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How Much Are The Old Pokemon Cards Worth

How To Research Pokmon Card Prices

*ARE YOUR POKEMON CARDS VALUABLE?* How To Find Value!

If youre looking to maximize your return on selling your Pokémon cards, you will need to do your research. Blindly selling individual cards without doing the legwork on Pokémon card value could end up selling yourself short and giving a collector a great deal.

The best way to research Pokémon card prices is to look at real life selling history. After all, Pokémon cards are only worth what someone is willing to pay. Check out these three resources to see what your Pokémon cards are worth:

  • eBay has the largest collection of Pokémon cards for sale online
  • Pokemonprices.com is regularly updated with eBay and Amazon card selling data to reflect the average price of specific cards
  • TCGPlayer is an online store for buying and selling trading cards, with card prices that reflect the average sale price of said cards within the TCGPlayer store

If you have a lot of Pokémon cards but dont want to go through the hassle of selling individual items, there are places where you can sell Pokémon cards in bulk. Just know that youll be leaving money on the table if you choose to go this route.

/10 Mew Ex ~ Holon Phantoms

While its ability allowed players to always have an active look at their opponent’s hand, it never fit well into psychic decks at the time. As most competitive players tend to have the most popular decks memorized and keep close track of which cards have been played, it didn’t come in much use competitively for that reason either. However, the art by Ryo Ueda alongside its gorgeous holographic sparkles makes it a coveted part of many trainers’ collections.


First Edition Holographic Charizard

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $24,000

The #4 Charizard is by far the most desirable of all the first edition Pokémon cards.

Charizard made its first appearance in the Pokémon Red and Blue video games released for the Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Color back in the mid-90s and trainers have been relying on the character’s overpowering fire and flying abilities to win battles ever since.

Just how powerful are its fire abilities?

Well, simply refer to the bottom of the card’s front and you can see that Charizard is capable of melting boulders and starting forest fires with ease.


Charizard’s appeal as a dragon and one of the more rare cards certainly adds to its popularity but I think where this card gets an extra boost in value comes from the fact that Charizard appeared on the cover art of the Pokémon Red video game:

That additional exposure greatly increased the character’s notoriety and has driven up the value of this card similar to the effect we see with the Garbage Pail Kids card, Adam Bomb, and its status as the original cover art for that series.

Regardless of why this card is so popular, its value will continue to soar just like the lovable flying dragon creature itself.

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Whether The Pokemon Card Has Been Professionally Graded

You dont need to have your Pokemon cards professionally graded in order to sell them. Often, its not worth the cost of getting them graded, unless you have an extremely rare card in perfect condition.


However, if a card is graded by a company called PSA and gets a good score, it may be worth a lot more than if the card wasnt graded.

The amount a PSA grade will improve the value of the card depends mostly on the score. If PSA gave the card a 9 or a 10, then this can increase the value by 3-4x or even more, depending on the rarity of the card.

On the other hand, if they only gave the card a 6, 7, or 8, then it might be worth only a bit more than an ungraded card.

If a card is PSA graded, it will be encased in plastic with a red PSA sticker at the top specifying the grade.

/27 Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed Gx Promo Card: $247230

The 18 Most Valuable Pokémon Cards That Are Worth a Ton of Money

These cards were given to employees at The Pokemon Company to celebrate its founder and president Tsunekazu Ishihara’s 60th Birthday.


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We don’t know exactly how many of these cards were produced, but one specific copy of it fetches a much higher price than the others. In April 2021, Goldin Auctions sold a copy of it that had been signed by Tsunekazu Ishihara himself for an eye-watering $247,230. The wildest thing? It wasn’t even PSA 10-graded, and managed to sell for that much with just a nine rating.

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Poliwrath No Rarity Symbol Base Set

  • Release Date: 1996
  • Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
  • Pokemon card value at auction: $25,015

Rounding out the top 21 of the most expensive Pokemon cards list is Poliwrath from the Japanese version of the Base Set. While the Water-type mon has traditionally been one of the weaker valued cards from the 1996 and 1999 releases, this item is actually special.

Similar to the English version having a 1st Edition run, the very first print of the Japanese set featured no markings at all. Due to there being extremely limited amounts even printed, barely any of them survived three decades later.


Consider this THE earliest version of the iconic card, and you can see why its value has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2020, one appeared in a PWCC auction selling for $25,015. If you think that is a lot, we are only getting started!

What Are The Other Expensive Cards

Cards that feature the Starly monster are the most expensive cards, worth a median price of £399.51.

Those that have the character of Bidoof on them are selling for around £285 on average.

Charizard cards are pricing at £150 and Lugia ones at £149.99.

Cards with the character Umbreon on them are going for £142.


Modified date: Oct. 20, 2022

On October 13, 2020, rapper Logic shocked the world when he paid $220,574 for a Pokémon card.

Thats right he paid the price of a brand new Ferrari or a three-bedroom home in Ohio for a shiny cardboard picture of a lizard.

Not to be outdone, YouTuber Logan Paul paid even more for a rare Pikachu in 2021. A lot more. $5,275,000 to be precise.

Granted, its a really cute Pikachu holding a paintbrush, but still:


Source: Logan Paul, YouTube

Pauls record-shattering purchase was part of the great Pokémon card resurgence that began during the early days of COVID-19. And considering cards are still selling for well into the six figures in 2022, Pokemania 2.0 has clearly outlasted the pandemic and shows no signs of losing steam.

With Pikachus selling for more than Picassos, you might be wondering:

  • Are any of your Pokémon cards worth anything?
  • With $0.50 cards from the 1990s worth millions in 2022, should you be investing in Pokémon cards instead of index funds?

Lets find out!

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/27 Psa 10 Torchic Gold Star Holo Ex Team Rocket Returns: $50000

In the early-to-mid 2000s, popularity in Pokemon was waning. “Pokemania” was on the way out, and that meant a lot of the Pokemon TCG expansions at the time suffered from lower sales and smaller print runs. With Pokemon back on top again now, cards from that era often see higher values than cards older than them. A great example of this is the Gold Star Torchic from EX Team Rocket Returns.

Gold Star Pokemon showcase Pokemon in their shiny forms and have the Pokemon breaking out of the frame as an early example of the many alternate styles the TCG would later experiment with. Why Torchic specifically is worth so much is anyone’s guess, but with only 17 verified PSA 10 grade copies out there, the PSA values them at $50,000 each. Actual auction prices are a bit lower though, as in 2020 PWCC Auctions sold a copy for $25,400.

The Condition Of The Pokemon Card

*YOUR OLD POKEMON CARDS COULD BE WORTH THOUSANDS!* Amazing ULTRA RARE Charizard Collection Opening!

Pokemon card collectors really care about the condition of the cards they buy.

Even just a few minor scratches on the card, or minor edgewear on its borders, can reduce the value of a Pokemon card significantly.

Pokemon card conditions are described in terms of how close to mint condition they are. Here are some common Pokemon card grades and what they mean.


Mint: flawless, looks like it was just pulled from a booster.

Near Mint: near to mint condition, except the card may have minor edge wear or surface scuffs from being stored in plastic sleeves.

Excellent : slightly worse than near mint, card may have more extensive edge wear or scuffs, may also have other marks. Still playable and collectable. No creases will be on the card.

Good : card may start to have creases, more damage or more major damage in extensive areas.

Played: card will have folds, splitting, peeling, big creases or major damage to many areas of the card.

This Base Set Charizard Pokemon card is in played condition due to the scratches on the front of the card and the edge wear visible on the borders.

Collectors are looking for near mint or mint condition Pokemon cards. If your card is in worse than near mint condition, this will reduce its value.

This isnt to say it isnt worth selling Pokemon cards that have been played with. Since old Pokemon cards are often slightly worn due to their age, these types of cards in particular can often still sell for decent money even if not in perfect condition.

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Here Are Some Of My Favorite Tcg Accessories

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful on your TCG journey. After 20 years of being in the Trading Card Game community, I commonly get asked what my recommendations are on X products. To help save everyone a bit of time, Ive listed below my top picks as a TCG collector that I hope youll also find helpful.

These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use them, Ill earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact accessories that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own friends and family.

Sleeves: If you want the best for Magic and Pokemon cards, I really like Dragon Shield Matte Art sleeves. They have an excellent shuffling feel to them and have great durability, so you dont have to worry about them breaking on you. If you want my full thoughts on these sleeves, check out my .

Binders: For competitive Magic and Pokemon players, go with the Vault X 12 Pocket Binder. Im a big fan of 12 pocket binders for keeping playsets of 4 together and this binder is good quality without premium prices. For the pure TCG collectors, I would recommend Dragon Sheild 9 Pocket binders.

If you are looking for a solid deck box, then you cant go wrong with Ultra Pro Towers. Fantastic protection at affordable prices, everything you need. If you want to get a bit fancy like me, go with the Gamegenic Watchtower.

Pokmon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind

An ultra-rare promo card – one of only a dozen ever made

Sold for $65,100 in October 2020

Only 12 Tropical Wind cards were produced as promo cards for the 1999 Tropical Mega Battle, a precursor to the Pokémon World Championships, making it one of the most valuable Pokémon sets around.

The Tropical Mega Battle saw 50 players from around the globe take part in a tournament for the trading card game in Honolulu, Hawaii. The only way to participate was to win a battle in your local region and earn an invite, making it an exclusive event for the best Pokémon trainers in the world – and the cards offered as prizes some of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence.

This particular Tropical Mega Battle promo card, the 1999 Japanese-language copy of Tropical Wind, has sold at auction for as much as $65,100 in PSA Gem Mint 10 condition, with the most recent record-breaking sale taking place in October 2020. PSA estimates its value to be as high as $148,482, making the ultra-rare card a contender for one of the most expensive Pokémon cards ever made.

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Gold Pokemon Genesis 1st Edition Lugia

Being graced the covers of Pokémon Silver and its Nintendo DS version, SoulSilver, Gold Lugia is undeniably one of the greatest recognizable and beloved Pokémon in the franchise of 1999 gold cards value.

Due to many faults and uncut sheets in initial batches of the Neo Genesis collection for the Pokémon TCG, the #9 Holo Lugia board is considered one of the toughest challenging Pokémon issues to evaluate, according to auction company PWCC. The Pokémon cards extraordinary value at bidding is a result of its great demand and little supply.

In October 2020, a PSA 10 duplicate of the initial printing of Neo Genesis Lugia was purchased for $50,000, while in March 2021, a BGS 10 Flawless piece was acquired for more than $144,000. Indeed, this card is a truly legendary, and its price befits its status as such.

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Pricing Or Selling Your Collection

Buying all vintage pre 2004 Pokemon Cards 1st editions holos gold stars ...
  • 1Look up card prices using online card-selling websites. There are thousands of unique Pokémon trading cards, and prices change over time as people sell, buy, and speculate. Recently printed cards may drop in price once they are no longer legal in tournaments. Because of these factors, looking up a card actually for sale is more likely to give you an accurate number than a price guide, which may not be up to date.
  • Try a Pokémon card-selling site or eBay, or search online for + “selling”. Remember to include any special features, using the terms described in the identification section.
  • Most online listings show how much a company is selling cards for. Look for a “buylist” to see how much the company will pay to buy your cards. If selling to another player, the price you’ll get will typically fall between these two numbers.
  • 2Ask Pokémon players or collectors. It’s often difficult to find a price online, especially for extra-rare cards that do not trade hands often. Search for a Pokémon trading card game forum online, and post a picture or description of your card for advice. You could also look for a hobby or gaming store in your area.
  • Be wary of scams. Get a second opinion on your cards’ value before selling them to a stranger.
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    Video Of Me Looking Up Pokemon Cards Values:

    If you get too many results that include cards NOT like yours, use the checkboxes to pick the ones just like yours. Choosing a few comparable items by using the checkboxes gives you a much more accurate estimate of your Pokemon cards value.

    What to do next:

    Once youve searched mavin.io and figured out the value of your Pokemon cards, you have several options:

    If your Pokemon cards are valuable You could hold onto the cards and collect them, as most collectors do, and hope they appreciate in value over time. It may be a good investment to get them professionally graded by PSA, this will dramatically increase their value.

    You could sell your Pokemon cards to a local card shop, knowing full well their value . But remember, dealers purchase collections at wholesale prices. They need to make a profit after all, and selling a large collection takes a considerable amount of time and resources so dont expect to get 100% of what youd get online.

    Selling your Pokemon cards online will get you the best price, but it can be time consuming: taking pictures, writing descriptions, responding to customers, packing, shipping, returns its a lot of work. If you have the time and patience, selling them online is a great way to make money. Read our guide to selling on eBay.

    /12 No 2 Trainer Promo Pikachu Cards

    This is where the value just skyrockets. There are three types of No. Trainer Promo Pikachu cards. Owning even one will likely put you back $200,000 or more. Differentiated primarily by the expressions on their faces, the No. 2 Trainer Promos are the Pokemon Trading Card Game’s ultimate verison of the “legendary trio” archetype. You’ll have better luck summoning Exodia to save the world in the Yu-Gi-Oh animated series than catching all three.

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    Important Questions To Ask Yourself To Determine How Much Your Pokemon Cards Are Worth

    • How many cards do you have?
    • How old are your cards?
    • What set/s are they from?
    • Do you have a completed set/s?
    • Are any of your cards 1st edition?
    • How many holographic cards do you have?
    • What condition are your cards in?
    • Are they all English or do you have cards from other languages?
    • Could you add value by getting them graded?
    • Do you have any products that are sealed, such as booster boxes or packs?
    • Does their sentimental value outweigh any money you could get for them?

    Now lets get into some more specifics

    /30 Gold Star Rayquaza

    Pokemon Cards Worth HOW MUCH!?

    Compared to some of the other high-value Pokemon cards, Gold Star Rayquaza is a fairly recent addition to the TCG. It was first printed in 2005 as part of the EX Deoxys set and is one of seven different Rayquaza variants to feature in it. Surprisingly, it is far from the rarest of those seven, although remains the most desirable due largely to its gold star.

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    According to the PSA website, there are 46 GEM-MT 10 copies of the card in circulation, with more than 440 copies having been graded in total over the last 15 years. As one might expect, it was one of those mint condition cards that set the record price for a Rayquaza card, selling for a little over $45,000 in December of 2020.

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