Goldin’s 2026 Spring TCG & Manga Elite Auction Opens, Led by Rare Pokémon, Dragon Ball, and First-Appearance Manga Publications
The April 24 – May 17 trading card game auction features collectibles spanning the history of the hobby
April 25, 2026 – Goldin, an internationally renowned auction house known for rare and record-breaking collectible sales, today opened its 2026 Spring TCG & Manga Elite Auction, running April 24 through May 17. The auction presents a curated selection of rare Pokémon cards, video games, and original artwork alongside elite manga products.
This standout auction exemplifies the fast-growing TCG and manga crossover market, where globally recognized franchises like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto are converging with high-end trading card collectibles into one of the most dynamic segments in pop culture collecting. It is led by a 1992 Magic: The Gathering Gamma Playtest Uncut Sheets Collection consisting of 16 sheets and 252 cards, representing an early developmental stage of the game and one of the most significant Magic offerings ever presented for public sale.
The auction is also anchored by a 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Bronze 3rd Place 3rd Tournament Trophy Pikachu, one of the rarest and most prestigious tournament-issued Pokémon cards in existence. Pokémon highlights are further represented by a 1999 Pokémon Base Set 1st Edition Holo Blastoise.
Marking Goldin’s commitment to manga as a premier collectible category, the auction includes three of the most historically important publications in manga history: the 1984 Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #51, featuring the first appearance of Dragon Ball; the 1997 Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #34, featuring the first appearance of One Piece; and 1999 Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #43, featuring the first appearance of Naruto. Also featured is a collection of 12 sealed One Piece OP01 Romance Dawn Booster Boxes — Blue Bottom with Original Distributor Case, representing the first print run of the One Piece TCG.
On the sealed product side, the auction features a 1996 Pokémon Japanese Base Set Factory-Sealed Booster Box (60 Packs), the first-ever Pokémon booster box produced, alongside a 2002 Pokémon Legendary Collection Factory-Sealed Blister Store Display (24 Blister Packs) and a 2005 Pokémon European EX Deoxys Factory-Sealed Booster Box.
Rounding out the Spring TCG & Manga Elite Auction is a 2001 Nintendo Game Boy Color Pokémon Crystal Version, a 2021 Baccarat Limited Edition Hiroshi Fujiwara Pikachu, and a Pokémon Origins Episode 4 Production Mewtwo Sketch, among additional lots spanning complete sets, sealed video games, and artwork.
The 2026 Spring TCG Elite Auction will close on May 17, with extended bidding beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Additional ongoing auctions include the Spring Game Used Auction, open through tomorrow, April 25, alongside the Cheetos Memorabilia Auction featuring Megan Thee Stallion & Nickelback, until May 4, the Music Memorabilia Auction, running through May 6, and the April Elite Auction, closing May 9.
With a superb summer slate, Goldin is preparing to open the: Vintage Star Wars Auction on May 1; the USA 250 Auction on May 8, celebrating the semiquincentennial of the United States and headlined by an original Declaration of Independence Broadside; the World Cup Auction on May 11; the Combat Sports Auction on May 14; the May Elite Auction on May 15; the Spring Pop Culture Auction on May 21; and the highly-anticipated Goldin 100 on May 27.
