Target and Walmart trading cards growth like NFL for holiday season
Collectible cards for the game “Magic” are found in a store where the “Magic” tournament is held.
Frank Rumpenhorst | picture alliance | Getty Images
As screen time accelerates and technology advances, a low-tech pastime is making a comeback with a vengeance: collecting trading cards.
Cardstock, depicting everything from NFL standouts to Pokémon and even Taylor Swift, is one of the most popular toy categories in stores this year. Big box retailers are stocking up ahead of the holidays, anticipating demand will expand beyond traditional toy buyers like kids and collectors.
“We see trading cards as a hot gift category for all ages, which we will support with innovations and special discounts,” said Rick Gomez. your target vice president and chief commercial officer, told CNBC. “We’ll be releasing new releases nearly every week during the holidays, which will drive demand. And they’ll make great gifts and great stocking stuffers.”
Sales of strategic trading cards, which exclude sports, are up 103% year-to-date through August, while sales of non-strategic cards, which are collectible pop culture or sports cards, are up 48%, according to the market research firm. Circana.
Target’s trading card sales are up nearly 70% year-to-date, and annual revenue from the category is expected to top $1 billion.
Sales on some online platforms are growing even faster. Walmart Marketplace reported a 200% increase in trading card sales from February 2024 to June 2025, with Pokémon sales increasing more than tenfold compared to the previous year during the same period. axios. The retailer even launched a new weekly campaign impressive live broadcast series focused on sports collections.
According to Circana, since 2021, strategic card sales have increased by $891 million, or 139%, reaching a total of $1.5 billion. Circana said non-strategic card and collectible sticker sales rose $565 million, or 156%, to $925 million in the same period.
Millennial and Gen Z customers are crucial to growth, said Juli Lennett, vice president and industry consultant of Circana’s U.S. toy practice.
“A lot of adults buy these because it brings them back to a time when they didn’t care about anything in the world,” Lennett said. “It’s an economically affordable luxury right now. Some people couldn’t get a card when they were kids, and now they have their own money and there’s no one to say ‘no’.”
Some buyers also consider cards as alternative investments. Through August, the value of Pokémon cards had generated a cumulative return of 3,821% since 2004, according to an index compiled by the analytics firm. Card Ladder, Wall Street Magazine reported. To combat online sellers, many stores now limit purchases to two packs per customer.
Although the commercial card category is booming this year, not everyone is confident that this segment will increase sales during the peak holiday shopping season. According to Circana, 19% of adults said they purchased Pokémon cards for themselves in the past six months, signaling that they may not be able to purchase those cards for others in the coming weeks.
“There’s steady growth in the category, but the majority of buyers are buying for themselves. There aren’t as many gifts here as you see with other toys,” Lennett said.
Pokemon cards released in 1999
Yvonne Hemsey | Hulton Archive | Getty Images
A year-round hustle
What trading cards lack in holiday flair, they make up for in consistency.
Lennett says cards differ from most toy categories in two key ways: Cards are typically purchased on their own, and they’re not “super seasonal.”
“Cards sell just as well in March or July as they do in December,” he said. “This makes them very attractive to retailers trying to offset seasonal risk.”
Target, which has often been hit by holiday-related merchandise, has tried to capitalize on year-round interest in cards.
“We expanded our assortment. We increased the number of products we had. We put trading cards in a more prominent place in the store, we had bolder displays, and the business responded,” Gomez said. “We don’t see the business slowing down and we see its popularity continuing to grow.”
Pokémon remains the category’s top performer, with card sales surpassing $1 billion last year; Pokémon became the first toy brand to reach this milestone in the United States, according to Circana. Sports cards are also becoming more popular, especially among young men. NFL packs lead the offense.
“A lot of different people come in to buy. You have adult collectors who buy for themselves, but we also see a lot of families coming in with their kids and asking their parents for trading cards,” Gomez said. “It’s a great gift for parents and kids, especially if they know they’re into sports or Pokémon.”
While contemporary releases have boomed among eight- to 28-year-olds, vintage cards (usually pre-1970s) haven’t connected as strongly with Gen Z and Gen Alpha collectors.
“The majority of my customers are not looking for vintage,” says New York-based CEO Matthew Winkelried. Bleecker Tradinghe told CNBC. “Young people don’t want to peruse 1960s cards unless they’ve seen Mickey Mantle or Hank Aaron. Additionally, the scarcity and price of older cards make it a challenging entry point.”
Topps trading cards were staged for a photo in Richmond, Virginia.
JayPaul | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Changing customers
After a near-collapse due to overproduction in the 1990s, the trading card industry has rebounded. Growth has been particularly strong since the pandemic, fueled by a mix of nostalgia, community and, some say, investment potential.
“There are still players of the game, and it’s a really close-knit community,” said Jason Howarth, senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations. Panini Americawhich provides sports cards to retailers like Target and Walmart. “There’s a great sense of camaraderie among sports fans around business. I’ve also heard that game nights in Pokémon still play an important role in keeping that ecosystem alive.”
Bleecker Trading’s Winkelried said Pokémon cards have generally proven to be a stronger investment than their sports counterparts for those who view the cards as a store of value.
“Maybe a high-profile rookie joins the league and you buy his card early, hoping his value will increase,” he said. “The value can change from week to week. It’s volatile, like a stock.”
He added: “Pokémon is like a commodity. Pikachu can’t tear an ACL or get a DUI. Supply is limited, so the market is more stable.”
With the holiday seasons behind them, major retailers are focusing on building the long-term future of the category. The goal is to bet on exclusive sets, limited specials and a more diverse consumer base.
“With trading cards, we aim to reach not only age range but also gender,” Gomez said.
This process is already ongoing. The WNBA is now one of the fastest growing segments in sports cards, especially among teenage girls.
Football will also be on the rise with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which includes the USA, Canada and Mexico.
“Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese have done wonders in the WNBA trading card business,” Howarth said. “By June, the US market will be taken over by football. Fans already know global stars like Messi, but with the World Cup being held here, at least four or five players will rapidly increase in popularity and recognition.”
