Pokemon Cards Prices Are Skyrocketing: Everything You Need To Know
Modified date: Jul. 6, 2021
On October 13th, 2020, rapper Logic shocked the world when he paid $220,574 for a Pokemon card.;
Thats right he paid the price of a new Ferrari or a three-bedroom home in Ohio for a shiny picture of a lizard.;
And yet, perhaps the most amazing part of the news is how little young people judged him for it. Rather than react with memes or mockery, people our age got excited:;
Are any of MY cards worth anything??
Even if they werent familiar with Pokemon cards, many young investors instantly perked up:
Wow, $4 in 1999 to $220,574 today is it time to start investing in Pokemon cards?;
Both are totally fair questions that Im going to address in this feature!
Whats Ahead:
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Is A Graded Card Always Safe To Buy
For the most part, graded cards, which have undergone a process of verification and close quality inspection from a reputable company, are safer. However its not foolproof. There have been fake cards graded before – happens with rebacked cards in Magic: The Gathering, Nguyen says. It is much harder and takes more effort to fake a graded card though.
Image: Sarah Jarvis
Understanding The Value Pokemon Card: The Anatomy
First of all, we need to have clear in mind a few things:
In the image shown the information requested to evaluate a Pokemon card are reported. In particular, two Italian cards are depicted in the image below. The language of the card DO NOT affect the anatomy of the card which remains the same for European and USA releases.
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How To Value Your Pokmon Cards
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If you want to sell your Pokémon cards, it’s important that you value them first so you know you’re getting a good deal. Fortunately, Pokémon cards are easy to value once you know what to look for and where to look.
Bulbasaur 1st Edition $450
One of the most popular Pokemon, Bulbasaur delivers long term. Previously third in the pecking order for PSA 9’s, Bulbasaur is currently higher than Squirtle and Charmander. With low populations, be sure to make Bulbasaur a top priority.;
PSA Pop: 783 – 237 – 416
Current Value: PSA 10 $3200;PSA 9 $450
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Pokemon Snap Trainer Magazine Pikachu: $900
If you were a Pokemon fan back in the days of the Nintendo 64 console, you might just remember the classic spin-off game Pokemon Snap. The object of this Pokemon spin-off was to snap creative in-game photos of various creatures, and there were several tie-in cards in Japans Pokemon Trainer Magazine to help increase the hype among fans to try this new game.
This card was a Pikachu card with the model from Pokemon Snap as the art, making for a relatively hilarious-looking card that only could be found within this magazine in 1999. Miyabihobby has a record of an unopened magazine being sold for 100,000, or about $900 USD, but PSA Card has records of auctions ranging between $300 and $1000 for perfect condition grades.
What About Your Cards
“The regular Charizard card might be worth around £300,” Dan, from trading cards and collectibles shop Game HQ, tells Newsbeat.
“Most cards that people have will be the mass-produced ones so they wont be worth as much, but they can still be worth a lot of money as long as the cards are in good condition.
It might be time to ask your mum to dig out your old stuff, but if you do, which ones should you look out for?
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Charmander 1st Edition $330
Charmander’s value has been all over the place in the last 12 months. After the;2020;summer of;record sale;after record sale, baby Zard’s value has taken a dip recently, but don’t be surprised if Charmander rebounds due to the power Charizard yields on the market.;
PSA Pop: 1521 – 652 – 661
Current Value: PSA 10 $1186;PSA 9 $330
Pokemon Card Set Symbols
Pokemon » Set Symbols
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!
| Sword & Shield Series |
| McDonalds 2011 |
Do we have something missing or wrong? How could we improve this reference? Please let us know in the comments so we can make this the best possible guide for Pokemon card sets!
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First Edition Holographic Clefairy
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,500
Clefairy is a lovable Pokémon that is incapable of fighting and first evolves from Cleffa and later to Clefable after exposure to a Moon Stone.
The adorable creature uses its small wings to store moonlight that can allow it to float away when in danger.
Known for its extreme shyness, Clefairy is rarely seen and will only emerge from its mountain shelter under a full moon.
Almost as rarely seen in high grade as Clefairy itself, this card can bring $2,500 or more in PSA 10 condition.
How Do You Identify What Series A Pokemon Card Is From
Just from looking at the Pokemon card, is it possible to determine what series the card is from e.g. Hidden Fates, Steam Siege etc.? The copyright states the year but not which release quarter the card is from.
Each card contains a logo indicating which set it is from. This image was taken from here. A list of all the set logos is available here. I know link only answers are discouraged but there are many of these and can easily be googled.
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Its Not Obvious If My Card Is A Fake
This might sound obvious, but an easy step you can take to verify the card is real is by checking that the card was an actual Pokémon card that was in print at some point. Yes, people do just make up fake cards with unofficial art and sell them online.
You can verify a card with a quick search. The official Pokémon Trading Card Game website has a card database, as does fan site Bulbapedia. Note: the official website doesnt include some special runs of cards, so be sure to look for your card on multiple card directories.
Most Worth Pokemon Cards:
Rarity SUPERIOR to Holo
In all years from 1999 the cards with rarity beyond holo caught different names with sets. Here below, there is not a comprehensive list of all that connotations but the most diffused.
Ultra rare Pokemon cards
- Pokemon GX
- Pokemon Full Art
An example of artwork of these cards is reported below in order to distinguish their appearance.
At this point, you miss only other two information needed to evaluate your Pokemon card collection: the language and the card condition. This is a crucial aspect since even the rarest card can see its value dropping to only few dollars/euros due to card condition. In general, the card condition definitions are te following:
- Mint & Near Mint
- Played and Poor
Card Pokemon condition: Mint
A mint card is in perfect condition; no excuses. This means, that the front is in perfect condition, there are no scratches on the surface, and the surface is perfectly clean. For the back it means, that the card is indistinguishable from cards of a newly openend booster. If a card has a signature or a Grand Prix stamp it can never be graded Mint, even if the card stock is otherwise in Mint condition.
Card Pokemon condition: NEAR MINT
A Near Mint card looks like it has never been played without sleeves. Small allowances can be made, but the card generally shows no wear.
Card Pokemon condition: Excellent
Card Pokemon condition: GOOD
A Good card looks like it might have been used for a long tournament without sleeves.
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Battle Styles Set List
The Pokemon Battle Styles contains 183 cards; 163 in the base set and 20 secret rare cards some of them are extremely valuable!
The Battle Styles set was released on March 19, 2021. Its the fifth expansion set in the Sword & Shield Series and contains 163 cards in the base set, plus 20 secret rare cards the most valuable cards being V, VMAX, ultra, and secret cards. The Battle Styles set introduces Single Strike and Rapid Strike Pokemon new powerful attacks to use against your enemies!
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First Edition Holographic Poliwrath
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $1,500
This round, blue powerhouse is a dual-type water and fighting Pokémon known for its strength and endurance.
A versatile swimmer capable of going long distances without tiring, Poliwrath is also known to be able to run on the surface of the water for brief periods of time.
Easily identified by the black swirl on its white underbelly, Poliwrath is a formidable opponent that can easily outlast its enemies due to its superior stamina.
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Check The Pokemon Cards Material
Pokemon cards that wont pass step 1 are low-quality fakes. Once youve verified the cards information, its time to examine the cards material. Layered paper is whats used for making most trading cards, including Pokemon cards.
In the case of Pokemon cards, theyre made by pressing 2 layers of paper -the front and the back- onto a thin layer of plastic. This production method results in distinct physical features.
This video will help you understand the anatomy of Pokemon cards, so the following tests will make more sense.
You can test the physical properties of a Pokemon card to tell if its fake or genuine by doing the following:;
Look For The Black Line
The plastic layer we mentioned earlier -on which the two faces of a Pokemon card are pressed- has a distinct black color.
When youre trying to spot fake pokemon cards, this is something that you should ALWAYS look for.
If turn a genuine Pokemon card sideways, you can spot this black line in the middle of the material. In case of a fake Pokemon card, this layer isnt and as a result, the side of the card will be completely white.
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Pokemon Players Club Shiny Umbreon: $1900
If you’ve got a soft spot for the blue and black shiny version of the Dark-type Pokemon Umbreon, then be aware that you’re not the only one. The Japanese version of the Shining Umbreon Pokemon card is pretty highly desired, with its unique coloring and gorgeous frame-piercing artwork making it fittingly beautiful as one of the first shiny Pokemon to appear on a card.
However, its price is so high because of much more than just its looks and popularity. The Shining Umbreon card only saw a very limited release through the Japanese Pokemon Players’ Club for hitting the maximum number of experience points through the club between 2005 and 2006, making it one of the rarest cards out there. For this reason, Troll and Toad has had it listed at just near and impressive $1900.
Pricing Or Selling Your Collection
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How To Spot Fake Pokemon Cards
Do you want to learn how to spot fake Pokemon cards like a pro? This guide is for you.
Since the release of Pokemon cards back on October 20, 1996, much has changed. Except fake Pokemon cards!
Theyre still around, and you still need to learn how to spot them.
Since some super-rare Pokemon cards are worth a small fortune, this encourages lots of dishonest people to flood the market with fake cards.
If you dont know how to tell real from fake Pokemon cards, youll have a hard time surviving in the Pokemon TCG world.
Fake Pokemon cards can cost you lots of money. Not to mention the frustration of finding out that your favorite cards are fake. And thats why weve created this step-by-step guide.
Instead of nonsense advice like ripping the cards to check the material, this guide gives you a practical, 3-step process that you use to determine the authenticity of a Pokemon card in less than 2 minutes with a systematic process that you can easily follow. Also, make sure to check out our recommended Pokemon card binders list. Gotta keep those authentic Pokemon cards in good shape!
You can tell if a Pokemon card is fake or genuine by verifying the cards information, then inspecting its design and the material its made of. Heres what you need to do in detail:
Why Cards Are Rising In Value Right Now
Pokémon card sales and prices have skyrocketed this year, with some cards selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.;
On Thursday, a sealed box of Pokémon booster packs sold for a record $360,000 through Heritage Auctions, while a similar set sold for $198,000 only two months ago. According to eBay, there were 60% more Pokemon card sales on its platform in September compared to January of this year.;
YouTube stars, celebrities and investors have dropped big bucks on cards, which has contributed to the frenzy and helped push up their value. That, in turn, has encouraged others to; snap up cards in hopes that theyll be able to turn a profit.;
Theres an entire genre of buyers unboxing card sets on YouTube and Twitch, where DJ and producer Steve Aoki recently hosted a live charity event devoted to opening up packs.
Publicity is always something that can drum up momentum and price, said Eugene Smith, a 24-year-old card collector and investor from Tampa, Florida, who also happens to work in finance.;
Controversial YouTuber Logan Paul has spent almost $300,000 , while the rapper Logic dropped $226,000 on a rare 1st edition Charizard.;
When I was a kid I absolutely loved Pokémon but couldnt afford the cards, Logic .
People my age are finally in their late-20s, mid-30s, and they can afford the stuff they liked when they were kids, said Jesus Garcia, an assistant comics & comic art operations supervisor at Heritage Auctions.;
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How To Tell What Pokemon Card You Have: Set Number Edition & Foil
You have some Pokemon cards sitting around and you’ve heard they can be pretty valuable, but you don’t know if your cards are rare or common or even how to tell what card you have. What is “reverse holo”? What is “first edition”? And what the heck is “shadowless”?This guide will help you determine which Pokemon cards you have so you can look them up and know the value.How to determine Pokemon card versions?
The Masked Royal Prize Promo: $18000
This is undoubtedly one of the most recent rare cards, featuring the Masked Royal character from Pokemon Sun & Moon and released as recently as 2017. This is essentially a promotional card that was given out to players in an invitation-only prerelease in Tokyo for the new Shining Legends set, where only 100 copies were made.
Even though this is a relatively normal card by most standards, this short print run means its incredibly hard to get, especially since it was handed out in such a restrictive event. As a result, there are actually preserved tweets of players first opening it in places like Pokeboon, while Japanese trading sites like Miyabi Hobby have past listings of the card at ¥2,000,000, which currently is equal to around $18,000 USD.
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