You’ve seen the highlights. The 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo. The two-belt strut in the middle of the Octagon. But if you’re looking at a conor mcgregor trading card as just a piece of cardboard, you’re missing the actual fight happening in the hobby right now.
The market for Notorious is weird. Honestly, it’s chaotic. While other fighters see their card prices evaporate the moment they lose a step, McGregor is different. He’s the Babe Ruth of MMA cards. Even when he isn’t fighting, his "Bloodlines" rookies and "Prizm" golds are moving for the price of a decent used car.
The Rookie Card Debate: 2013 Topps Bloodlines vs. The Field
Most people think "rookie card" and they want to see a guy in the Octagon. But with McGregor, his most important card actually features him in a suit.
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The 2013 Topps UFC Bloodlines #139 is the undisputed king. It’s his only true RC (rookie card) from that era. Back in 2013, nobody knew this skinny kid from Dublin would change the sport. Because of that, the print runs were tiny compared to what we see today.
Expert Tip: If you're hunting for a Bloodlines rookie, watch the "Debut Bio" insert version. It looks similar but it's technically an insert, not the base rookie. The base #139 is the one that fetches the $1,000+ price tags in a PSA 10.
If you can't swing a four-figure Bloodlines card, collectors often pivot to the 2014 Topps UFC Knockout. It’s not a rookie, but it’s his second year, and it’s arguably much better looking. It shows him actually fighting.
The Panini Era: Why 2021 Prizm Changed Everything
In 2021, Panini took over the UFC license and basically threw gasoline on the fire. This was the peak of the card boom. They introduced the "Prizm" brand to MMA, and the conor mcgregor trading card market went nuclear.
Why? The "Gold Prizm."
Numbered to only 10 copies, a 2021 Panini Prizm UFC Gold Conor McGregor is the holy grail for modern collectors. We’ve seen these sell for $25,000 to $30,000. It’s a lot of money for a guy whose best wins are a decade old, right?
But you've gotta understand the "set builders." These are high-net-worth collectors trying to finish a 1-to-100 gold set. They need Conor to finish the set. That demand creates a floor for the price that has nothing to do with his actual win-loss record.
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Grading: Is it Worth the Risk?
Should you grade your McGregor cards? Probably.
A raw (ungraded) McGregor rookie might look clean to you, but "paper" cards from 2013 are notorious for having soft corners. If you send a card to PSA and it comes back a 10, the value can triple. If it comes back an 8? You might have been better off selling it raw.
What to look for before sending to PSA:
- Surface scratches: Shine a light at an angle. Topps Chrome and Prizm cards are magnets for "refractor lines."
- Centering: Look at the borders. If the left side is twice as thick as the right, it’s not getting a 10.
- Edges: On the 2013 Bloodlines cards, the black borders show "chipping" (white spots) very easily.
Hidden Gems and the 2025-2026 Topps Return
Recently, Topps got the license back. This is huge. The 2024 and 2025 Topps Chrome UFC sets have brought back some of that old-school nostalgia.
The "Midnight" and "Finest" sets are the new kids on the block. A 1/1 (one-of-one) McGregor from these sets can still pull massive numbers, but the "base" cards are fairly cheap. You can grab a base 2025 Topps Chrome McGregor for under $5.
Is it a good investment? Maybe not. But for a fan who just wants a piece of history, it’s a cheap way to enter the hobby.
Actionable Steps for New Collectors
If you're looking to buy or sell a conor mcgregor trading card today, don't just guess on the price.
- Check "Sold" Listings Only: Go to eBay, search for the card, and filter by "Sold Items." Asking prices mean nothing. People ask for $10,000 for cards that sell for $50 every day.
- Focus on "On-Card" Autographs: McGregor has a lot of "sticker" autos where he signed a sheet of plastic that was stuck onto the card. The "on-card" autos, where his ink actually touches the cardboard, are significantly more valuable and harder to fake.
- Watch the 1/1 Market: If you see an "Ilia Topuria" or "Sean O'Malley" 1/1 sell for $100k (which happened recently with Topuria), don't expect Conor to do the same unless it's a 2013 rookie. The market is shifting toward active champions, but Conor remains the "legacy" play.
The hype around McGregor's return to the Octagon usually triggers a "buy the rumor, sell the news" cycle in the card market. If a fight gets announced, prices spike. If he wins, they moon. If he loses or the fight gets canceled, they crater.
Timing is everything. If you're holding a high-end McGregor, the best time to sell is usually the week of his next big press conference. The energy is never higher than when he's behind a microphone.
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Next Step for You: Go check the back of your old storage bins. If you find a 2013 Topps card with a guy in a suit named Conor, don't touch the corners. Put it in a "penny sleeve" and a "top loader" immediately. You might be sitting on a four-figure payday.