A selection of rare trading cards and retro video games will go under the hammer this month.

On Thursday, August 15, Ewbank’s Auctions will host the auction, which will feature a highly sought-after Mars Attacks set, as well as vintage games.

The sale will feature approximately 200 lots, including Pokémon cards, and other extraordinary highlights from the world of trading cards and arcade machines.

The rare Magic The Gathering TCG Black Lotus trading card.
The rare Magic The Gathering TCG Black Lotus trading card. (Ewbank's)

Leading the pack is a collection from the legendary and controversial Mars Attacks trading card series. Created by Topps in 1962, this series, inspired by Wally Wood's cover for EC Comics' Weird Science #16, which quickly became infamous.

Conceived by product developer Len Brown and Woody Gelman, with art by Norman Saunders and Maurice Blumenfeld, the 55-card set was initially test-marketed as 'Attack from Space' by Bubbles, Inc.

Selling for five cents a pack, the cards depicted graphic violence and implied sexuality, sparking widespread parental and community outrage. Topps attempted to repaint 13 cards to mitigate the controversy but ultimately halted production before the revised cards could even be printed, due to inquiries from a Connecticut district attorney.

Topps Bubbles Inc. Mars Attacks trading cards complete set.
Topps Bubbles Inc. Mars Attacks trading cards complete set. (Ewbank's)

Ewbank's will offer a full set of the rare 1964 reprint, released in the UK by Topps' international company A & BC Gum.

This complete 55-card 1964 A&BC Gum Mars Attacks set—fully PSA graded with an impressive average of 4.9—carries an estimate of £5,000–£10,000. UK-issued and slightly smaller than the U.S. version, these cards are scarce due to an original sales ban.

Further cementing the scarcity of this series, the auction also features a standalone Topps/Bubbles Inc. Mars Attacks (1964) U.K. 39 Army of Giant Insects - PSA 10, estimated at an astonishing £10,000 to 12,000. The enduring legacy of these cards is evident in the numerous reprints and the classic 1996 Tim Burton film, Mars Attacks!

Additional auction highlights include the legendary Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus from the 1993 Beta set, one of the most iconic trading cards ever produced. This example is estimated at £15,000–£20,000 and represents a cornerstone piece for any serious collector.

Original Namco Puck-Man table arcade machine
Original Namco Puck-Man table arcade machine. (Ewbank's)

For fans of Middle Earth, an extensive Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Topps card collection is offered at £2,000–£4,000. The set includes 10 original autograph cards featuring cast signatures from Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Sean Bean, and others.

Pokémon enthusiasts will appreciate the first editionGerman-language holographic Charizard—Glurak, estimated at £800–£1,200. A sought-after early release, this card remains a centrepiece for any vintage Pokémon collection.

Pokemon Charizard (Glurak) first edition trading card.
Pokemon Charizard (Glurak) first edition trading card. (Ewbank's)

The sale will also feature an extensive selection of other Pokémon and various trading card game lots, alongside more retro video games.

Viewing for the auction will take place at Ewbank’s Auction House in Send, beginning Tuesday, August 12, and will be open daily from 9am to 5pm until the day of the sale.