The Nerdconomy Report

Another wild week in the world of collectibles—where cardboard grails, iconic props, phygital drops, and pop culture moments all collided. Whether you’re flipping, hodling, or just here for the nostalgia, we’ve got the juiciest headlines you need to know.

Big moves in the digital space! OpenSea just acquired Web3 platform Rally with plans to build what they’re calling an “onchain everything app.” Translation? You’ll soon be able to collect, trade, and explore digital assets—on your phone. Rally’s founder is even stepping in as OpenSea’s new CTO. This feels like a major step toward making NFT collecting more accessible and less desktop-only. The app wars are officially on—and collectors are winning.

Sports card royalty alert 👑—the only SGC 10 Pristine 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card is heading to auction via Heritage, and it’s expected to crack $800,000+. This is the highest-graded copy in existence, and it hasn’t surfaced in five years. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning the GOAT’s crown jewel, now’s your shot (assuming you’ve got half a mil or more to spare). Either way, this is a moment in hobby history.

Yes, the actual Red Five miniature model used in The Empire Strikes Back is going under the hammer! Previously sold for $328K, it’s now hitting Heritage Auctions again, with a starting bid of $175,000. Built by ILM and used in some of the most iconic space battle scenes in cinema history, this piece is pure collector legend. Star Wars fans—start your engines.

Anime lovers and NFT collectors, unite! Azuki just launched “Studio Azuki” and partnered with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios to create original anime content powered by blockchain. This is huge: not only does it bring mainstream storytelling power to the Web3 world, but it also helps elevate Azuki beyond PFPs into full-blown entertainment IP. This could be the blueprint for how digital-first brands go mainstream.

Skateboard culture just got a high-end collectible treatment. Upper Deck announced an exclusive drop featuring autographed skateboards and art prints signed by legends Tony Hawk and Stacy Peralta. For fans of Dogtown, vert ramps, and video game nostalgia, this is a certified grail drop. The decks are already generating buzz and selling fast—proof that skateboarding icons still carry big collector clout.

The First Family is back! Marvel just dropped a brand-new Fantastic Four #1, launching a bold new arc where the team is scattered across time. Think dinosaurs, time stones, and a Doom-fueled mystery that has fans buzzing. With oversized pages, Humberto Ramos art, and deep character work from Ryan North, this issue is already heating up in both comic shops and aftermarket sales. It’s a must-pick-up for Marvel collectors.

She’s the queen of the court—and the card market. A 1-of-1 WNBA Logowoman rookie patch autograph card of Caitlin Clark just hit the auction block, and it could smash her previous record of $366K. With her meteoric rise in both the WNBA and collectibles world, this card is expected to reset the bar for women’s sports cards. Eyes on this one—it’s shaping up to be a historic sale.

Todd McFarlane is not slowing down. His latest DC Multiverse wave features phygital action figures—physical collectibles paired with official digital tokens. Nightwing, Batman variants, and other characters come with a digital twin you can flex online. It’s another step toward hybrid collecting, and fans are eating it up. As usual, McFarlane knows how to bring comic-toy magic to life—and now, onto the blockchain.

A 1-of-1 Gary Vaynerchuk Superfractor autographed card from the 2025 Topps Chrome VeeFriends set just sold for $55,000 on eBay, marking the largest VeeFriends card sale in history. This ultra-rare card comes from the “Entrepreneur Elf’s Favorite Entrepreneurs” insert and features GaryVee himself — making it not just a grail, but a landmark moment for the brand. The sale more than doubles the previous VeeFriends card record and firmly places the IP in the upper echelon of the trading card market.

Two legends. Two totally different worlds. One big week in memorabilia:

It’s a jam-packed week for collectors—with phygital fire, digital giveaways, and physical drops ready to fuel your fandom. Whether you’re into comics, Pops, die-cast, or NFTs, here are the top upcoming releases from July 13–19:

1. Ron English – The Last Supper Diorama (VeVe)
📅 July 13 at 8 AM PT
Ron English’s The Last Supper Diorama is the official display environment for the Cereal Killers digital figure collection. Each figure is posed as a disciple in the famous Da Vinci Last Supper scene. Collect them all and place them in their proper environment—at the table for their Last Supper!
Platform: VeVe | Type: Digital Diorama | Source

2. Marvel’s Strange Tales #126 (VeVe)
📅 July 15 at 8 AM PT
First appearance of Dormammu and Clea. Five cover variants, only 3,000 editions. Classic Silver Age heat.
Platform: VeVe | Type: Digital Comic | Source

3. Ozzie Albies Signed Baseball Giveaway (Candy Digital)
📅 Live Now – Free Mint
Mint the Candy Ambassadors collectible and you’re automatically entered to win a real Ozzie Albies signed baseball. Bridging fandom and memorabilia—digitally.
Platform: Candy Digital | Type: Digital + Giveaway | Mint Link

4. William Contreras Signed Baseball Giveaway (Candy Digital)
📅 Live Now – Free Mint
Another free collectible, another shot at scoring a signed baseball—this time from William Contreras. Mint + enter, it’s that easy.
Platform: Candy Digital | Type: Digital + Giveaway | Mint Link

5. ThunderCats x Funko Series 1 (Droppp)
📅 July 15 at 11 AM PT
Digital Pop! packs featuring Lion-O and crew. Score a Legendary or Grail rarity NFT and redeem for a limited-edition physical Funko.
Platform: Droppp | Type: Phygital | Source

6. Pokémon TCG – Black Bolt & White Flare
📅 July 18
Brand-new dual expansions from Scarlet & Violet, focusing on Unova Pokémon. 170+ cards per set, mini tins, and ETBs dropping everywhere.
Platform: Retail | Type: Physical | Source

7. 2025 Panini Donruss Racing (Hobby)
📅 July 16
Each hobby box includes 3 hits (auto/mem) and 16 Optic cards. Chasers include Black Pandora and Checkered Flag 1/1s.
Platform: Hobby Shops | Type: Physical | Source

8. Hot Wheels RLC – 1976 VW Golf Mk1 GTI
📅 July 15 at 9 AM PT
Spectraflame Shadowchrome finish. RLC-only exclusive. $28, limit 2 per member.
Platform: Mattel Creations | Type: Physical | Source

Digital collectibles are heating up again! From tokenized trading cards on Courtyard to a surprising DeFi-driven entry on Ethereum, this week’s leaderboard shows just how dynamic the NFT space still is. Whether you're collecting for the art, the utility, or the flip—these were the heavy hitters:

🥇 Courtyard (Polygon) – $16.17M
Tokenized trading cards continue to make noise. With strong adoption and real-world backing, Courtyard holds the crown again.

🥈 f(x) wstETH position (Ethereum) – $15.87M
An explosive DeFi/NFT crossover. Volume surged over 2,000% this week—absolutely wild.

🥉 DMarket (Mythos) – $9.03M
Gaming NFTs remain steady as DMarket logs over 309K transactions. Strong week for digital assets with built-in utility.

🪙 BRC-20 NFTs (Bitcoin) – $4.26M
Bitcoin NFTs (Ordinals) bounce back with a +53% gain. Don’t count Bitcoin collectibles out just yet.

🐧 Pudgy Penguins (Ethereum) – $3.75M
The Pudgies are surging again! Volume up over 217% as their IP push and Walmart toys continue to pay off.

🎯 STRIKE_PERP_POSITION (Cardano) – $2.71M
Quiet but powerful. A large volume move with minimal holders. Cardano whales making waves.

🛡️ Guild of Guardians Heroes (Immutable-Zk) – $2.44M
Fantasy RPG GameFi play. Despite a drop this week, GOG holds firm as a fan favorite.

🃏 Gods Unchained Cards (Immutable-Zk) – $2.27M
80% volume spike shows TCG fans are still buying. One of the most consistent performers in web3 gaming.

🧠 CryptoPunks (Ethereum) – $2.25M
The OGs return to form. Low movement, high floor = elite status intact.

🦍 Bored Ape Yacht Club (Ethereum) – $2.09M
Apes back in action with a +58% weekly bump. Holders aren’t leaving anytime soon.

The comic book market lit up this week with strong showings across both legacy issues and hot new covers. From iconic Superman variants to key Marvel debuts, here's what collectors couldn’t stop buying 👇

🦸‍♂️ Justice League #1 (1987)
💥 1st appearance of Maxwell Lord
📝 Huge +450% spike after Sean Gunn was cast in the DCU film.

🕵️ New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983)
🎯 1st appearances of Vigilante, Harbinger, and Cheshire
💥 +400% jump tied to Peacemaker Season 2 hype and SDCC buzz.

🌞 All-Star Superman #1 (2005)
📝 A fan-favorite 12-issue arc on Superman’s humanity
📈 +380% increase in sales this week.

💡 Green Lantern #59 (1968)
💥 1st Guy Gardner appearance
📈 Trending up +317% as speculation around the Lanterns series builds.

🦸‍♀️ Superman Unlimited #1 (2025 Variant)
👨‍💼 Cover art featuring DC Studios CEO James Gunn
📈 +300% in copies sold this week.

🕶️ Alias #1 (2001)
💥 1st appearance of Jessica Jones
📺 +275% in sales amid rumors of a Disney+ reboot.

🐶 Superman: A Friendship Unleashed #1 (2025)
🐾 Limited comic tied to the Milk-Bone promo
📈 +275% spike driven by new collectors grabbing it for free.

🐺 Superman #680 (2008)
🎨 Alex Ross cover featuring Krypto
📈 +243% increase in sales.

💣 Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 (1993)
💥 1st appearance and origin of Bane
📽️ +214% lift with new DCU movie rumors in play.

🔥 Ghost Rider #1 (1990)
👻 1st Daniel Ketch & Deathwatch appearances
🔮 +200% jump following Mephisto/MCU speculation.

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🧠 That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for diving into another edition of The Nerdconomy Report! Whether you’re chasing grails, minting digital heat, or just here for the vibes—we appreciate you.

Stay sharp, stay nerdy, and don’t forget: the best collectibles aren’t just found… they’re earned.

Until next week,
— Ceelow ✌️

P.S. Don’t sleep on the giveaways and golden token claims at the end of every post 👀💛