #22 Johnny Unitas graded CGC 6.5
• a 1984-85 Topps #51 Wayne Gretzky graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a 2001 SP Authentic Sign of the Times #PM Peyton Manning graded CGC 6, with an autograph graded CGC 10
• a 2020 Panini Flawless #57 Tom Brady graded CGC 9
• a 2023-24 Upper Deck Extended Series Special Forces #SF-9 Connor Bedard graded CGC Gem Mint 10

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

• a Charizard, Pokemon (1999) Base Set Shadowless Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Black Lotus, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Collectors’ Edition graded CGC 9
• a Charizard, Pokemon (1996) Japanese Base Set Holo graded CGC Gem Mint 10
• a Doduo, Pokemon (1996) Japanese Alpha Playtest graded CGC 9
• a Timetwister, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Collectors’ Edition graded CGC 8.5

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.