Pokémon has been effectively incorporated into three distinct domains. In addition to being a hugely successful video game franchise, it has been an anime for more than 20 years. It’s possible to forget that it’s also a trading card game. Playing Pokémon Trading Card Game is fun, but it’s more than just matching up cool cards with pals to fight them. It’s also a field of collectibles.
In addition to being used in the game, many people also collect the cards. They therefore have good value. The majority of cards individuals collect are between $1 and $10, but occasionally they are lucky enough to get something valuable. These are the most costly Pokémon cards ever recorded in history.
The Highest Paying Pokemon Trading Cards Ever
These cards can fetch several hundred dollars, even in brand-new collections. Of course, the price can increase significantly if the card is graded and in excellent condition. Since old cards are no longer produced, this also applies to them. There are cards with millions of dollars on them. These are the priciest Pokémon cards available.
Pikachu Illustrator
Pokemon: Contentious This became well-known when YouTuber Logan Paul wore it to a boxing bout, but it is by far the priciest Pokémon trading card available. He paid $5.275 million for this card in total in 2022. There isn’t a card that comes close to that cost.
Very unlikely, no other card will, especially as time passes and this magnificent card’s price rises even further. Considering the price increase he and other YouTubers brought about by opening previous packs, it’s not surprising to see a tag like this now.
First Edition Shadowless Charizard
As previously stated, a Charizard card will always be highly sought-after and uncommon. That also applies to this 1999 Charizard. It’s the very essence of that concept. It earned a place among the most expensive Pokemon cards when it was auctioned for $420,000.
The Pokemon on this specific Charizard card is not shadowed. Due to a printing error that happened infrequently, the price and rarity increased. Even with its non-misprint, this card is still quite expensive and was the chase card for many YouTubers when Pack Opens became popular.
Blastoise Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram
Pokemon beginning cards are always quite popular, especially the starters themselves. In a given set, a particular Charizard card is frequently the rarest or most sought-after card. The same is true of Blastoise, its counterpart. The price of this Blastoise card is reflective of the fact that it is believed to be one of only two in existence. There are very few copies because it was initially made for a Wizards of the Coast presentation. The selling price was $360,000.
1997 Bronze Pikachu No.3 Trainer Trophy Card
To avoid having to deal with another first edition Charizard, Pikachu, the series mascot, is the next unique Pokemon card. There are just 4 examples of the Top 4 reward cards from the very first Pokemon Championship, all rated PSA 8 Near Mint. In 2023, it was last sold for $300,000. The card is among the priciest Pokemon cards available, with a private seller’s current offering asking an astounding $2 million for it.
Black Star Ishihara Signed Gx Promo Card
Promo for SM Black Star Ishihara GXT The price tag on this particular card was among the highest of all time. This unique card, which features the business president and is autographed, is extremely expensive. It sold in April 2021 for more than $247,000. Although the original card is extremely uncommon, the autographed edition is even more valuable.
Pokemon Cards That Are Too Expensive for Average People
Not every pricey card comes from a set made in the early 2000s or 1990s. Though there are many cards that a collector may pull at this time that are valuable, the price is reduced considerably. Here are a couple of instances of that. Although grading these cards increases their cost, they are nonetheless rather valuable without grading. Every card and the current price are from either eBay, CardMarket, or TCGPlayer.
Worlds Promo Cards
Promo cards for employees and rivals are highly valuable. particularly when using previous Worlds stamps. Even rarer than staff-marked cards, ungraded examples of these cards have brought upwards of £600.
Alternate Charizard Vmax
Charizard is one of the most expensive Alt Arts for the current card game, which is not surprising. Due to a shortage of stock, its sales have decreased, but its market worth is still $410. However, for average players, it remains one of the most expensive Pokemon cards available.
Alternate Full Art Lugia V
This Lugia card was included in the most current set before Crown Zenith was made available. Among Silver Tempest’s many excellent cards is this one, which is also the priciest. Collectors who pull this Pokémon trading card would be extremely fortunate because it sells for more than $240. This Lugia has the highest tag out of the two Lugia VSTAR cards (a secret rare and rainbow rare), both of which are valued over $30.
Alternate Full Art Giratina V
One of the best Giratina V cards in any set is this one from Lost Origin, which is also a relatively fresh set. It sells for $299 ungraded, thus in good condition, it can have a significant future value.
Alternate Art Magikarp & Wailord Gx Tag Team
Seabound artwork featuring the powerful combo of beloved water-type Pokemon is valued at approximately $400.
Alternate Art Gengar & Mimikyu Gx Team Up
The GX Tag Teams are very desirable and powerful. This spectral pair’s alternate artwork sells for about $270.
Alternate Full Art Espeon Vmax
Given how well-liked Eeveelutions cards are, this amazing Espeon is not shocking. It originates from Fusion Strike, which lacks an excessive number of high-quality cards. The retail price is $194.
Alternate Full Art Rayquaza Vmax
This Rayquaza is one of the many absurdly costly pulls available from Evolving Skies. The astonishing $359 is the price of the alternate art VMAX. The fact that it’s not the most costly card offered by Evolving Skies makes it even more amazing.
Alternate Full Art Umbreon Vmax
That accolade belongs to this incredible Umbreon VMAX card. This is one of the priciest Pokemon cards you can buy right now, costing an astounding $566.
Alternate Full Art Sylveon Vmax
This list includes an Evolving Skies Eeveelution once more. This Sylveon is the one that costs $173 this time.
Alternate Full Art Glaceon Vmax
This $179 Glaceon is the last card in the Evolving Skies set.
Alternate Full Art Blaziken Vmax
This Blaziken card, which comes from the Chilling Reign set, is fantastic. Everything in the art, including the style, is flawless. That’s reflected in the price tag, which is presently $131.
Alternate Full Art Galarian Moltres V
This Galarian Moltres card is undoubtedly among the greatest of the current sets. The artwork is exquisite, and anyone fortunate enough to extract it from a pack of Chilling Reign ought to be aware that it is valued at $130. Pokémon cards with a V aren’t usually the priciest, but this one is because it’s so fantastic.
The topic of potential Pokemon NFTs comes up with the introduction of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens. On NFT marketplaces like Open Sea, a lot of unofficial Pokemon digital art has begun appearing. However, this is still a very new space.
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The value of Pokemon cards may appear strange to anyone who is not involved in the market. However, the earliest baseball card decks date back to the 19th century, which is where the idea of expensive trading cards originated. A 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card brought $3.1 million at auction in 2016.
The most expensive Pokemon card before the Illustrator card went for $900,000 was an Illustrator. Yes, an additional Illustrator’s card sold for $375,000 in 2021, making it the most costly Pokemon card ever. Before it, the range was slightly more varied, with some cards reaching new heights of prominence. A 1999 Shadowless Charizard, for example, was purchased for $220,000 in 2020 and sold for $350,000 just a year later.
High-grade Japanese Pokemon cards from the 1990s have shown to be profitable investments in recent years. In 2020, for instance, the 1998 Kangaskhan Holo Family Event Trophy, a premium limited edition event card, brought in $150,000. The number of these cards that are in existence is unclear, but only 46 have ever been evaluated by the PSA, the top collectible grading organization in the world.
One of the earliest ever English Lugia cards, a 2000 Lugia, sold for the highest price of any Western Pokemon card ever to be auctioned off. To put the grading system into perspective, a 2000 Lugia in “perfect” condition sold for $129,000 at auction in 2020, yet a similar Lugia in “good” condition may get only $50. Is it time to buy Pokemon trading cards?