How To Check Pokemon Card Value

Top Tips In This Article

Scott Pratte, our expert card trader and collector, provided lots of tips to make money selling Pokemon cards. Here is his best advice:

• First edition or New Edition? All kidding aside, we know that you know New Edition is a boy band from the 70s and 80s. Still, you need to know what you have in that box of Pokemon cards. In other words, which are the rare cards and which are not. Do you have one of the original holographic cards? Cha-ching.
• Whats the condition of your cards? If theyve been under the bed in a box so light didnt fade them or the dog didnt get to them, you may be in good shape. Never taken out of the wrapper? More cha-ching. That is whats called mint. All cards in good condition are likely worth more than what you paid for them.
• The best place to sell Pokemon cards? Its eBay all the way. It would be great to sell one card for oodles of money and eBay has facilitated some of that. But if you want a big audience and buyers willing to shell out $30 a pop for your cards, you can rack up sales.
• Think youve got something valuable? Consult the Professional Sports Authenticator and get an estimate. This will put you in a good position to haggle with a buyer, which you should expect to do.

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A Note On Pricing And Condition:

The examples throughout this text all utilize the Pokémon Charizard, who typically fetches the highest prices of any Pokémon from these early sets. Those looking to sell their collections should not expect Charizard-level pricing for other cards from these sets. While other Pokémon, like Blastoise and Venusaur, carry decent value, none approach the level of Charizard.

The pricing examples all note that the estimated retail pricing reflects a card in Near Mint condition. Finding cards from this era in Near Mint condition can be quite difficult. Pokémon cards are essentially pieces of a game, and many became treasured possessions of children who took them to school in their pockets to show off and trade. As a result, cards frequently show significant wear, which significantly affects their value. Unless exclusively stored in binders and played with in card sleeves , there are few Near Mint examples in circulation. In addition, cards that came from a household with heavy cigarette smoke, or that were stored in a damp attic or garage in the intervening years, can have a lowered value, even if the card physically appears otherwise Near Mint.

If you are considering selling your cards to a store, expect a much lower price than the retail price as stores would typically only pay between 30% and 60% of the retail value of an item.

Why We Created Poke Card Values

We aimed to create a simple, fast and free way of valuing and tracking your Pokemon cards that anyone can use regardless of their level of Pokemon knowledge! Whether youve been collecting for years or youve just found an old collection in the attic and want to know their value, this is the place for you!

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Base Set: Unlimited Edition

There were reportedly six separate printings of the Unlimited Edition of the Base Set. The first five print runs had a copyright line that read: © 1995, 96, 98 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. ©1999 Wizards.. These five print runs are completely identical, with no way to differentiate between them. The final print run, which was only available in the United Kingdom, can be differentiated by a change to the copyright line which reads, ©1995, 96, 98 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. ©1999-2000 Wizards. Cards from the sixth print run are much rarer due to their limited geographical distribution.

Unlimited Edition made a number of aesthetic changes to the face of the cards. The overall card appears to be a lighter and brighter printing than the previous Limited Editions. The drop shadow was added behind the art box to add some depth to the card. In addition, certain text, such as the Pokémons HP value, was set in a bold typeface.

With five to six printings, these cards are by far the most common Base Set cards in existence, and their prices reflect that. Unlimited Edition was printed to meet the insane demand of a public that became obsessed with Pokémon. A Charizard from these printings could fetch about $500 in Near Mint condition from a collector.

Pokemon Card Set Symbols

Use this handy guide to look up Pokemon card set symbols, set names, and set years.

The most common way to organize Pokemon cards is by set. To identify the set, look for a little symbol at the bottom of the card, next to the card number. There are a bunch of these set symbols 5-6 sets are released every year, each with a different set symbol, and theyve been printing cards since 1999!

The following table is a complete list of Pokemon card sets, sorted by date the newest sets are at the top the oldest are at the bottom. If I missed something, let me know if the comments! I want this to be THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR POKEMON CARD SETS!

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How Do You Know If Youve Got A Valuable Card

You can check the bottom of each card to see roughly how rare it is.

A circle means common, a diamond means uncommon, a star means rare and a white or gold star means ultra-rare.

Holographic and first edition cards are also typically worth extra.

To see how much your cards are worth, you can check eBay to see how much those cards are going for on the site.

Limited-edition cards that collectors can only get by going to special events or through competitions, will also be more valuable and expensive.

However, you have to take into account hidden costs such as shipping fees, tax liabilities on sales and storage costs.

Storage is crucial to keeping cards in mint condition and preventing them from any damage.

Recently Updated Pokemon Card Values

The following is a list of all Pokémon cards that have recently had their price values updated. Clicking on a specific Pokémon card image will take you to that card’s listing. Selecting the card’s name will bring you to the individual Pokemon listing pages which are further broken down by TCG set.

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Master Key Prize Card: Approx $8800

Brace yourself for what were about to tell you. The Master Key card fetches a hefty sum because there are only 34 in existence. But what makes this card even more special is the fact that if you somehow manage to find another limited-edition one-off card to turn it into a set with, you could net up to wait for it a whopping $80,000.

Best Pokmon Card Value Scanner

TCGPlayer is the only legit service that allows a customer to scan Pokemon cards online to obtain values that a fairly accurate.

In our opinion, the best place to check the value of a Pokemon card is via eBay advance search. Simply click on sold listings and auction from the advanced eBay search menu. You will be presented with a list of recently sold Pokemon cards.

To obtain high-end/valuable Pokemon sales on eBay use the term Pokemon PSA 10 via the advance search page.

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How Can You Tell If A Japanese Card Is Rare

There are several ways to find out how rare a Japanese card is worth. For example,

• A marker near the bottom of the card or close to its name will indicate rarity
• A circle means the card is standard.
• A diamond means its less common.
• Stars showcase how rare the card is.

In addition, other characteristics that can boost the rarity include: a higher printed number than there should be in a given printed set and holographic artwork or reverse holographic in a Japanese card. Furthermore, a card that bears the first edition mark on the side denotes it is from the first run of cards in the set. Therefore, giving the Pokemon card extra value.

The Key Factors To Get A High Grade On Pokemon Cards

• Corners: This refers to the condition of the corners. Anything like whitening, nicks, or unsymmetrical cutting can affect the grade of a card.
• Centering: How well centered the artwork on the card is. Grading services tend to be stricter with centering on the front of the card, compared to the back. They will also work off certain centering ratios to determine the grade of the card.
• Edges: refers to the condition of the edges of the card. Again, whitening, nicks and edgewear can affect the grade.
• Surface:refers to the condition of the surface of the card. Scratches, nicks print lines and even holographic bleed can affect the grade.

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How Do We Get Our Card Value Estimates

Our unique search algorithm produces an estimated value for each card based on the prices of cards that have been sold on eBay UK in the last 90 days. We only use prices of cards that did actually sell in our calculations and each card is updated roughly every 10 days! We individually search for NM/M, PSA 8, PSA 9 and PSA10 conditions for every single card in our database. All other values for each condition of every card worked out in relation to the NM/M value. We exclude the cost of shipping, so you just get the value for the card alone. We do this using the following guideline:

-If shipping is less than 90p, we record the price + shipping – 90p. This is because the seller has worked some or all of the shipping cost into the price, so must be taken off. -If shipping is 91p or more, we record just the price of the card.

*Note: 90p is our current estimate for shipping which roughly includes the cost of a stamp, bubble envelope, toploader and sleeve .

Signs Of Wear To Watch For

Collectors are extremely detail-oriented. Cards that exhibit creases, scratches on the holographic image, or any visible whitening on the corners are generally not highly valued.

Cards that display signs of any mishandling or improper storage will not be very valuable. Even minor damage can bring down a cards value to just a fraction of the market values displayed on many websites. And collectors are as concerned with the front of the card as they are with the back, where oftentimes it is easiest to see signs of wear.

Below Ive included an image of a condition I commonly find when appraising childhood collections. If your cards show signs of wear similar to the ones below, they will have to be exceptionally rare to hold significant value.

Note the faint crease on the left side of the card, whitening along the edges, and the slight bend in the card, often caused by long term exposure to improper climates.

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Find The Set Number Of The Pokemon Card

Look at the bottom right or bottom left corner of the card for a number, typically in the format ###/###.

In this case, the set number is RC21/RC25. Note that the set number does not normally contain letters, but it can sometimes. As long as theres a / symbol, or a number on its own, then thats the set symbol.

Whether The Card Is A Promotional Item

Some Pokemon cards were not released as regular cards that you can find in Pokemon booster packs in shops. Instead, they were given away as promo cards, for example to Pokemon TCG tournament winners, or to people going to see a Pokemon movie in cinemas.

Some Pokemon promo cards are worth a lot of money, but many arent.

Often, promo cards are completely unique, which makes it easy to find their value. However, some promo Pokemon cards look the exact same to their non-promo version.

To see if you have a promo card, look for a big black star on the card next to the card number. This is why promo cards are often known as black star promos.

This Charizard card has a large black star in the corner, demonstrating that it’s a promo card.

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Black Triangle Error Booster Box: Up To $8700

When a bunch of boxes of cards were printed with the first edition marker, even though they werent first edition, the printer looked for a quick fix that wouldnt cost much money. The answer? A black triangle over the first edition claim. If you have one of those boxes and are willing to part with it, you could earn enough to just about buy a new car.

St Edition And Unlimited Edition:

The first print run of a set would have a special Edition 1 logo on the left side of the card, just below the card art. An enlarged example of this logo is shown here. The 1st edition print run would typically be very limited, and once sold out, would no longer be available for sale. In fact, the first print runs of a set were officially called Limited Edition.

To meet super-high demand from the public, an Unlimited edition version would then be printed. Unlimited edition cards dont have the Edition 1 logo on the left side. Typically, a 1st edition card will be worth more than an unlimited edition card. Often this price difference can be quite significant.

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Are Japanese Pokemon Cards Worth Anything Price Guide And Top Collectibles

It has been over twenty-five years since the first time fans memorized the Pokemon slogan, and since then, the Pokemon trading card game has taken root in the world. The competitive Pokemon card game is still a favourite for most people. Every new year, new Japanese Pokemon cards are printed. Apart from players meeting to compete in TCG, others are all about by the craze for collecting Japanese Pokemon cards. Do you believe the fuss around Japanese Pokemon cards being worth anything? How about reading on for more details about Japanese Pokemon cards?

The life of every card in the Pokemon universe begins at Pokemon Card Laboratories in Japan, before their distribution to other countries for printing in different languages. As a result, the number of non-Japanese collectors has constantly been on the rise. While most of them are interested in collecting Pokemon cards, others focus on owning the Japanese originals. As a result, they are willing to part with a dime for them.

What Is A Pokmon Card Value Scanner

Do you think you may have some valuable cards in your deck, but arent sure how to determine their value? Theres no need to take them to a gaming store or find an expert. All you have to do is download an app so you can price your cards from your phone or iPad. You can download the BigAR Poké Card Scanner or TCGplayer App, which analyzes your cards and tells you their value.

At a glance, if youre trying to find the cards worth scanning, the money makers usually have a star on the bottom right corner. You may also see a circle or diamond in that space. A circle means the card is common, while a diamond means that it is uncommon. A star means that the card is rare, but keep in mind that circle and diamond cards can also be valuable if they were printed in 1999 or 2000.

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Find The Set The Card Belongs To

If there is no logo on the right side, its Base. Every other set has an indicator.

When looking into what set a card belongs to, make sure to see if there is any logo on the right side, just underneath and to the right of the illustration. If there is no symbol, the likelihood is that its a Base set card.

There have been error cards that do not have a symbol, so make sure the year matches with the set.

Browse Psa Price Guide By Category

Select a category below to browse by collectible type

PSA Price Guide is the only official price guide for PSA-certified collectibles and it is the most comprehensive price guide in the hobby. It includes over 400,000 prices for a host of different collectibles including, but not limited to: sports and non-sports trading cards, autographs, unopened packs, tickets, professional model bats and graded baseballs.

PSA Price Guide covers all the major sports too. Baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, racing and even boxing prices are here! PSA Price Guide also covers many of the most popular non-sports issues like 1940 Gum, Inc. Superman and 1962 Topps Mars Attacks. No other price guide covers such a wide range of collectibles, from vintage legends like Babe Ruth to modern stars like Derek Jeter.

* Editor’s note: plus beside a price indicates that the price has increased in the past month. A minus beside the price indicates that price has decreased in the past month.

Real prices, accurate grading

Prices listed in the PSA Price Guide are based on PSA-certified/graded collectibles. The clear benefit of having your items certified by PSA is because, generally speaking, items certified by PSA tend to sell for more – sometimes significantly more – than those that are not.

Find out what your cards are really worth

PSA Magazine

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