The Biggest Risers and Fallers in Trading Cards Right Now

The trading card market moves fast.

One big performance, one new product, one injury, one anime arc, or one viral social media post can completely change how collectors value a card.

Some cards double in price almost overnight.

Others fall just as quickly.

Across sports cards, Pokémon, and One Piece, there have already been some major movers in 2026.

Here is a look at some of the biggest cards rising in value and some of the cards that have cooled off.

Biggest Risers

Victor Wembanyama Rookie Cards

Few players have had a bigger impact on the sports card market than Victor Wembanyama.

Even after dealing with injuries, Wemby continues to dominate hobby attention.

Collectors are still chasing:

• Prizm rookies

• National Treasures RPAs

• Topps Chrome McDonald's All-American cards

• One-of-one autographs

The biggest gains have come from lower-numbered parallels, PSA 10 rookies, and premium patch autos.

Some of his top-end cards continue to set record prices because collectors believe he has all-time potential.

Caitlin Clark Rookie Cards

No athlete has brought more new attention into the hobby over the last year than Caitlin Clark.

Her rookie cards have exploded in value as collectors from both the sports and WNBA worlds continue chasing her cards.

Cards seeing the biggest increases include:

• Prizm rookies

• Bowman University autos

• One-of-one cards

• PSA 10 graded cards

Women’s sports cards are still relatively early compared to football and basketball, which is one reason many collectors believe there is still room for Caitlin Clark cards to rise.

Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions Eeveelutions

Prismatic Evolutions has become one of the hottest Pokémon sets in recent memory.

Collectors are aggressively chasing Eeveelution cards featuring:

• Umbreon

• Espeon

• Sylveon

• Glaceon

• Leafeon

Umbreon continues to lead the market because it has become one of the strongest Pokémon characters from a value perspective.

Limited supply, strong artwork, and huge demand have pushed many of these cards sharply higher since release.

One Piece Manga Rares

Manga Rare cards remain the grails of One Piece collecting.

Collectors continue chasing characters like:

• Monkey D. Luffy

• Roronoa Zoro

• Trafalgar Law

• Portgas D. Ace

• Shanks

The biggest gains have come from low-pop graded copies and characters that continue appearing in major storylines.

As One Piece continues to grow globally, Manga Rare cards remain some of the strongest long-term holds in the category.

Biggest Fallers

Anthony Richardson Rookie Cards

Anthony Richardson cards were some of the hottest football cards in the hobby during his rookie hype cycle.

Since then, prices have fallen sharply.

Injuries, inconsistent performance, and uncertainty around his long-term future have cooled the market significantly.

Collectors who were once paying huge premiums for rookie autos and RPAs are now much more cautious.

Cards that saw the biggest declines include:

• Prizm Silver rookies

• National Treasures RPAs

• Downtown inserts

• Low-numbered rookie autos

Modern Base Set Pokémon Reprints

Not every Pokémon card goes up.

Many modern reprints and heavily printed cards have seen major drops in value once the initial hype fades.

Collectors often rush into new sets during release week, only for prices to fall as more product hits the market.

This is especially true for:

• Base ultra rares
  n- Non-numbered illustration rares

• Widely available ETB promos

• Heavily opened modern sets

The biggest lesson is that scarcity matters.

Cards with high print runs and easy availability usually struggle to maintain value long term.

Lower-Tier One Piece Singles

While Manga Rares and top chase cards continue to rise, many lower-tier One Piece singles have seen significant drops.

As new sets release, collectors tend to move away from older mid-tier cards and focus on the newest chase cards.

That creates downward pressure on:

• Bulk SRs

• Older alternate arts

• Non-graded singles

• Cards from sets with heavy reprints

Collectors who want to protect value in One Piece are increasingly focusing on the rarest cards, strongest characters, and lowest population grades.

Mac Jones Rookie Cards

Mac Jones cards are one of the clearest examples of how quickly the sports card market can change.

At one point, collectors were paying thousands for his rookie autos and low-numbered parallels.

Today, many of those same cards are worth a fraction of what they once sold for.

Quarterback cards tend to be some of the most volatile assets in the hobby.

If performance drops, card values often follow.

Final Thoughts

The trading card market is always changing.

The biggest winners are usually the collectors who understand hype cycles, scarcity, timing, and long-term demand.

The biggest mistakes often happen when collectors buy into hype too late or ignore how quickly markets can cool.

In sports, performance matters.

In Pokémon, scarcity and nostalgia matter.

In One Piece, character popularity and rarity matter.

Collectors who understand those trends usually put themselves in the best position to win over time.