Per a press release this morning, Fanatics announced that the PWCC brand will be phased out and re-branded as Fanatics Collect.
This is an interesting but not terribly surprising development. Fanatics bought PWCC about a year ago, and it is clear that the goal is a streamlined, all-encompassing Buy / Sell / Vault / Trade / Auction / Authenticate / Grade experience.
Further, Fanatics has inked a deal with high-end auction house Sotheby’s and will specialize in sales of cards $100k or more. They describe the partnership this way:
“Through the partnership, Fanatics Collect and Sotheby’s will showcase a curated selection of top-of-the-market trading cards, available for purchase through a series of dedicated live and online auctions hosted by Sotheby’s. The venture represents a captivating addition to Sotheby’s sports and modern collectibles department, a category the auction house officially launched in 2022, and has since achieved numerous world records at auction, particularly for game-worn memorabilia.”
The first live auction will be held this September in New York, including a 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson card (PSA 8), estimated between $275,000-350,000. While they will certainly feature high-end modern cards, ownership of PWCC gives Fanatics valuable inroads into vintage as well.
Eventually, the Fanatics name will flow throughout all aspects of collecting–especially modern cards, but with the PWCC rebrand and Sotheby’s partnership there are implications for vintage collectors as well, especially at the higher end of the market.
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