A single trading card, described as a "one-of-one" edition featuring the character Flash from Disney's Zootopia, has been valued between £1,500 and £2,500 after being pulled from a pack by a seven-year-old girl. The find occurred during a family trip to London, where the child, Brooke, used a £10 gift to purchase a pack of Disney Neon trading cards.
The card, identified as number 63 from the 2026 collection, features the sloth character known for his meme-worthy slow reactions. Its unique status as a "one-of-one" means it is the sole existing copy, eliminating the need for professional grading as there are no other comparable cards to assess its condition against.
Staff at the Topps Fanatics store on Regent Street, London, confirmed the rarity of the pull. While the exact market price remains fluid, the initial valuation was provided by a store employee. Further inquiries in specialist Disney trading card online groups have yielded offers ranging from £500 to £1,000, though the ultimate value rests on what a buyer is willing to pay.
This incident underscores a broader trend of increasing interest and investment in the trading card market. The phenomenon is not limited to established collectibles like Pokémon or sports cards; Disney cards are also reportedly experiencing a surge in value. This trend is exemplified by a one-of-one baseball card, featuring an autographed Shohei Ohtani, which sold for $11 million earlier in the summer. Businessman Kevin O'Leary is among those treating such ultra-rare items as an institutional asset class, comparable to fine art, gold, or Bitcoin.
Despite the significant valuation, the card's owner, Lee Boyce, expressed a realization that his focus had shifted from the joy of the moment to the monetary value. His daughter, Brooke, expressed a desire to keep the card because she liked the character. The card has since been secured, with plans to inform the family's insurer.
The trading card market has seen substantial growth, with events like the Essex Card Show attracting thousands of buyers and sellers, and individual cards fetching astronomical prices. Many enthusiasts open packs live on social media, hoping to discover high-value items. Topps, a company with nearly 80 years of history, has become a dominant force in the sports card market since being acquired by the sports platform Fanatics in 2022.