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Pokemon Japanese Card Value

Are Your Pokmon Cards Rare

How to find out prices for Japanese Pokemon, Digimon and Yugioh cards?

With regards to most Pokémon cards, there are 4 levels of standard rarity that are worth mentioning for now.

Its also important to note here, when we are talking about Rarity or how Rare a card is, I am not referring to the actual scarcity of the card or hard it is to fine.

Pokémon cards have different rarity classifications that are assigned by the Pokémon company themselves and can often be identified by the symbol printed on the card.

This can be somewhat confusing to those new to the trading card scene as most people will use the term rare interchangeably between the Classification rare and Monetary value rare.


This isnt something you should worry too much about as often a card that is Monetary value rare will also have the classification of Rare, hence why many players will use the term interchangeably.

You can figure what classification level a card has by looking for a small symbol in one of the bottom corners of your card:

  • Common: A small black circle
  • Uncommon: A diamond shape
  • Rare: A tiny star

Promotional: A black start with the word PROMO written across it

As a general rule, the rarer the Pokémon card classification the more money it will be worth. However, this isnt always the case, so its best to be vigilant when evaluating your Pokémon collection.

There are certainly some Uncommons, and possibly even commons, that exist from much older Pokémon sets that might be considered more valuable than modern-day Rares.


When Is The Best Time To Buy Japanese Pokemon Cards

Once new cards are released in Japan, their value tends to shoot up dramatically and stay that way until finally being released in English. During that time, even unplayable Rare Rare and Super Rare are worth enough to increase in value when buying a Japanese booster box, which is about 30 USD in retail.

After that time, the prices for unplayable cards plummet, while playable cards usually maintain their value, at least when sold from Japan. As soon as a playable card leaves Japan the value usually decreases due to the diminished market, which then only consists of card collectors.

Examples of these playable rare cards are the VS Seeker in Ultra Rare from Roaring Skies and the older Ultra Ball in Ultra Rare from Plasma Freeze . These cards reach 23 times the value of other Golden UR cards even though the rarity is the same.

Pokemon French First Edition Dracaufeu

Sold in February, 2021 for $37,300

The First Edition Dracaufeu, or the French name for Charizard, is also relatively easier to find in PSA 10 condition than the English version.


Though only 28 examples have achieved that grade, PSA has only graded 382 overall, meaning that roughly 7% of them are PSA 10s.

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Black Star Ishihara Signed Gx Promo Card

The card depicts Pokémon Company founder and current president Tsunekazu Ishihara. Tsunekazu offered it to the company staff to celebrate his 60th birthday back in 2017. However, this specific version is rarer since Ishihara signed this card to boost its price even further. The Black Star card was sold for nearly a quarter of a million dollars on April 26 2021.

Pokemon First Edition Chansey

Are Japanese Pokemon cards worth anything? Price guide and top collectibles

Sold in November, 2020 for $36,877

Fewer than fifty examples of the First Edition Holographic Chansey have received the elusive PSA 10 distinction, making it one of the most difficult First Edition Holos to find in that grade.


Chansey is a lovable pink, normal-type Pokémon that uses the egg held in its pouch to complete its signature move known as “Soft-Boiled” to help heal people and other Pokémon.

Many believe that Chansey can bring joy and happiness to those who catch it in the Pokemon world, while this card in high grade will bring lots of money to those who own it in the real world.

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Pokmon Super Secret Battle No 1 Trainer Trainer Promo Holo $90000

Are you sensing a theme yet? The Super Secret Battle trainer card served as a reward to a lucky group of players invited to the Super Secret Battle in 1999. Decades later, in a world where the Pokémon hobby has accrued unprecedented dividends, this is now one of the most hotly sought-after relics in auction houses all over the world.

Prices For Pokemon Japanese Go Pokemon Cards

Pokemon Japanese Go card list & price guide. Ungraded & graded values for all Japanese Pokemon GoPokemon Cards., historic prices, and past sales.


Find out how to identify your pokemon card using card numbers, sets, foil, and editions.

Prices are updated daily based upon Pokemon Japanese Go listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Read our methodology.

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Pokemon Japanese Bandai Carddass Vending Prism Red Charizard

Sold in January, 2021 for $30,100

Founded in 1950, Bandai is a Japanese toy maker that produced a series of Pokemon cards in September 1996 that pre-dated the official launch of the Pokemon Trading Card Game that followed in October 1996.


To distribute the cards, Bandai utilized a network of vending machines, or carddass, as they called them.

There are hundreds of Bandai carddass Pokemon cards to collect, but the most desirable of them all is the prism Charizard.

In one of the earliest appearances of the iconic character, Charizard roars and breathes fire, creating an image that really pops.

Pokemon First Edition Mewtwo

Are Japanese Pokemon Cards Worth Investing In or Not ?!?!?!

Sold in November, 2020 for $22,655

A member of the exclusive and powerful Legendary Pokémon group, the psychic-type Mewtwo is considered one of the top Pokémon of all time.


The vicious and savage Mewtwo originated when a scientist altered its original DNA via gene-splicing techniques.

Its signature move, Psystrike, can deal out massive punishment to opposing Pokemon and has long been a favorite of many Pokemon fans.

Do not be fooled by Ken Sugimori’s tame depiction of Mewtwo on this card, as this creature packs devastating ferocity and power.

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Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed Gx Promo Card: $247230

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.

Pokemon Japanese Topsun Holofoil Blastoise

Sold in October, 2020 for $20,100

The 1995 Japanese Topsun cards are some of the most interesting early Pokemon cards and were distributed in packs of apple-flavored gum by Top-Seika.

Collectors could find these cards in one of three versions: blue-back, green-back, and prism holofoil.


While 150 different characters appeared on the blue-back and green-back cards, only 16 received a prism holofoil version.

Though these Topsun cards contain a trademark date of 1995, most collectors agree that the company did not distribute them until 1997.

And that makes sense because even the official Pokemon Trading Card Game didn’t debut in Japan until 1996.

The Blastoise prism holo is one of the most desirable Topsun cards and features the same imagery used for the cover art of the Pokemon Blue videogame released on the Nintendo Game Boy in Japan in 1996.

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Pokemon Play Third Season Promo 70000 Points Holo Umbreon Gold Star

Sold in June, 2021 for $70,000

From 2003 to 2006, PLAY Promotional Cards allowed Pokemon Players Club members to obtain exclusive cards by earning experience points when completing various tasks.

For example, if a player started a battle, won a battle, placed in a tournament, he or she would accumulate points that could earn certain prize cards.

The five Gold Star cards are the most difficult to obtain because of their high EXP thresholds, with the Umbreon being the hardest with its 70,000 point requirement.

Why Are Japanese Pokmon Cards Worth Less Money

Are Japanese Pokemon cards worth anything? Price guide and top collectibles

Japanese Pokémon cards are worth a bit less money in the U.S because U.S collectors tend to collect English cards first. The Booster Box prices and Booster packs are also less expensive than their English counterpart.

That being said, the market fluctuates and Japanese rare Pokémon cards, especially EX cards still fetch a good price in the U.S.

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Gold Star Pop Series 5 Umbreon: $27000

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 attending organised play events between 2005 and 2006, making it one of the rarest cards out there. In 2020, PWCC Auctions sold a PSA-10 copy of it for $20,000, showing just how in-demand it is. Notably, this card was reprinted for the first time ever in 2021, as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebrations set. Though that version is worth way, way less, it’s still the third most valuable card in the expansion.

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.

Card Image

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Why The Japanese Pokemon Card Market Is Stronger Than English

Last time, we briefly touched on the Japanese Pokemon card market and why it is a very good idea for collectors and investors to explore it rather than just staying on the English side all of the time.

For those of you who have never really touched Japanese Pokemon cards, this is obviously new to you. But if you are really serious about becoming a shrewd collector or a successful investor in this field, you cannot ignore the Japanese market, which is, at its core, stronger than the English market.

While Pokemon has certainly become a major phenomenon in America and the western world in general, lets keep in mind that its roots are in Japan. It is a Japanese creation. Pokemon Red and Blue, the inaugural video games of the franchise, were released in Japan in 1996. It wasnt until late 98 that they saw their release in the United States. Going even further, Pokemon cards saw their initial release in Japan in 96, but they didnt make it to America until 1999.

Because of that, Japan is always going to be the ground floor for anything Pokemon related. Whether its video games, cards or any other type of merchandise, Japan gets it first. America comes second.

So why wouldnt you want to dabble in the Japanese Pokemon card market to see what it has to offer?

I can understand the apprehension for native English speakers. After all, chances are, you cant read Japanese, so you might find it rather pointless to collect cards with Japanese text.

Can I Buy Pokemon Cards From Japan

My Exceedingly Rare Japanese Pokemon Card Collection || Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Promos, and More

Yes, you can, although you would make a killing if you did so at the opportune moment. So, when is the best time to buy Japanese Pokemon cards? When new cards are released in Japan, their value skyrockets and stay that way until they are released in English. During that time, unplayable Super Rare and Rare Rare are worth enough to increase when purchasing the Japanese Pokemon cards booster box.

After that time, the unplayable Japanese Pokemon cards’ value plunges, while the playable ones maintain their value when sold from Japan. However, when the card leaves Japan, its price plummets due to the diminished markets since its market comprises collectors.

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Pokmon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind

Only twelve tropical wind cards were produced as promotional cards for the 1999 Tropical Mega battle. Fifty players from around the globe took part in the tournament for the trading card game in Honolulu, Hawaii.

A contender had to fight to the final round to participate, and the card was offered as a prize, making them extremely rare. The most recent record-breaking sale took place in October 2020, with an estimated value of $148,842.

What Makes Japanese Pokemon Cards Special

It has to do with the fact that since they are the source card for all translated versions, non-Japanese collectors have a particular obsession with obtaining cards that have not yet or will never be released in their own country. This can be seen with promotional cards released only in Japan, which often go for high prices overseas like the 15th Anniversary Full Art Pikachu, the newer Battle Festa Pikachu, and the older CoroCoro Shining Mew.

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Pokmon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind $65100

The deeper we get into this list, the more it continues to become clear that some of the rarest and most valuable Pokémon cards in the world were originally printed as a reward for some long-forgotten 90s tournament. That is again the case for Tropical Wind, which entered the market through the Tropical Mega Battle in Hawaii back in 1999. Who even knows how many of these cards survived to this day?

First Edition Charizard Holographic

Team Rocket Zapdos Japanese pokemon card

PRICE: $460,000

Another pokemon card on the list of the top 10 most expensive Pokémon cards ever is the First edition Charizard Holographic. With a steep $460,000 price tag, this Shadowless Holographic Charizard is the second-most expensive Pokémon card ever.

In addition to being a first edition card and being sold in March 2022, its standout feature was the absence of a shadow beneath Charizard, which was later fixed. The card has a PSA Grading of Gem Mint 10 and is one of the most sought-after items in the TCG market despite being more than 20 years old.

Due to the absence of drop shadows behind the picture or text on very early cards, their rarity and price skyrocketed. Additionally, Charizard is a fantastic dragon that everyone enjoys.

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Pokmon Neo Genesis 1st Edition Holo Lugia $144300

Lugia is the rare Pokémon to have a devout fandom without first being introduced in the original 150. No, Lugias first appearance came as the marquee figure on the cover of Pokémon Silver, one of the follow-ups to Pokémon Red and Blue, and its $144,300 price tag tells you that it can compete with the big boys in the trade. Its popularity is possibly also driven by the 1999 film, Pokémon: The Movie 2000.

Pokemon First Edition Blastoise

Sold in November, 2020 for $45,100

One of the coolest-looking of all Pokémon with its twin water cannons that retract from the shell on its back, Blastoise received a massive boost in popularity after serving as the cover mascot of the Pokémon Blue video game.

1st Edition Blastoise cards feature a first edition stamp to the lower left of the holographic image and no shadowing effect behind its right and bottom borders.

Out of the 2,070 first edition Blatoise cards submitted to PSA as of this writing, 100 of them have been given the PSA 10 distinction or roughly 4.8% of them.

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Pokemon Japanese Promo Daisuki Club 7200 Points Holo Umbreon

Sold in June, 2021 for $18,100

The Pokemon Daisuki Club started in 2004 and provided many benefits to its members, such as mini-games, contests, and special offers.

One of those cards was this holographic Umbreon card, and to earn it, the player needed to acquire 7,200 action points, which was no easy task.

Umbreon is one of eight different characters into which Eevee, a normal-type Pokemon, can evolve when leveled up with high friendship during the night in certain areas.

Its red eyes and the yellow markings on its slender black body give the dark-type Umbreon an unmistakable appearance giving this card tremendous eye appeal.

Are Japanese Pokmon Cards Worth More

*HELP!* | How Much Is It Worth?! Vintage Japanese Blastoise Pokemon Card!

Written By // SU Staff in Pokémon

Introduction

With Pokémon celebrating its official 25th anniversary and releasing the Ultra-Premium Trainer box with a re-print of the most iconic Pokémon cards to this date, Pokémon fans of all ages and origins are thrilled by the latest sets and releases.

As a Pokémon fan, you may wonder if Japanese cards are worth collecting and buying in 2022.

In this article, we will explore the value and worth of Japanese Pokémon cards.

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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 itâs 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 Â¥2,000,000, which currently is equal to around $18,000 USD.

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