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Pokemon Trading Card Game Card Values

Pokmon Party Like Its 1999

I Graded My Prototype $10,000 Pokemon Card

Have you wondered why Charizard pops up so often as the star of the most valuable Pokémon cards? Some of it has to do with the power level of the cards in question and their relative rarity, but the most amusing contributor to their value is the simple fact that people love Charizard.

In a 2019 poll that saw over 52,000 Reddit users cast a vote for their favorite Pokémon, Charizard was ranked number one. A 2020 poll conducted by the Pokémon Company named Charizard as the fourth most popular Pokémon following an extensive fan voting competition. Numerous outlets have named Charizard the coolest Pokémon or awarded the character similar distinctions.

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The authors of the book Pikachus Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémontheorize that Charizard may be most popular with older male fans drawn to the characters comparative toughness and the idea that this evolution cycle represents a departure from childhood. This theory meshes with the comments and demographics of notable top Charizard buyers, but when you get to the heart of it, theres just something about Charizards design that has resonated with Pokémon fans and stayed with them throughout the years.


Theres something funny about Charizard and Michael Jordan sharing this pop culture moment. Both were superstars of their era, and both remain the faces of their respective fields: Pokémon and the golden age of 90s basketball.

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Super Secret Battle No 1 Trainer

The answer to “What’s the rarest Pokémon card of all time?”

Sold for $90,000 in July 2020

Its unlikely youve heard of Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer, and extremely unlikely youve ever seen a copy in person. When it comes to rare Pokémon cards, there are very few cards rarer than this.


No. 1 Trainer is a holographic promotional card awarded to finalists in the Secret Super Battle tournament held in Tokyo, Japan in 1999. To earn a place in the competitions finals, which were held in a secret location, players had to first win a regional tournament. Their prize was the No. 1 Trainer card, which granted them access to the finals.

The cards text translates to: The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament’s champion is recognised here, and this honour is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle. The card features the Japanese logo for the Pocket Monsters Trading Card Game, along with artwork of original generation Pokémon Mewtwo by illustrator Hideki Kazama.

This is a card so rare and valuable that Indiana Jones probably had to escape a crumbling temple with it at some point. Its 1999 counterpart cards No. 2 Trainer and No. 3 Trainer, similarly awarded to winners in Japanese Pokémon tournaments during the late 1990s, are almost as rare and valuable.

First Edition Holographic Hitmonchan

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $3,250

Sporting boxing gloves, shoulder pads and extreme quickness, Hitmonchan exhibits every bit of the appearance of the fighting-type Pokémon that he is.


The five protrusions on top of its head round out an overall ferocious look.

Bidding for this card in high grade can be just as ferocious as Hitmonchan itself as prices will often rise above $3,000 or more.

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Classic Pokmon Tcg Cards Will Still Be Valuable

Unfortunately, players looking to rebuild their childhood Pokémon TCG collection may continue to struggle, as classic Pokémon cards will likely remain fairly expensive. Unlike modern sets, the expansions from the 90s are out of print. Scalpers and investors trying to make money were able to take advantage of the market boom and bought up a large number of the remaining vintage sets. Rare Pokémon TCG Collector’s Edition items and retro sets like and Team Rocket will likely continue to climb in value as time goes on.

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However, vintage TCG card prices may begin to cool, with prices steadily coming down over the last year. For example, the rare Base Set Charizard card has seen a flux in value as of 2022. According to grading company PSA, a grade 10 version of the collectible sold for $17,000 in June. The drop is substantial, considering the same Charizard Pokémon card sold for an astonishing $75,000 in 2021. While classic TCG items are still incredibly expensive, their downward trend could make some of the cards more attainable for players looking to purchase them.

What Is The Psa Grading Scale

What Are The Most Valuable Pokémon: Trading Card Game Shining Fates ...
Card Grading Score
Gem Mint condition

Getting a PSA grade can make high-value cards worth even more and can also help you avoid unnecessary haggling or debating with a potential buyer about the condition of the card you have.

When you are looking to buy a card and the seller makes claims to a certain grade, ask for the required documentation from the PSA or the grading number. All grades that get graded by PSA are given a unique ID number that anyone can look up on their website.

This can help potential buyers spot fake Pokémon cards or cards that claim to have been graded when they havent. So if you are planning to get your Pokémon cards and get them professionally graded its important that you hang on to these details.

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Lastly, try not to be disappointed if you dont find hidden gems in your collection.

Unfortunately, it is not an all-too-common event that you will discover a card that is worth several thousands of dollars well, this is why rare cards are called rare!

If you are only in it for the money, trading Pokémon cards will likely be a rather disappointing experience.

You can also treat it as a moment of nostalgia and an opportunity to re-connect with a childhood passion, constantly looking at your Pokémon card collection with a cold, monetary appraising stare can often suck the enjoyment that we get from collectible trading card games.

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Looking Up How Much My Pokemon Cards Are Worth:

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 what your Pokemon card is worth.

What to do next:

Once youve gone through and searched for the value of your Pokemon cards using the mavin.io price guide, you have several different options:

If the Pokemon cards are valuable: You can either hold onto the cards, perhaps get them graded if theyre really valuable, and hopefully see them appreciate in value over time. Alternatively, you sell it to a local card shop without getting ripped off since you know its worth. Lastly, you can sell it yourself on eBay to get a competitive price. Read our guide to selling on eBay.

If the Pokemon cards are worthless: A card doesnt have to be worth money to be considered valuable. Each card has sentimental value to someone: where they got it, the deck it was a part of, that time you used it to battle so-and-so a lot of people tend to hang onto them because of the memories. If you want to get rid of your Pokemon cards, they could be worth some memories to a relative or a stranger. Put them on Craigslist, take them to a card shop, donate them, or pass them along to your kids or a relative. Theres still a lot of fun to be had in those dusty Pokemon cards youve been hanging onto!

Shining Charizard First Edition

Earlier, we discussed the introduction of shiny Pokemon and how it simply made Charizard cooler. In the 2002 NEO Destiny First Edition set, there was a card titled Shining Charizard that captured the black-scaled iconic Pokemon in all of its elegance and stoicism.


A PSA 10 graded version of the card has sold at its highest for around $22,000. The NEO Destiny set was the last one that the card manufacturer, Wizards of the Coast, used the logo for on any of their Pokemon products an interesting legacy for an equally interesting trading card.

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Fusion Strike: Gengar Vmax

Fusion Strike is the most recent expansion, and Gengar VMAX was the most valuable card from it when it launched in November. Though its value has dropped by almost $80 since then, it’s still the first card on this list to be worth over $100. Sowsow’s art is fantastic, giving it a chalky, scratchy feeling not seen on many other cards.

Team Instinct Leader Spark Is The Most Expensive Pokmon Go Tcg Trainer Card

Pokemon Trading Card Game Review (GBC/3DS)

The Niantic crossover also features the Pokémon GO Team Leaders Spark, Candela, and Blanche as Trainer cards. After setting up an account in Pokémon GO, players get to choose from one of three factions: Team Mystic, Team Instinct, and Team Valor. Trainers are then able to connect with other users on the same team and take over Gyms and collect points, thereby providing an element of cooperative play.

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Since the game’s launch in 2016, there has been a rivalry between fans over which team from Pokémon GO is actually the best. In the Pokémon GO TCG expansion the debate has seemingly been settled, as Team Leader Spark has taken the top spot in sales. The Spark Trainer card has been climbing in value since the set’s launch in July and has been selling for around $20. In comparison, Candela has been going for $12, while Blanche has been averaging out around $9.

Following the launch of the Pokémon GO crossover in July, the next Pokémon card set to release is the Pokémon Sword and ShieldLost Origin TCG expansion. The September set will bring back the “Lost Zone” mechanic and will feature the debut of Legendaries Kyurem and Girataina as VSTAR cards. With Gen 9 Pokémon Scarlet and Violet also releasing in November, the Pokémon Trading Card Game will have many more collectibles set to release this year that could also end up being worth a lot of money.

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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.


Psa 10 Southern Islands Reverse Holo Mew: $5950

When the second Pokemon movie was released in Japan, the makers of the Trading Card Game decided to release a special edition set of cards to mark this occasion. The Southern Islands card series was born, featuring just two sets of nine cards apiece that were unique to any other set in the game.

Full sets of these cards can sell for a lot , but the absolute highest value is undoubtedly the Southern Islands Mew, which has a rare reverse foil treatment where the frame around the art is the only part thatâs shiny. In 2020, PWCC Auctions sold a copy of it for $4,155, and more recent auctions push it up as high as almost $6000. There have only ever been 19 copies given the PSA 10 grade, though other conditions are slightly more common.

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Chapter 1 Of Learning Pokemonhow To Play And Teach The Pokemon Trading Card Game

Learning Pokemon TCG is a series of blogs and videos that teaches you everything you need to know to start playing! This series is updated regularly to ensure all information is accurate.

The Pokemon TCG is an incredibly easy game to learn, and its worth doing no matter your age or experience because its incredibly fun. The Pokemon YouTube channel created a series of quick, helpful videos to teach you everything you need to know about the basic rules of the game. Those videos are below, along with our text-based summaries that contain a bit more detail so you can reference them later without rewatching an entire video.

The starting version of a Pokemon is known as a basic Pokemon, like this Pikachu.

There are several important elements along the top of each card:

  • Starting on the left, the word basic indicates this is a basic Pokemon.
  • Next to the word basic is the name of the Pokemon, in this case Pikachu.
  • On the top-right, the HP next to the number 60 indicates how much damage the Pokemon can take before being knocked out.
  • To the right of the HP is the energy type of the Pokemon, in this case Lightning.
  • To the left of each attack is the energy cost. This indicates the number and kind of energy cards that need to be attached to a Pokemon in order for it to use that attack. You can play one energy per turn from your hand by attaching it to one of your Pokemon. Below are the various energy types found in the game.

    Below is an example of a pretty standard starting setup.

    Tamamushi University Magikarp Trophy Promo

    Pokémon Gengar
    • Release Date: 1998
    • Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
    • Pokemon card value at auction: $66,100

    In 1998, Shogakukans Magazines in Japan offered a contest for school students. Fans that took the various tests offered in the publication could send them back to the company to have them graded.

    Those studious enough to pass with high scores were then invited to a special conference held in Osaka of that year. Once there, the children got to participate in a unique Pokemon card battle tournament. Winners of the rare contest ultimately received the Magikarp Trophy Pokemon card Promo.

    Due to the insane obscurity of how the TCG item was given out, its easily one of the rarest Pokemon cards on our list. It was not very surprising then when the Trophy collectible went up for auction in February 2021 and sold for $66k at PWCC.

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    The Pokmon Company Now Owns The Tcg’s Printing Manufacture

    When the TCG was released in the 90s, Magic: The Gathering publisher Wizards of the Coast was responsible for printing most of the classic Pokémon card expansions. In 2003, Nintendo split ways with the company and took back the license of the TCG. Since then, most modern releases like 2022’s Pokémon Astral Radiance TCG expansion have been produced by the Millennium Print Group.

    In May, The Pokémon Company announced the purchase of the card manufacturer and has taken over the complete printing of the TCG. The merger not only means better quality control, but it will also result in the Japanese company having more say over the game’s production. With the TCG already seeing a major increase in products being made since 2021, it is hoped the acquisition will help prevent any shortages in the future. It is also possible The Pokémon Company will be able to add new features to Pokémon TCG expansions or experiment with new card types that weren’t possible previously.

    First Edition Item Finder

    Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $750

    The intent of the Item Finder is exactly as it sounds: it aids players in locating items.

    While its name and how it helps players find items greatly changed in later Pokémon games, the first edition card merely instructs the player to discard two cards from his or her hand and replace them with a trainer card.

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    How The Pokmon Trading Card Game Boom Brought Back Pokmon Fever

    The Pokemon TCG is more valuable than ever, but for many, these cards are about more than money.

    This story is presented by

    The popularity of the Pokémon Trading Card Game was not an accident. While some might be quick to call it an overnight sensation, that actually sells short the effort that went into the Pokémon TCG .

    Released in Japan in October 1996 , the Pokémon TCG was one of the first major additions to what would become a vast pipeline of Pokémon merchandise. While clearly inspired by the incredible success of the Magic: The Gatheringfranchise, as well as Pokémon collectible cards released by Bandai earlier that year, the Pokémon TCG was no mere copycat. Along with being more accessible than other TCGs on the market, the Pokémon card game proved to be a natural extension of the things that made millions fall in love with the original games.

    Ishihara-san, President of The Pokémon Company, loved tabletop/card games and wanted to create a card game which would act as a Physical Pokédex and give players another way to experience the Pokémon brand, said Pokémon TCG director Atsushi Nagashima in an Evening Standard interview. The idea of a trading card game fit perfectly in line with Pokémons tenets of play, trade, and collect. It also encourages face-to-face play which has been key to the products success and longevity.

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    First Edition Holographic Raichu

    RAREST Pokemon Trading Card Game Cards – VIVID VOLTAGE Cards Ranked Worst to Best

    Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,500

    Raichu, the rodent-like evolved form of Pikachu, is an electric-type Pokémon that uses its tail to gather electricity from both the ground and atmosphere.

    As it charges, the creature stores the electricity in those circular, yellow sacs on its cheeks and once fully charged, Raichu’s ears will point directly upwards.

    Raichu also uses its pointed tail as a ground to prevent itself from being electrically shocked.

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