1993 SkyBox Simpsons Bart Sketch PSA 10 Sells Big

1993 SkyBox Simpsons Art DeBart Bart Simpson Sketch Card Sells for $35,685

On February 26, 2026, Goldin closed a notable pop‑culture auction: a 1993 SkyBox Simpsons "Art DeBart" Bart Simpson sketch card, hand‑drawn and signed by series creator Matt Groening, sold for $35,685. For trading card collectors who bridge sports, non‑sports, and original art, this result is an important data point.

In this breakdown, we’ll walk through what the card is, why it matters, and how this sale fits into the broader market for Simpsons and non‑sports sketch cards.

The Card at a Glance

Here are the core details of the card:

• Character: Bart Simpson ("Art DeBart" sketch)
• Franchise: The Simpsons
• Year: 1993
• Set: 1993 SkyBox The Simpsons (Art DeBart sketch insert)
• Serial Numbering: Hand‑numbered #357/400
• Medium: Original hand‑drawn Bart Simpson sketch
• Autograph: On‑card signature by Matt Groening
• Grading (card): PSA GEM MT 10
• Grading (auto/sketch): PSA/DNA GEM MT 10
• Auction House: Goldin
• Sale Date (UTC): 2026‑02‑26
• Sale Price: $35,685

This is not a standard printed trading card. It’s a pack‑inserted, original art sketch card from a licensed SkyBox Simpsons release, with Groening both sketching Bart and signing the card. With hand‑numbering to 400, each card is unique, but the run size is clearly defined.

While there isn’t really a "rookie card" concept for animated characters in the same way there is for athletes, many collectors treat early‑1990s Simpsons releases as the brand’s key trading card era, and the hand‑drawn Groening sketch cards as the premium tier of that era.

Why the 1993 SkyBox Simpsons Sketch Cards Matter

Early, Licensed Simpsons Original Art in Packs

The 1993 SkyBox Simpsons release sits in the middle of the early, high‑popularity years of the show. Inserted sketch cards like this one represent:

• Official, licensed artwork: Not fan art, but pack‑pulled and produced with the show’s rights holder.
• Direct connection to the creator: Matt Groening sketched and signed these, which is unusual even in the broader non‑sports space.
• Defined scarcity: Hand‑numbered out of 400, making them limited but not impossible to find—though high‑grade examples are very tough.

Compared with modern sketch inserts in trading card products, which are often one‑of‑one pieces by various contract artists, these 1993 Groening sketches carry additional weight because they’re executed by the show’s creator during the property’s core era.

Era and Condition Challenges

The early‑1990s are often called the "junk wax" era in sports: huge print runs, but not always handled or stored carefully. Non‑sports followed similar patterns:

• Card stock and packaging weren’t optimized for long‑term condition.
• Sketch and autograph surfaces could easily pick up smudges, edge wear, and handling marks.

A PSA GEM MT 10 grade for a 1993 sketch card is therefore meaningful. On top of that, an accompanying PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 for the auto/art confirms that both the signature and visual presentation are at the top of the scale. For a single card to achieve GEM 10 on both fronts puts it in the very top tier of condition among known copies.

Population and Scarcity in High Grade

PSA’s population report (often shortened to "pop report") tells you how many copies of a card have received each grade. For niche non‑sports issues, the total number graded can be relatively small.

While exact, up‑to‑the‑day figures can move as more cards are submitted, the general pattern for these Groening sketch cards is:

• Modest total population relative to mainstream sports issues from the same era.
• Very few GEM MT 10s due to:
  • dark ink on a light surface (visible flaws stand out),
  • potential for smearing or fading,
  • handling and storage across three decades.

When you combine limited production (400) with creator‑drawn, on‑card art and a small number of PSA 10s, this card sits near the top of the Simpsons card hierarchy in terms of condition scarcity.

Market Context and Recent Sales

How This $35,685 Result Fits In

Non‑sports sketch cards and early Simpsons cards don’t have the same volume of public sales as modern sports grails, but we can still frame this Goldin result using recent hobby patterns:

• Raw (ungraded) or mid‑grade examples of Matt Groening Simpsons sketch cards from the 1990s have tended to sell significantly lower than this figure, reflecting the premium for condition and third‑party verification.
• High‑grade examples (PSA 9 and PSA 10) have shown a noticeable step up in realized prices over the past few years as collectors have:
  • Re‑evaluated 1990s pop culture cards,
  • Added non‑sports pieces to primarily sports‑focused collections,
  • Sought cross‑category "centerpiece" items (art, comics, and cards all in one).

Within that context, $35,685 at Goldin for a PSA 10 / PSA‑DNA 10 is toward the upper end of what has been observed for Groening Simpsons sketch cards historically, reflecting:

• The dual GEM 10 grades.
• The clarity of the sketch and signature.
• The visibility and bidder pool at a major auction house.

As of this writing, there are not many public, like‑for‑like comps (short for "comparables"—similar items used to gauge price ranges) for a 1993 SkyBox Bart sketch, #/400, PSA 10 with a PSA/DNA 10 auto. Most known sales involve:

• Different characters or poses,
• Lower or no grades,
• Sales on smaller marketplaces with less transparent bidding history.

This makes the Goldin sale a key reference point for future price discussions on top‑tier Simpsons sketch cards, especially Groening‑drawn examples.

Why Collectors Care About This Card

Cross‑Collectible Appeal

This card sits at the intersection of multiple collecting lanes:

• Non‑sports trading cards: For hobbyists who focus on entertainment properties rather than athletes.
• Original art: Each sketch card is a one‑off piece of hand‑drawn art, not just another printed copy.
• Autographs: The on‑card Matt Groening signature adds an element of traditional autograph collecting.
• Animation and TV memorabilia: Long‑time Simpsons fans often collect cels, scripts, and posters; this card offers a compact, graded, and easily displayed alternative.

This cross‑appeal tends to draw interest from collectors who might not usually chase trading cards, which can support stronger auction results for the best examples.

The Cultural Weight of The Simpsons

The Simpsons is one of the most influential TV shows of the last several decades, and Bart is arguably its most recognizable character. For many collectors:

• The early‑1990s represent the "classic" Simpsons era.
• Memorabilia from that timeframe feels historically important.

Owning a 1993, Groening‑drawn Bart sketch is, in a sense, owning a small, signed, original artwork from that cultural moment—wrapped in the familiar format of a trading card.

How This Sale May Influence the Market

While every sale is just a single data point, this Goldin result is likely to be referenced going forward when collectors and sellers talk about high‑end Simpsons cards and similar non‑sports pieces.

Some possible implications:

1. Benchmark for top condition
   This PSA 10 / PSA‑DNA 10 sale helps establish a clearer premium for the very best graded copies. Collectors holding PSA 9s or 10s of related sketch cards may look to this result as a guidepost when setting expectations.

2. Increased grading interest
   Owners of raw 1990s Simpsons sketch cards may be more inclined to submit to grading, now that there’s a public example of what a dual‑GEM card can achieve.

3. Broader attention to non‑sports grails
   As auction houses like Goldin continue to feature non‑sports highlights alongside sports cards, more hobbyists are seeing these pieces as legitimate "cornerstones" for their collections.

It’s important to frame all of this as context, not a forecast. Collectors should treat the $35,685 result as a reference, not a guarantee of future value. Markets can move up or down based on supply, demand, and broader economic conditions.

Key Takeaways for Collectors

If you’re new to Simpsons or non‑sports cards and are trying to understand this sale, here are the main points:

• This is a 1993 SkyBox Simpsons Bart sketch card, hand‑numbered 357/400, with art and an on‑card signature by Matt Groening.
• It received PSA GEM MT 10 for the card and PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 for the signature/art, putting it in the top tier of known copies.
• The card sold for $35,685 at Goldin on February 26, 2026 (UTC).
• Limited production, early‑era timing, and creator‑drawn art all contribute to its significance.
• In the current market, this result sits on the high side for Simpsons sketch cards, especially given the dual GEM grades and major‑auction exposure.

For collectors who appreciate the overlap between animation history and the trading card hobby, this sale underscores how original art sketch cards from the 1990s—especially those tied directly to creators—are increasingly treated as serious, centerpiece items.

figoca will continue tracking key non‑sports and pop‑culture sales like this to help collectors understand how these cards fit into the broader market story.