Pokmon Ex Team Rocket Returns Holo Gold Star Torchic #108
Coming from the Team Rocket Returns set, the Holo Gold Star Torchic is a rarity. There were actually three special Gold Star Cards in this release Mudkip, Treeko, and the ever-adorable Torchic. The total remaining population of Torchic has over 300 cards currently graded however, of this, there are only 17 PSA 10 . As such, its one of the most challenging cards to find in such a pristine condition and therefore demands a high price. Look for the stunning artwork and gold star next to the name.
Grade: PSA 10 Gem Mint
Pokemon Cards As A Fun Pastime
Some collectors also like to battle their friends with their Pokemon cards. After all, that was the whole point of Pokemon cards to begin with!
While there are Pokemon Trading Card Game tournaments available at local Pokemon related events, many people like to keep it casual and just battle their acquaintances as a fun pastime.
These days Pokemon is really for all ages whether it be battling or collecting Pokemon cards, youre bound to have a good time.
For people who grew up with the card game, a casual battle is a great way to relive some of those long lost memories from the school playground.
Pokmon Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Holo Venusaur
A very rare Pokémon card made ever more valuable by its artists autograph
Sold for $55,000 in November 2021
Image: PWCC
Many of the rarest Pokémon cards date from the trading card games early days, with first edition cards released in the 1990s ranking as among the most valuable Pokémon cards today.
While the first edition stamp on cards is highly sought-after in the English edition of the Pokémon card game, the rarest Japanese Pokémon cards are instead identified by their lack of a stamp. Specifically, a missing black star in the bottom-right of a Japanese-language card is whats known as No Rarity – meaning that the card is missing the common symbol used to signify a Pokémon cards rarity.
No Rarity Pokémon cards are among the rarest Pokémon cards in existence, and few come rarer than the Venusaur Pokémon card from the games first print run in 1996. Just five copies of the Bulbasaur evolution – famous for appearing on the original video game Pokémon Green – have been graded at a perfect Gem-Mint 10 by PSA, making a flawless copy of the card extremely rare.
While a No Rarity Venusaur card commands a high price by itself, a copy sold in November 2021 set a new record for the rare Pokémon card by fetching $55,000 at auction. Helping the record sum was the signature of the cards illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita – the legendary artist behind many Pokémon cards from the last 20-plus years – on the cards case, making the already rare Pokémon card truly one-of-a-kind.
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Pokemon Japanese Neo Summer Battle Number 2 Trainer
Sold in November, 2020 for $20,105
Just a bit ago, we had a look at the number 3 trainer card from the 2001 Neo Summer Battle Road Tournament.
And now we are looking at the card that contestants would receive for finishing in second place in that tournament.
The card has pretty much the same look and feel as the third-place card, but Chancey and Doduo have joined Pikachu and Growlithe in posing with Ash Ketchum, as he holds a silver medal.
Even in a PSA 7 holder, this card will sell for thousands of dollars to give you an idea of just how coveted these trophy cards are.
Pokemon Japanese Hr Contest Winner Full Art Charizard

Sold in June, 2021 for $20,100
Despite the global health situation in 2020, Pokemon tournaments still took place at home and in shops throughout Japan.
From July to September 2020, contestants in the Charizard VMAX HR competition could participate in 16-player tournaments for a chance at winning two unique Charizard cards.
Winners of the first rounds consisting of four players each won the Full Art Charizard V shown here.
Those four players would then advance to the championship round for a shot at winning the Full Art Charizard VMAX HR competition card as the top prize.
The extreme difficulty of receiving the BGS 10 Pristine grade gives this card a significant boost in value.
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Blastoise Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram Card
Now this card is an absolute gem! At first glance youd think it wasnt real when you look at the font. But it is in fact an iconic piece of Pokemon history.
Backstory
This test printed Blastoise was used by the Wizards of the Coast team to help showcase to their higher ups at Nintendo, that they was capable of producing the English version of the TCG. Incredible right?!
Tropical Mega Battle No 2 Trainer
- Release Date: 1999
- Grading: PSA Authentic
- Pokemon card value at auction: $50,300
Interestingly, this is the first Pokemon card in the top 20 that is so poor quality-wise, it didnt even receive a grade. In situations like this, PSA will still give it an official Authentication. Dont let the grading fool you, though, as the Tropical No. 2 Trainer card is pristine except the back which has color loss and fading due to the sun.
Given out originally at the 1999 Mega Battle tournament in Japan, only the top players received this Pokemon card. In total, PSA has only seen five of these, making it one of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence. Its so scarce that its still worth a jaw-dropping amount despite its quality setbacks think about that.
According to PWCC, one of these green Exeggutor prizes was sold at an auction in October 2020 for $50,300. Its fascinating to think that even a damaged card can sell for as much as a sports car. And this Pokemon cards value will only continue to climb given that they just dont exist.
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Pokmon Tcg Lost Origin Aerodactyl V Alternate Art Card
When Pokémon Red and Blue launched in 1998, Gen 1 Kanto Fossil Pokémon such as Omastar and Kabutops were fan favorites. The ancient Pokémon were so popular, that they even became the mascots of the TCG‘s second expansion which was aptly called Fossil. For many players, the Jurassic-themed Pokémon are incredibly nostalgic.
So it should come as little surprise, that one of Lost Origin‘s most sought-after collectibles is the rare Aerodactyl V card. The alternate-art collectible has already exploded in value and has been selling for as high as $170 on online auction sites. Because the Gen 1 Fossil Pokémon is so popular, the sky’s the limit for how much a graded version of this card could for in the future.
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.
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What Makes The 2017 Tsunekazu Ishihara So Rare
The fact that only staff were given this card, means its extremely scarce and not many copies exist. But to stack a further level of rarity on top, a card signed by the man himself sold at auction for a whopping $247,230 incredibly, it was only a PSA 7 as well!
Recent Sales
- PSA 7 Autographed $237,230
- PSA 10 $100,000
Pokemon Neo Destiny 1st Edition Shining Charizard
Sold in January, 2021 for $20,250
The fourth main expansion of the Neo Series, Neo Destiny, is notable for featuring both “light” and “dark” Pokémon whose characteristics and “destiny” are reflective of how a Trainer trains them.
Light Pokémon are caring and bright-spirited, while dark Pokémon are the exact opposite.
Dark Pokémon have appeared in several different series, but the Neo Destiny set is the only one in which you will find the light Pokémon.
Charizard appears as neither light nor dark in Neo Destiny but instead as a special Shining Charizard that gets its name from the unique foil design that glimmers and shines in the light.
The Shining Pokémon in this series also feature a unique rarity symbol in the lower right in the form of three stars.
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Barbie In Midnight Pink $9550 1965
Two Dutch women with a massive collection of Barbie dolls put them up for auction at Christies in 2006. This rare Barbie was among those that sold for a high price that night.
It was sold for GBP 5,040 to an anonymous collector who also paid a fortune for the Gala Abeng Barbie and the Barbie in Midnight Red.
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.
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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.
The Most Valuable Holographic Pokemon Cards
by Rachel Kay | Oct 12, 2022 | Insight Hub
Holographic pokemon cards are worth money because they are rare and highly collectible. They are also a great investment because they typically appreciate in value over time. Holographic pokemon cards were first introduced in the early 2000s and quickly became a hit with collectors and investors alike. While there are many different types of holographic pokemon cards, the most valuable and rare ones are typically those that feature rare and hard-to-find pokemon. Some of the most valuable holographic pokemon cards can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. For example, a first edition holographic Charizard card recently sold for over $10,000 at auction. If youre thinking about investing in holographic pokemon cards, be sure to do your research first. While they can be a great investment, its important to remember that the value of any individual card can fluctuate greatly.
A hologram Pokémon card is an image that gleams and shines when viewed with the eyes. Only a few cards in a set will be given holographic variants. A specific holographic Pokemon card, for example, can be worth thousands of dollars, whereas others can only be worth a few dollars. The cover art for Pokémon Blue was created by Blastoise. As seen in a mint condition, this card could sell for up to $2,800. As the final evolution in the series, the name Alakazam refers to the four mountains of Abra. Raichu has moves like anger and ferocity.
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What Are Pokemon Cards
For the uninitiated, Pokemon Cards are part of the Pokemon Card Trading Card Game that originally launched in 1996. Back then, the original set contained just 151 cards one for each OG Pokemon.
In simplest terms, Pokemon cards are baseball cards but for adorable Japanese Pocket Monsters.
Since then, Pokemon has exploded into the worlds most valuable media franchise, valued at over $100 billion worldwide. For comparison, thats more than Star Wars, Spongebob, and James Bond combined.
Fueling two decades of meteoric growth was a steady stream of new Pokemon creatures and thus new cards to collect. There are around 898 total Pokemon and over 9,100 Pokemon cards to collect in the English market.
Not all 9,100 cards are available on store shelves at once, of course. The Pokemon Company International, the folks who make Pokemon cards, publish and release cards one generation at a time, with each generation lasting about two years.
In total, there have been eight generations of Pokemon cards since 1996. And as the next generation of cards begins appearing on store shelves, the previous generation tends to sell out. At that point, its no surprise that certain cards begin shooting up in value!
/14 2002 Reverse Holographic Legendary Collection
When reverse holographics first entered the Pokemon scene, kids couldn’t handle how amazing the alternate design was. The reverse holographic version of Charizard from the 2002 Legendary Collection set added a whole new layer of cool to the already popular Base Set design of the beloved Fire-type starter from the Kanto region.
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Its highest selling price for a PSA 10 graded version of the card went for a solid $6,500, which may sound like a lot of money but doesn’t come close to everything else ahead of it on this list. Frankly, that’s frightening.
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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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Identify The Card With The Name And Number In The Set
Finally, identify the card by looking up its name and card number on eBay.
The name will be located above the illustration of the card and the number is on the bottom right of the card. After checking all three of these steps, you should easily be able to identify every card, even if you dont know exactly what set it is in.
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/14 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.
Black Star Ishihara Gx Promo Card

Sold in April, 2021 for $247,230
As a gift to top-level employees, Tsunekazu Ishihara, president of The Pokémon Company, gave out an estimated thirty copies of this card during his 60th birthday party at the 2018 Pokémon World Championship.
As of this writing, only eight copies have ever been submitted to PSA for grading, making this one of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence.
Making this particular example even rarer is the fact that Ishihara personally signed it as well.
The artwork on the card is fantastic and the “60 Congratulations!” and GX attack of 1060 damage are nice touches to help commemorate his 60th birthday.
Ishihara has been instrumental, to say the least, in building the Pokémon brand by contributing to the development of multiple video games and even initiating the creation of the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself.
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Summer Battle Road 2007
Given that it was handed out to the top three competitors from each age division during Japan’s 2007 Battle Road Summer and 2008 Battle Road Spring tournaments, one would be forgiven for thinking that there are a lot of copies of Miracle Diamond floating around. That’s not actually the case though, with estimates pinning the actual number at around 90. More than 14 years after it was first handed out, one of these sold for an impressive $32,000 in late 2021.
Of those which were handed out, only ten have been graded by the PSA, with just six of them achieving the coveted PSA GEM-MT 10 rating. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the current recorder holder is one such card, with the other four likely to sell for considerably less than the 32 grand it raised in the event that they ever go to auction.