See What The Card Has Sold For Before
The value of Pokemon cards spans a vast range: from a few bucks to hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are Full Art EX and GX Pokemon cards worth anywhere up to $100, Base Set cards worth thousands, and the numbers only get more ludicrous from there.
All that being said, it can be hard to know where to start when trying to find the value of a Pokemon card. The best way to find out how much a card is worth is to check how much it has sold for in the past.
The year is 2011.You’ve battled long hours on the Battle Subway on your way to visit Ns Castle for your showdown against Team Plasma.Whatever happens, you’re unfazed because you just pulled a full art Mewtwo-EX card from the #PokemonTCG.Life is good.#PokemonDay
Pokmon World Championships Ken Sugimori Pokmon Cut Auto Dna
Ken Sugimori is an integral part of Pokémon history. He was an art director for the video games, a talented illustrator, and an original Pokémon character designer responsible for fan favorites such as Venusaur, Gengar, Snorlax, and Mewtwo. However, he also had contract restrictions preventing him from giving autographs. Thats why this card is so special. While its not officially a Pokémon, these blank cards were custom-crafted to allow artists to add drawings and autographs at the 2004 Pokémon World Championships. Ken drew Pikachu and signed it in both Kanji and English. Its a unique, one-off piece that wont be repeated, so its place on this list of the most rare and expensive Pokémon cards is very secure!
Gyarados Base Set Shadowless
Since its introduction in the Kanto region, Gyarados has existed as one of the coolest Pokemon designs ever. Whether it was its great Pokemon card designs, or its shiny red form being catchable in Pokemon Gold & Silver, fans have grown attached to the leviathan.
The Shadowless version of its Base Set card shows off just how terrifyingly cool this Pokemon is, and for those who cant get enough, the card will cost close to $70 to obtain.
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Holographic Masters Scroll Card
The Pokémon Daisuki Club is Japans official Pokémon fan club which awards points to members for competing in tournaments and participating in the community . Players can turn in these points to obtain exclusive cards that arent available anywhere else.
In 2010, the Pokémon Daisuki Club offered this exclusive Masters Scroll card to players for 8,600 points. The exact number of copies of this card is unknown, but we do know that only 26 have earned a PSA 10 grade.
Since 2020 this card has consistently sold at auction for over $24,000, with the highest sale to date at $35,200.
A Pokemon tournament in Hawaii feels so 90s!
The Age Of The Pokemon Card
As a general rule of thumb, old Pokemon cards from the Base, Jungle, and Fossil sets are often quite valuable, especially the rare holographic ones.
Also, there is often a lot of hype around the newest Pokemon sets. If you pull a brand new ultra rare card from a booster pack, it will likely be worth money because of demand for new cards.
This isnt to say that cards from 2002-2020 are worthless. Many of the most expensive cards of all time were produced during this period. Its just important to know that extremely old and extremely new cards can often be more valuable.
This is what an old first generation Pokemon card looks like.
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Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind Promo
- Release Date: 1999
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $65,100
While not the most flashy Pokemon card on the list, the Tropical Mega Battle promo is an absolute holy grail for Psyduck fans. It doesnt get more adorable than seeing the Water-type mon playing the ukulele while chilling in a hammock with Jigglypuff.
Long before The Pokemon Company solidified the TCG competitive scene into the World Championships in 2004, one of Japans earlier iterations of the contest was known as the Tropical Mega Battle. In 1999, the tournament was held in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Only 50 players from various countries around the world were invited to compete against one another. Because various Trophy Pokemon cards were given out at the event, the Tropical Wind iteration is incredibly unique. The collectible resurfaced in a PWCC auction in October 2020 and sold for a mouth-watering $65,100.
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.
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First Edition No Rarity Poliwrath
You might be surprised to know that some of the rarest Pokémon cards arent rare at all . The first printed sets of Japanese base set cards dont feature any rarity symbol like their English-language counterparts and are some of the most expensive Pokémon cards on the market.
This no rarity Poliwrath is extremely rare, with only three known to exist with a perfect PSA 10 rating, one of which sold for over $25,000 in late 2020. Even near-mint PSA 9 copies will sell for around $2000 on average.
Get used to seeing this mug! Rare Charizard cards are the ultimate flex for collectors.
Pokemon Card Value: How Much Are Your Cards Worth
The explosive recent rise in the Pokemon card value has opened the eyes of investors and former collectors looking to get back in the game. The original Pokemon base set is the most collectible, with record breaking single card sales happening frequently across all of the auction houses.
Every generation defines what is nostalgic to them, says former Collectors Universe President Joe Orlando. Pokémon started its rise in the U.S. during the late 1990s. Today, the young people who were playing the classic game then are now well into adulthood. As a result, the game has enjoyed a kind of rebirth in the hobby.
This list of 16 cards from the iconic original set breaks down the total population of each card graded by PSA, as well as their most recent sales to illustrate their current value.
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How Much Are The Original Pokemon Cards Worth
When we discuss the original, first generation of Pokemon cards, for the sake of this article were going to specifically be talking about cards from 1999-2000.
These sets include:
These are the sets that many collectors grew up with.
It was their first introduction to Pokemon cards, and therefore they hold great nostalgic value.
Because of this, these are often the cards that people getting back into the hobby want to start collecting first. As you can imagine, this drives prices up.
The most popular entry point for new collectors is the original Base Set.
These were the cards flooding school playgrounds in 99, and these are the ones people want to own again.
Dont get me wrong, if you can get 1st Edition or Shadowless variants of these cards, theyre worth A LOT more!
But with 1st Edition Base Set booster boxes selling for north of £250k, they are quite unobtainable for most people at this point.
However! This further enhances the demand/value of the original Base set cards, as people snap them up, fearing the price will also continue to rise.
Its almost a vicious, yet brilliant cycle all at the same time
As an investment piece, old Pokemon cards show great growth potential for the future. But for the keen newbie simply trying to rebuild their old sets, its going to requite a fair amount of capital to get going.
Like with any pokemon card valuations, specific prices are entirely dependent on the four key factors we mentioned earlier .
The Rarity Of The Pokemon Card
Pokemon cards come in a number of different rarities. Different Pokemon card rarities can be seen from the rarity symbol, which is normally displayed in the bottom left or bottom right corner of the card.
Common: the card has a circle symbol.
Uncommon: the card has a diamond symbol.
Rare: the card has a star symbol.
Ultra rare: the card has a holographic star symbol, possibly gold or silver in colour.
There are many different types of ultra rare Pokemon cards, including EX, GX, Prime, Level X, and V cards. Normally these types of Pokemon cards will have this distinction next to their name.
As a general rule, most common/uncommon Pokemon cards arent worth much typically less than $0.10 each. As a result, theyre normally sold in bulk. There are exceptions to this rule though, especially with very old first gen Pokemon cards.
Rare and ultra rare Pokemon cards can vary in what theyre worth quite dramatically. For example, a typical non-holo rare from the latest set will normally be worth $0.50 – $1.00 or so. But a holographic Base Set Charizard could be worth $500 or more.
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Cost By Pokemon Card Type
There are several types of Pokemon cards and different Pokemon. While the Pokemon does have a factor in price, its the type of card that makes it valuable.
Were no Pokemon card expert, but here is how we filtered our extracted data:
| Uncommon |
| $3238.61 | $231.33 |
To no surprise, at the bottom, you had common Pokemon cards that had the lowest average sold at $3.47.
The highest priced common Pokemon card was a POKEMON CHARMANDER 50/82 TEAM ROCKET SQUIRTLE PIKACHU COMMON CARD NM/MINT LOT sold for $23.46
2nd lowest was uncommon Pokemon cards with an average cost of $15.86
At the top, we got Secret rare Pokemon cards with an average cost of $231.30.
The lowest secret rare Pokemon card was sold at $6.58 which was Pokemon Card Champions Path Drednaw V 069/073 Secret Rare Holo Full Art NM/M
The highest secret rare Pokemon card was sold at $1,120.92 which was PSA 10 Pokemon Champions Path Secret Rare Shiny Charizard V Card 79/73 079/073
Coming in 2nd and 3rd are shadowless / 1st edition Pokémon cards with an average of $135.05 and Pokémon legend cards with an average of $130.79
1st edition cards had both the lowest and highest item sold which was the 1st Ed English Venonat 63/64 Jungle Set Nintendo WOTC Card Pokemon 1999 sold at $0.01 and a 1st Edition Dark Charizard Holo Team Rocket Pokemon Card #4/82 PSA 10 sold at $2,084.14
The highest Pokemon legend card was a 2004 EX Hidden Legends Kyogre ex GEM MINT PSA 10 Holo Card Ultra Rare for $782.03
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Kangaskhan Holographic Trophy Card
Regarded as the third-rarest Pokémon card in the world, this holographic Kangaskhan is a special Japanese promo card awarded to participants of the 1998 Parent/Child Mega Battle Tournament. Apart from having unique artwork, this glorious card features the original Pocket Monsters Card Game logo on the front and back, and only 46 copies have ever been officially graded.
This card is so rare that only three have ever been sold publically, with a PSA 7 copy selling for $35,000 in 2020. However, everyone was shocked when a mint condition copy of the card sold for $150,100 on eBay in October of the same year.
Of course, a card featuring the grandaddy of all Pokemon would be worth a lot!
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Pokmon World Championships Promo No 2 Trainer
One of the rarest Pokémon cards of all time, with only 3 known to exist
Sold for $110,100 in February 2021
Image: PWCC
Like its equally rare and expensive Trainer trophy cards, the 2006 No. 2 Trainer is one of the rarest Pokémon cards of all time, with only a small handful of cards ever made.
Given as a trophy card to finalists of the Pokémon World Championships held in Anaheim, California during August 2006, in order to claim the card, players had to gain entry to the tournament by collecting enough points to qualify and then make it into the finals of their divisions.
Just three copies of the 2006 No. 2 Trainer are believed to exist, easily making it one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence. Its rarity also means it commands a high price, with a copy graded at Mint 9 condition by PSA selling for just over $110,000 in February 2021.
The card itself features fan-favourite Pokémon Pikachu holding aloft a silver trophy, finished with a holographic pattern. The card reads: If you won this card at the 2006 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships, you may return to battle the best in 2007.
No. 2 Trainers rarity and value put it close to the legendarily expensive No. 1 Trainer in terms of rare Pokémon cards – making it one of Pokémons most sought-after cards.
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.
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Pokemon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard
- Pokemon cards value: $420,000
Almost half a million dollars! Imagine finding that in your loft. Featuring iconic art from Mitsuhiro Arita, this is the most widely coveted Pokemon card ever made. But just having the card isnt enough. Over 3,000 of these have been passed along to graders, but only 121 of them have been granted PSA 10 Gem Mint designation.
Find The Year Your Pokemon Card Was Made
Image credit: Jason Koeppel // ONE37pm
Look at the bottom of the card and find the year it was printed. Thats the first key indicator when identifying your card.
For example, the Base Set Pokémon Cards have 4 different print runs while looking almost identical each time. Of those sets, the UK 4th Print Base Set identifies as 1999-2000, which is the key indicator to separate those cards from the rest.
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Most Valuable Pokemon Cards
This article shows you the most valuable Pokemon cards in the world cards that come from packs and prize cards from special events.
Pokemon » Most Valuable Pokemon Cards
Its not just the 1st Edition Base set cards that are worth big money. Valuable Pokemon cards are released every year. There could be cards hiding in your collections that are worth thousands of dollars!
Pack rippers like me know the chance of getting a common or uncommon card is much greater than getting a full art Pokemon GX card so the GX cards are worth more, fewer were printed.
Another factor to consider is the Pokemon itself some characters are more popular with collectors and in demand. For example, Charizard cards always seem to fetch a higher price.
And then there are trophy or prize cards given out at tournaments and events. These cards are the most valuable because there are so few in existance.
Here is a list of the most valuable Pokemon cards:
Est. Value
Venusaur Holo 1st Edition $259537
Image credit: Jason Koeppel // ONE37pm
Venusaur is the final evolution of Bulbasaur, and has consistently been the 3rd most valuable card in the set. When the prices rise again, Venusaur will be very difficult to obtain. This is a must have card for all Pokemon collectors.
PSA Pop: 142 – 603
Current Pokemon Card Value: PSA 10 $12,299 PSA 9 $2595.37
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Crystal Charizard Holo Skyridge
- Release Date: 2003
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $25,100
In 2003, interest in Pokemon cards had started to wane among core fans who had been collecting since it launched in 1999. As a result, production of the Skyridge set was considerably lower compared to past expansions.
This would also be the last release printed by Wizards of the Coasts and features the iconic e-reader designs meant to be a tie-in for the Game Boy Advance. Its low production has made the retro set one of the most expensive Pokemon cards products to hunt down from the era.
The crown jewel of the expansion is none other than Charizard. Its rare Crystal Holo design variant was extremely limited even at release. In November 2020, a perfectly graded version of the collectible sold for $25,100 at auction.
Rarest And Most Expensive Pokmon Cards
Many of the most expensive Pokémon cards are tournament prizes that were produced in very limited numbers and arent actually playable in the game. Well get to them later, but lets first take a look at the rarest and most expensive Pokémon cards that you have a chance of actually owning already.
Bet you werent expecting our list to start off with this guy!
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