As the first half of 2026 comes to a close, the hobby remains as hot as ever. With that momentum, ten subjects for the world of sports and TCG have continued to stand out here halfway through 2026. PSA recently released its June Top 10 Most Graded Subjects list, featuring the hobby’s most popular stars. For years, PSA grading data has served as a barometer for where collectors and investors are focusing their time, money and attention. June’s rankings reinforce a clear trend: the hobby continues to center on GOATS and iconic characters from both the TCG world and the world of sports.
9. Cooper Flagg, Basketball
Number of Cards Graded with PSA in June:25,567
Cooper Flagg capped off his rookie season by winning NBA Rookie of the Year honors, living up to the enormous expectations that came with being the No. 1 overall pick and the widely held belief that he is the league’s next generational talent
As collectors continue to invest in Flagg, the more than 25,000 cards graded in June demonstrate that the hobby still views him as one of the NBA’s next superstars. If collectors and investors are searching for the next Victor Wembanyama-level hobby phenomenon, Flagg is the strongest candidate.Flagg’s overall graded card numbers are modest at 195,000 total cards graded, with his 2025 Topps card #201 his most graded card, coming in at a little over 31,000
7. Michael Jordan, Basketball
Number of Cards Graded with PSA in June:29,072
Depending on where you spend your time in the hobby, you may not realize it, but Michael Jordan PSA graded cards are absolutely red hot this summer! Demand for Jordan’s graded cards continues to climb across the board, with particular strength in his late 1980’s and early 1990’s Fleer cards and stickers. As Jordan further cements his place as the hobby’s most influential and enduring player, his grading numbers will continue to grow.Jordan’s overall graded card numbers are staggering. With more than 2 million total cards graded, he remains the most graded non-TCG subject in the hobby. His 1990 Fleer card #26 is currently his most-graded card, with a little over 70,000 copies graded.
5. Shohei Ohtani, Baseball
Number of Cards Graded in June:34,084
Baseball collectors today currently fall into one of a few categories, vintage collector, set builders, prospectors, or Shohei Ohtani investor. Ohtani remains the hobby’s most bankable active player, and his place among the game’s all-time greats is already becoming firmly established. With multiple MVP awards, World Series championships and a historic two-way skill set unmatched since Babe Ruth more than a century ago, Ohtani has become one of the defining athletes of the 21st century. Ohtani’s cards continue to be graded at an unprecedented pace. More than 34,000 of his cards were graded in June alone, pushing his career total since 2018 past the 1 million mark. His most-graded card remains his 2018 Bowman card #49, with more than 37,000 graded copies.
3. Monkey D. Luffy, One Piece
Number of Cards Graded in June:79,849
Monkey D. Luffy continues to lead the way for One Piece in the PSA grading world. As the main protagonist of the series, Luffy remains one of the most influential characters in the TCG market, with nearly 80,000 of his cards graded in June alone. His continued popularity has helped establish One Piece as a major force in modern grading, and with more than 535,000 total graded cards, Luffy is quickly becoming one of the most-graded fictional characters in hobby history
Luffy’s most graded card remains his 2025 One Piece Magazine Vol. 20 #14, which has now been graded more than 37,000 times. Its high grading volume reflects both the growth of One Piece and the sustained demand for the franchise’s most iconic character
Pokemon Dominates the Top 10 of this list
Pokemon continues to be an unstoppable force in PSA’s monthly grading numbers, with nearly 400,000 cards graded in June of just these six subjects. Occupying six of the top ten spots on PSA’s Most Graded Subjects list, Pokemon continues to demonstrate its unmatched impact on the hobby month after month.Led by Pikachu and Charizard, the franchise’s two flagship characters continue to prove that their hobby relevance shows no signs of slowing down. With Pokemon’s 30th anniversary celebration approaching later this year, it would not surprising to see grading numbers of both Pikachu and Charizard climb even higher. Meanwhile, Gengar also deserves attention after surpassing 50,000 graded cards in June. As collectors and investors search for Pokemon with additional long-term growth potential Gengar continues to emerge as one of the strongest candidates.
10. UmbreonNumber of Cards Graded in June: 24,7498. MewNumber of Cards Graded in June: 26,1176. DragoniteNumber of Cards Graded in June: 32,5624. GengarNumber of Cards Graded in June: 51,8512. CharizardNumber of Cards Graded in June: 118,4171. PikachuNumber of Cards Graded in June: 140,773
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Published 6 hours ago| Modified 6 hours ago
P. ARVIN PARKER
P. Arvin Parker is a lifelong collector of all things sports and pop culture. He is a Minnesotan, a Veteran, and an Ojibwe man who lives and dies by all things Minnesota. After spending the last 20 years working in the mental health field, he has reignited his love for collecting. His passion for the hobby centers on the people and stories of the world of collectibles
