Pokemon Japanese Promo Tamamushi University Magikarp Trophy Car
Sold in February, 2021 for $66,100
The Tamamushi University Hyper Test was a two-day event held in June 1998 in Osaka, Japan.
To be invited, children needed to pass a series of test questions that were to be completed and mailed by a specific deadline.
The contestants competed against each other within different age groups with the winners receiving a copy of this card as their prize.
While 1,000 copies were slated for distribution, nobody knows for sure how many actually were.
What is known, though, is that this card is the most expensive Magikarp card in the entire Pokémon series, and one of the most valuable Pokémon cards in general.
Barbie In Midnight Red $17000 1965
The 1965 Barbie in Midnight Red sold for a whopping $17,091 at a Christies auction in 2006. It was part of a private collection of 4,000 Barbie Family dolls and was the most expensive item sold that day.
The auction price in 2006 was more than three times its selling price in 1999 at another Christies auction.
The same anonymous buyer also purchased Barbie in midnight pink for $9,550. Together with Barbie in Midnight Red, they are the rarest color Barbies. The most common color is Barbie in Midnight Blue.
Torchic Gold Star Holo Team Rocket Returns
- Release Date: 2004
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $25,400
In 2004, TPC introduced Gold Star Pokemon cards to drum up interest in the hobby again. The new line of collectibles had a low print-run and made their debut alongside the criminally underrated Team Rocket Returns expansion.
Due to its insane popularity, Hoenn Fire-type starter Torchic instantly became one of the most rare Pokemon cards released that year. And whats not to love about it, its easily one of the most adorable artworks to ever grace a TCG release.
The specially marked collectible went up for auction in 2020 and sold for $25,400. That is a mind-blowing amount considering the same item was selling for around $300 in 2016, making the Pokemon cards value an 8,000% increase in just four years!
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Pokemon German First Edition Glurak
Sold in January, 2021 for $37,000
If you come across a First Edition Charizard from the German release, youll notice that Charizards name is instead Glurak.
Also, unlike the English version, youll notice the First Edition German version is not shadowless.
Thats true of the other non-English first editions as well.
Of the 900 German first edition Gluraks that PSA has graded at the time of this writing, 50 have received the lofty PSA 10 distinction.
Thats about a 5.5% success rate compared to around 3.7% for the English first edition Charizards, making it relatively easier to find in that condition.
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Mew Victory Orb Trophy
The Victory Orb trophy card was handed out to the top 3 players of each age group during the Japanese Battle Road Summer 2003 and 2004 tournaments. Although the card was reprinted with different artwork for subsequent events, the original unnumbered promo card is incredibly rare and highly sought after.
It’s for this reason that one collector was willing to part with $60,000 to get their hands on one in late 2020. Only 14 copies of the card have been graded by the PSA, 12 of which were given the highest possible rating. There are certainly rarer cards out there, but not too many of them sell for quite this much.
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Exact Times Shops Pubs And Chains Are Reopening After The Queen’s Funeral
Of course a Pokemon card, or other collectible, is only really ever worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
A collector could be willing to pay more for any item that completes a set and prices can change over time, even for the same item.
Plus, don’t forget that eBay sales and asking prices are just an indication and the item may have sold for less, or not at all.
Here are the Pokemon cards with the five biggest price tags currently being sold on eBay.
Ex Deoxys Gold Star Rayquaza Holographic
While first-generation Pokémon typically get all the hype, this Rayquaza card is basically just as rare as the most coveted first edition cards, with only 47 PSA 10-graded copies recorded in circulation. The mascot for 2004s Pokémon Emerald, mint condition copies of this powerful card have been sold for up to $44,400 .
As cute as he is expensive.
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First Edition Shadowless Holographic Blastoise
Although shiny Charizard gets most of the attention , his water-type contemporary Blastoise is still one of the most popular and recognizable Pokémon ever, and this is reflected in his value as a collectible. With only 100 mint condition copies graded by PSA, this squeaky clean shiny Blastoise can easily sell for over $30,000 at auction, with the most recent sale making the lucky owner $31,334.00 richer.
Rare, powerful, and beautiful what more could you ask for?
Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle No 2 Trainer
Trophy cards from Pokemons heyday are always very desirable, but this card takes things to a whole new level!
Backstory
The 1999 Mega Battle Tourament was a big deal in Japan, with the winners from each player level invited to the finals in Hawaii.
Only the best of the best TCG players from each region were awarded this beautiful Exeggutor trophy card, a design quite fitting to the location might I add!
Makes me want to crack out my Southern Islands set come to think of it!
Anyway, what we have here is the No. 2 Trainer trophy card, a timeless collectors item, where in fact only 6 graded copies exist.
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Pokmon Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Venusaur #15
Now were getting somewhere. The final evolution of the starter Pokémon Bulbasaur, Venusaur had a massive part to play in both the games and the anime as one of the mainstays in Ashs party.
It featured on-the-box art for the original Japanese version of the game, although the Green edition was never released worldwide.
With over 137 PSA 10 copies in existence, the original holo Venusaur is clearly a coveted card.
It may pale in comparison to the likes of Blastoise and Charizard, but its still a member of the original trio that players got to choose from.
Blastoise Wizards Of The Coast Presentation Galaxy Star Holo
- Release Date: 1998
- Grading: CGC 8.5
- Pokemon card value at auction: $360,000
The Pokemon Trading Card Game community was stunned when this insanely rare Pokemon card was discovered by the public for the first time in 2021. Originally commissioned by Wizards of the Coast in 1998, the Blastoise Presentation card was supposed to give stores an idea of what the TCG line would look like in its final print run.
While there are varying reports about its history, its currently believed that only two are known to have ever existed, with only one currently accounted for. Its essentially is one of the earliest known Pokemon cards to exist, at least for the North American release. It was so early that one of the copies had a Magic: The Gathering backside to it, while the other is simply blank.
The historical Nintendo artifact went up for sale at Heritage Auctions in January 2021, and sold for a whopping $360,000, making it the third most expensive collectible just an inch behind the Base Set Charizard. Given that only two of these exist, it could one day take the top spot as the most valuable Pokemon card of all time. If nothing else it may be the rarest Pokemon card in the world.
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Pokmon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind
An ultra-rare promo card – one of only a dozen ever made
Sold for $65,100 in October 2020
Only 12 Tropical Wind cards were produced as promo cards for the 1999 Tropical Mega Battle, a precursor to the Pokémon World Championships, making it one of the most valuable Pokémon sets around.
The Tropical Mega Battle saw 50 players from around the globe take part in a tournament for the trading card game in Honolulu, Hawaii. The only way to participate was to win a battle in your local region and earn an invite, making it an exclusive event for the best Pokémon trainers in the world – and the cards offered as prizes some of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence.
This particular Tropical Mega Battle promo card, the 1999 Japanese-language copy of Tropical Wind, has sold at auction for as much as $65,100 in PSA Gem Mint 10 condition, with the most recent record-breaking sale taking place in October 2020. PSA estimates its value to be as high as $148,482, making the ultra-rare card a contender for one of the most expensive Pokémon cards ever made.
Why Are Pokemon Cards Suddenly Popular Again
Pokemon card collecting has always been popular, as evidenced by the 34 billion cards now in circulation.
But even the makers of Pokemon cards were caught off guard when demand began skyrocketing in mid-2020. In addition to being fun, addictive, and nostalgic, collecting Pokemon cards during the pandemic even promised a potential form of economic relief each $4 booster pack could contain a Charizard GX SV 49 worth $1,800.
Soon, celebrities and influencers picked up on the resurging popularity of Pokemon cards. In early October, Logan Paul live-streamed an event where he opened a rare box of cards worth $200,000 in front of his 22 million subscribers. Pokimane and other influencers quickly followed suit, offering a Pokemon-flavored version of the ever-popular unboxing videos.
Things came to a head on October 13th, 2020 when rapper Logic bought a first-edition, holographic Charizard for an eye-watering $220,574.
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How Do I Know If My Pokemon Card Is Rare
This is represented by a symbol located in the bottom right corner of every card. There should be a shape that indicates what rarity the card is. Common cards are marked with a black circle, uncommon cards have a black diamond, and rare cards always have a black star. This is the basic way to tell the rarity of a card.
The Most Valuable Cards Summary
We hope you enjoyed our worlds most valuable Pokémon card list. As you can see, collectors who want to obtain exclusive cards are ready to spend impressive sums of money to achieve their aim!
This is another incredible example of how much expensive collectible items can get. Whod have thought Pokémon cards could become this pricey! If youre interested in other most expensive collectibles, you can check our list of watches or coins, for example.
Heres a quick recap of the 34 most valuable Pokémon cards in the world:
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Pokmon Neo Destiny 1st Edition Shining Charizard #107
It didnt take long for a Charizard to make it onto the list.
Rather than the Shadowless first edition version found in the base collection, were looking at the 2002 Shining Charizard that came with the Neo Destiny set.
The first offering to highlight Light Pokémon, which counterbalanced the more aggressive Dark Pokémon in gameplay, it was also the first issue to feature Shining cards with a design that presented only the Pokémon in foil material in the artwork.
The Charizard is one such example, finished in a muted silver foil that contrasts well with the rest of the card.
There are 222 PSA 10 copies according to the registry, but that hasnt stopped values from rising due to the popularity of the fire-breathing lizard.
Shining cards were originally inserted at a 300:1 rate.
Top 15 Most Rare And Expensive Pokmon Cards
Strategic depth: Medium
Publisher:Wizards of the Coast
What do Shadowless Charizard, Masters Key and Prerelease Raichu cards have in common? Theyre some of the most rare and expensive Pokémon cards in existence right now. While the value of cards have been dropping recently, the TCG isn’t going away, the team behind the game recently launched a Pokémon Go set, and now they are apparently even creating a reality TV show.
Within this list we are going to focus on the most valuable Pokémon cards. Cards are typically found in this elite category because very few of them were released or they were part of special events and promotions. You may be surprised to see which cards have made this list, so without further ado lets look at the top 15 right now.
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Pokmon World Championships No 2 Trophy Trainer Card
If we didnt know better, wed say these trophy cards were deliberately made to frustrate collectors determined to catch em all. These ultra-rare cards were given to finalists of the 2006 World Championships in California, and its rumored that only three exist, making this one of the rarest Pokémon cards ever.
This is another one of those rare Pokémon cards thats so extremely scarce they can sell for six figures even without a perfect 10 PSA grade. In early 2021 this card sold for an impressive $110,100.
Featuring the always adorable series mascot Pikachu holding up a silver trophy, its not surprising that the other owners of this card havent had the heart to put it up for sale.
Sometimes, hanging out with your parents really pays off!
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.
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Sleeves For Card Protection
Sleeves are great. They protect cards from wear and make them easier to shuffle. Some Pokemon cards can be quite valuable, so its important that they dont get damaged, during play sessions.
Thats why sleeves can be a really nice gift for someone who plays Pokemon cards. These are also great if youre looking for a more budget friendly gift.
We have two options that wed like to show you. One comes with traditional Pokemon art, but has lower quality, while the other doesnt feature Pokemon art, but is more durable.
These sleeves depict the popular Charizard. The art looks pretty cool, but the quality isnt the greatest. The sleeves will split very quickly. Usually the wear is pretty noticeable, even just after a couple of games.
If youd rather gift sleeves of a higher quality, theres another option.
Dragon Shield is the golden standard for card sleeves of various card games. Their sleeves are pretty close to indestructible. Sure, they can get dirty after using multiple years, but you can clean them pretty easily.
Our playgroup has been using their yellow sleeves for over 6 years now, and in all this time maybe two of them have split.
The downside is that they dont have official Pokemon art, which can be a bummer. Nevertheless, you can browse their Art Sleeves, which feature many amazing designs, including dragons. These will probably appease Pokemon players.
Tamamushi University Magikarp: $66100
Produced as a promotion for magazine publisher Shogakukan’s Celadon University campaign, this Magikarp card was awarded to those who successfully became “Pokemon Professors”. By mailing in the Entrance Test, Professor Test, Super Professor Test, and Hyper Professor Test , 1000 Magikarps were up for grabs.
Though so many were printed, only 91 have been identified by the PSA so far. PSA 10-graded cards fetch a much higher price than any other condition, getting $66,100 at auction.
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