Lionel Messi Tops This Week's Sports Card Sales
October has arrived, and the MLB postseason is underway, which helped push several Hall of Fame baseball cards into the week’s top sports card sales. Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth all appeared among the biggest results, but Lionel Messi claimed the top spot with a massive private sale.
Card Ladder’s weekly sales list also included a high-end Stephen Curry Prizm parallel and a historically important Cy Young cabinet card. Here is a look at the five biggest reported sales of the week.
No. 5 - 1890-92 John H. Ryder Studio Cabinet Cy Young PSA 1.5
The No. 5 spot went to a rare and historically significant 1890-92 John H. Ryder Studio Cabinet featuring Cy Young, graded PSA 1.5. The card sold for $427,000 on Oct. 10, 2026 through Goldin Auctions.
Goldin described the piece as a true 1/1, with that status noted as irrefutable. The card had previously sold through Goldin in June 2024 for $500,200, making this latest result a notable return to the market for one of the most unusual items in the hobby.
No. 4 - 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson #50 PSA 9
Jackie Robinson’s 1949 Bowman card checked in at No. 4 after selling for $518,500 on Oct. 10, 2026 through Goldin Auction. The card was graded PSA 9 and remains one of the most desirable postwar baseball cards in the hobby.
According to Card Ladder, the PSA 9 population stands at 13, with no PSA 10 examples. Card Ladder also notes that there is an SGC 10 as the only gem ever graded, underscoring how difficult this issue is to find in elite condition.
No. 3 - 1932 US Caramel Auto Babe Ruth #32 PSA Authentic/ Auto 9
The third-highest sale of the week was a signed Babe Ruth card that brought $976,000 on Oct. 10, 2026 through Goldin auction. The 1932 US Caramel Auto Babe Ruth #32 was certified PSA Authentic with an Auto 9.
Goldin identified it as the only known signed US Caramel Babe Ruth card and the only known signed US Caramel card by any player. That combination of rarity and historical importance pushed the card to a result just shy of seven figures.
Related coverage includes Top 3 Sports Card Sales of the Week: Lionel Messi, Stephen Curry, and Babe Ruth Lead the Market.
No. 2 - 2012-13 Panini Prizm Stephen Curry Gold /10 BGS 9
Stephen Curry’s 2012-13 Panini Prizm Gold /10 landed at No. 2 after a private sale of $1,017,202.20, according to Card Ladder. The card was graded BGS 9 and represents one of the earliest and most important parallels from the first year of Prizm.
Card Ladder confirmed the transaction and noted that it was verified by the seller, IG: @point4seconds, and the buyer, IG: @mikesbballcards, with proof of completed wire transfer and supporting DMs. The sale marks a major jump from the card’s last recorded result, a PSA 9 that sold for $114,000 in 2023.
For many collectors, 2012-13 Panini Prizm remains a landmark product because it is the first year of Prizm, and Curry’s Gold /10 is one of the most coveted cards from the set.
No. 1 - 2026 Panini Prizm Choice Prizms Nebula /1 Lionel Messi BGS 9
Lionel Messi finished at No. 1 with a stunning 2026 Panini Prizm Choice Prizms Nebula /1 graded BGS 9. The card sold for $1,250,000 on Oct. 9 through a private sale reported by Card Ladder.
The one-of-one card, featuring one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, led the week by a wide margin. Messi’s result also stood out because it came from a modern soccer release rather than a vintage baseball issue, highlighting the continued strength of elite modern cards at the very top of the market.
With a seven-figure private sale and a strong mix of vintage baseball and modern basketball and soccer cards behind it, this week’s list showed just how broad the high-end market can be when major names and true rarities come together.
What This Week's Sales Show About The Market
The week’s top five sales blended different eras, sports and collecting lanes. Vintage baseball remained strong with Cy Young, Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth all posting major results, while Stephen Curry and Lionel Messi showed the staying power of modern superstars in the premium end of the hobby.
Private sales also played a major role at the top of the list, with both Curry and Messi reaching seven figures outside of a public auction setting. That trend continues to show how some of the rarest cards in the hobby can move quietly while still setting major benchmarks.
For collectors following the market, the list also offered a reminder that condition, rarity and historical significance can all drive demand in different ways. A true 1/1 cabinet card, a high-grade Jackie Robinson Bowman, a one-of-one signed Babe Ruth and a Gold Prizm Curry each brought their own appeal, while Messi’s Nebula /1 delivered the week’s biggest headline.
As the postseason continues and more high-end material moves through the market, the hobby will be watching to see whether another vintage baseball classic or modern superfractor-style parallel can challenge the top end of this week’s results.
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