Florida Man Stole $17,000 Worth Of Trading Cards From New York Fest

A Florida man has been accused of stealing trading cards worth approximately $17,000 at a New York card show.

$17,000 in trading cards? Yes! According to Columbia Sports Cards, the value of Pokémon cards is up 116% from 2025, and soccer cards gained value by 91% from last year. Records indicate that, in December of 2025 alone, trading and sports card sales raked in around $381 million.

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On July 29th, according to a New York State Police press release, investigators from Troop New York City, Manhattan Criminal Squad, a Florida man was arrested for Grand Larceny following an investigation into the theft of 6 high-value trading cards from Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect, Robert Clark of Winter Garden, FL., who subsequently turned himself in to the State Police in Manhattan.

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Clark was placed under arrest and transported to the NYPD 10th Precinct for processing and later arraigned on the following charges in Manhattan Criminal Court:

• Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree, a class D felony
• Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 3rd Degree, a class D felony
• Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree, a class E felony

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Once upon a time I had several albums of Major League Baseball trading cards. Most of my collection started with Topps cards from the mid-seventies. Pete Rose, Thurman Munson, and Steve Garvey were among my favorites.

What happened to those cards is anybody's guess. Did I throw away a nest egg of cash? They say there is a Honus Wagner card valued around $5 million, and a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card worth around $12 million. Keep an eye on your collection.