Ditka’s Rookie Card Sold 48 Times the Day He Died and the Graded Prices Haven’t Come Back Down

Mike Ditka's 1962 Topps rookie card recorded 48 sales on October 9, the day the Chicago Bears legend passed away at age 86. Data from Card Ladder revealed that the sudden surge generated $29,620 in sales across various marketplaces in a single day, nearly tripling the card's total sales volume from the preceding month.

Graded copies of the rookie card have sustained their elevated prices in the weeks following the rush, with PSA 4, PSA 5, and PSA 6 grades continuing to trade above their pre-October medians. In contrast, ungraded rookie cards experienced a temporary price spike before falling back to previous levels, while Ditka's cheaper 1963 Topps card has maintained heightened transaction volumes.