Batman Trading Card Sells for Record $219,600
An original 1966 Topps 'The Batman' card sold at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, for a record price including buyer's premium.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Collecting
Heritage Auctions sold an original 'The Batman' Topps trading card for £163,699.72 ($219,600) including buyer's premium on October 23 in Dallas, Texas. The card, No. 1 in Topps' 55-card 'Black Bat' set, received a PSA Mint 9 grade.
Why it matters
The sale sets a high benchmark for vintage trading cards, showing strong collector demand for scarce, high-grade examples. With thirteen Mint 9 examples in the PSA population and none certified at Gem Mint 10, condition and rarity drove the price.
The card sold for £134,167.50 before buyer's premium and £163,699.72 ($219,600) with it, and it carries a PSA Mint 9 grade. PSA's population at cataloguing lists 13 examples at Mint 9 and none at Gem Mint 10, and the buyer's identity was not disclosed.
The players
Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctions is a Dallas-based auction house that runs major sports and collectibles sales, including the Fall Sports Catalogue Auction where this card was sold.
Topps
Topps is a long-established trading card manufacturer best known for its baseball and comic-themed card sets, including the 1966 Black Bat series.
PSA
Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is a third-party company that authenticates and grades trading cards on a 1-to-10 scale.
The details
Topps produced the 55-card 'Black Bat' set in 1966, and this card is No. 1 in the series. The card sold after a short bidding war during Heritage Auctions' Fall Sports Catalogue Auction in Dallas, Texas.
Timeline
1966: Topps produces the 55-card 'Black Bat' set.
October 23: The 'The Batman' card sells at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas.
Collecting Landscape
The sale follows the pattern set by PSA population reports, in which top-grade vintage cards with very few examples in Mint 9 or better command the highest prices. A card with no Gem Mint 10 examples in the PSA population reinforces how scarcity at the top grade drives collector bidding.
Collectors weighing vintage trading cards should check PSA population reports before buying, since a few examples at a given grade can sharply raise prices. Buyers should also factor in the buyer's premium, which here raised the final cost from £134,167.50 to £163,699.72.
The takeaway
Condition and population counts matter as much as the card itself when valuing vintage trading cards. Before bidding, collectors should compare the grade against the certified population and account for buyer's premiums in their budget.
Further reading
For more on rare finds and grading, browse the Collecting section.
