5 Trading Cards To Buy For a $1000 Budget (December 2025)
Five trading cards under a $1000 budget for December 2025, using real prices, sales volume, and trends to help collectors pick smart trading cards.
5 Trading Cards Under $1000 (December 2025)
Welcome to figoca’s December 2025 list of budget trading cards—five picks that keep your total spend close to a $1000 cap while focusing on real data, recognizable sets, and star players. This tier is aimed at collectors who want higher-end pieces than the $100–$500 lists without jumping into truly premium, four-figure-per-card territory.
We focus on recent sold comps, steady sales volume, and clear on-field or cultural narratives rather than hype. You will see a mix of Hall of Fame-level resumes, current MVP candidates, iconic error cards, and a modern Pokémon chase, all chosen to stay reasonably liquid instead of feeling like lottery tickets. If you are newer to the hobby, it helps to start with 10 smart tips every collector should know and PSA vs CGC vs BGS vs SGC: Grading guide for 2025 before you buy.
TL;DR
- Stay within your $1000 budget: plan roughly $950–$1000 total including shipping, tax, and any grading you might do later.
- Favor demand and liquidity: each pick shows dozens of recent sales, so you can track real prices instead of guessing.
- Balance risk: mix established legends like Patrick Mahomes II and Shohei Ohtani with younger upside in Caleb Williams plus niche appeal from Billy Ripken and Pokémon.
- Stick to sets that matter: Optic, Topps Chrome, Fleer, and flagship Pokémon sets have long-term collector recognition.
- Always verify sold comps: double-check 30–90 day sold listings and card condition, especially at this higher budget tier.
Not financial advice. Prices and availability change—always verify sold comps and card condition before you buy.
Best trading cards to buy for a $1000 budget
Patrick Mahomes II
2024 Optic #20
Recent copies of the 2024 Optic #20 Patrick Mahomes II have been trading around $289, with roughly 46 sales in the last month and a steady ~16% move upward. Mahomes is once again in the thick of the MVP conversation in 2025, adding to a resume that already includes multiple Super Bowls and some of the best quarterback play in NFL history. For collectors building best rookie cards under $1000–style positions in modern stars, this Optic card offers strong name recognition, deep demand, and good long-term collectability, especially in graded or near-mint condition.
View on eBay
Caleb Williams
2024 Optic #1
The 2024 Optic #1 Caleb Williams sits around $220, with approximately 57 sales over the last 30 days and an estimated 39% price increase as his rookie-year highlights stack up. As the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams has shown deep-ball flashes and playmaking ability that keep collectors and investors closely watching each game. This is a classic budget trading card for upside-focused buyers: a key quarterback in a core brand, with real volatility but also meaningful long-term potential if he grows into a true franchise QB.
View on eBay
Billy Ripken
1989 Fleer #616 PSA 9
The 1989 Fleer #616 Billy Ripken in PSA 9 tends to sell around $180, with roughly 90 graded copies changing hands in the last month and a modest ~4% price move. This is one of the most famous error and controversy cards in the hobby, thanks to the unedited bat knob text that slipped through Fleer’s quality control and became a cult favorite. While it comes from the overprinted Junk Wax era, strong pop-culture recognition and steady collector demand have helped this cheap trading card stand out as a long-term oddball staple rather than a forgotten base issue.
View on eBay
Shohei Ohtani
2018 Topps Chrome #83T-6
Recent sales for the 2018 Topps Chrome #83T-6 Shohei Ohtani cluster around $179, with about 76 copies sold in the last 30 days and a roughly 5% positive trend. As a two-way superstar and global face of baseball, Ohtani’s rookie-era cards stay in demand even when short-term performance or injuries create noise. This Topps Chrome variant offers a recognizable, liquid way to add one of the most unique modern players to a $1000 budget portfolio without jumping into his very top-end pieces.
View on eBay
Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex
2025 Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivals #213/182 PSA 10
This Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex from 2025 Scarlet & Violet: Destined Rivals, in PSA 10, has been selling around $117 with roughly 63 recent sales and a strong ~62% move over the last month. As an Ultra Rare featuring an iconic Pokémon and the nostalgic Team Rocket theme, it blends competitive play appeal with collector demand for high-grade copies and standout artwork. Within a $1000 budget build, it gives you diversification beyond sports into a globally recognized IP while still staying in a data-backed, relatively liquid price range.
View on eBayTaken together, these five positions come to roughly $985 at recent prices, leaving some room under a $1000 budget once you account for shipping, tax, and small differences between individual sales. You also end up diversified across NFL quarterbacks, a legendary baseball hitter, an infamous error card, and a modern Pokémon chase, rather than concentrating everything in a single sport or player.
How to Use This List
- Start from sold comps, not asking prices: filter for 30–90 days of completed sales on each card before you bid or make offers, ignoring one-off outliers.
- Make condition and eye appeal non-negotiable: at this budget level, centering, corners, surfaces, and subgrades or card stock quality have an outsized impact on long-term value.
- Define your plan per card: separate long-term holds (like Mahomes or Ohtani) from more speculative pieces (like Caleb Williams or Pokémon) so you size positions appropriately.
- Stay disciplined on price: set a walk-away number for each card based on comps, then stick to it even if an auction heats up.
- Think carefully about grading: for raw copies, only consider grading if eye appeal is truly strong and the graded premium above fees is supported by recent data.
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Related Guides
- 10 smart tips every collector should know
- PSA vs CGC vs BGS vs SGC: Grading guide for 2025
- Fake PSA slabs: a 60-second check
- On-card vs sticker autos: what collectors value
- Use the figoca browser extension to see comps on eBay
FAQ
What are the best rookie cards under $1000 in December 2025?
For December 2025, quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes II’s 2024 Optic #20 and Caleb Williams’ 2024 Optic #1 stand out as some of the best rookie cards under $1000 when you factor in price, sales volume, and narrative. Mahomes offers Hall of Fame-level stability with strong liquidity, while Williams is a higher-variance upside play as he develops. Both sit in recognizable sets with dozens of recent sales, which helps you track comps and manage risk more clearly.
Are budget trading cards at this price point only for advanced collectors?
Not necessarily—budget trading cards under a $1000 cap can work for both newer and experienced collectors if you treat them as part of a plan rather than a gamble. Newer collectors should move slowly, focus on clear names and sets, and start with just one or two of these cards instead of all five. More experienced collectors can use a $1000 budget to tilt toward blue-chip stars while still experimenting around the edges with error cards or Pokémon.
How do I avoid overpaying for cheap trading cards and cards to buy in December 2025?
Begin by checking multiple recent sold comps for each card, ideally across more than one marketplace, and avoid anchoring to the single highest sale. Compare condition carefully from photos, confirm grading details, and set a firm maximum bid or offer before you enter an auction. This approach keeps your spend aligned with real market data and helps you get more value from your cards to buy in December 2025 without stretching beyond your budget.
Nico Meyer
figoca Founder
Passionate about the intersection of sports cards and technology. Building figoca to make card collecting more accessible and data-driven for everyone.