While Pokemon TCG cards have exploded in value in recent years, most such cards sell for pennies, so how can you tell which cards are actually valuable and worth keeping or selling?
Pokemon: The Trading Card Game has never had a bigger market than today. Its maker regularly produces new sets in both English and Japanese, both of which are huge for the scalper economy. Some rare cards are inevitably designated as the “chase cards” of each set, worth significant money when resold or traded. And the rarest of these cards can be highly valuable.
When opening a pack or shopping for cards, it can be hard to tell whether a card is actually worth something. Here are some steps to help in determining whether or not a Pokemon TCG card is valuable or not.
There are a number of factors that could make a Pokemon TCG card valuable, with some having more weight than others, and these factors include how rare the card is, the condition it’s in, and the Pokemon featured on it.
With over 200,000 variants of Pokemon cards available across a number of languages, most cards are just about worth the paper they’re printed on. Some, however, can sell for thousands of dollars, if not even more in the rarest of circumstances. Here are four of the major considerations in play when determining if a Pokemon card is valuable.
One of the main factors in determining what cards will become valuable is their scarcity. Often this is because of age, as older cards are harder to find in good enough condition to trade or sell. Other reasons include for increased scarcity include special edition cards, limited run cards, or cards that have printing errors.
Some of the most valuable Pokemon TCG cards of are so expensive because of just how scarce they are. The most expensive card of all time, Illustrator Pikachu, only has 39 known copies in existence. Of those, only 12 are considered to be in good condition.
Image credit: gravity_collectibles on ebay
Rare cards, in comparison with scarce cards, are more set-dependent, as every set has cards in different levels of commonality. Most cards are common or uncommon, with a small number in each booster being rare. Even past that, sets have ultra or secret rare cards that aren’t included in the numbering of the main set. These are usually the cards that collectors are after.
One estimate puts the rarity of secret rare cards at an average pull rate of one card for every 35-50 packs opened. They usually tend to be highly desired not only because of their rarity, but also because secret rare cards tend to be fully illustrated.
For newer rare cards, the price may originally be set high but drop rapidly as time goes on until the market price finally settles, or as new editions come out. For instance, the Japanese special art rare Sylveon ex from Prismatic Evolutions was originally priced at $161 in December 2024. Less than a year later, a near-mint holofoil sells on TCG Player for just under $100 following the release of the English card set.
Some Pokemon are simply more popular than others, and their appearance on an already rare or scarce type of card can rocket the price. Charizard and Pikachu are two of the most popular Pokemon; a specific type of Charizard card can go for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Other popular picks include Rayquaza, Lugia, and Umbreon.
Image credit: TCG Player
Finally, a Pokemon card’s condition helps determine the final price. Typically, cards are sorted into six categories: mint, near mint, lightly played, moderately played, heavily played, and damaged. The more pristine and less handled a card is, the more it will sell and retail for. Cards from newer games or sets are generally likely to be in better condition than 20-year-old cards.
Cards that are already very rare or scarce may still sell for a decent price even when found in moderately played condition. It ultimately depends on the card demand at the time, and it may fluctuate significantly.
Card experts and online services can help collectors determine if a specific Pokemon TCG card in their possession is valuable.
One of the easiest ways to check if a Pokemon TCG card is valuable is by checking a platform like TCG Player online. The site has a massive database of Pokemon cards that are up for sale, so collectors can compare what they have with going rates of the day. For this, it’s important to have an idea of the condition the card is in in order to get an accurate price. Additionally, these platforms may not have some of the rarest cards that other players are set on holding onto rather than selling.
There are also expert appraisal services that will determine a number of factors about a card, including its condition and rarity as well as potential price. Some will even grade the card and confirm the exact condition on a 1-10 scale. These services do cost money however, so it’s usually only worthwhile for a truly valuable card.
One thing to keep in mind is that Pokemon TCG cards can be valuable one day and significantly less the next, depending on both market supply and demand. So if you manage to find a particularly rare and valuable card and you want to sell, it may be worth considering doing so sooner than later.
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