Valuable Pokémon Cards That Will Have Collectors Wanting To Catch ‘Em All
The Pokémon Trading Card Game exploded in the 1990s, with children trading, playing, and keeping their cards in mint condition. As it turns out, the latter group was smart, as some of the cards are now worth a small fortune.
From the $22,000 Shadowless holographic Venusaur to the iconic holographic Charizard worth $25,000, collectors lucky enough to "catch 'em all" might want to think about selling!
1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Venusaur: $22,615
The 1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Venusaur is a popular card, as it is the final evolution of the Pokémon Bulbasaur. A rare gem, this particular first edition card isn't let go for any price.
One collector sold their 1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Venusaur for a whopping $22,615 at auction.
1999 First Edition Holographic Shadowless Hitmonchan: $23,100
Pokémon trading card players might remember playing against Hitmonchan in the 1990s, as it was a very popular player in the original set. As such, it is hard to find a 1999 First Edition Holo Shadowless Hitmonchan No. 7 in good condition.
A mint-condition first edition holographic card can sell up to $23,100 at auction.
1996 Japanese Holographic Poliwrath: $25,015
Even though the 1996 Japanese Holo Poliwrath does not have a rarity rating in the form of a star in the bottom right-hand corner, it still sells for a very high price.
A popular Pokémon, a mint-condition Poliwrath card can sell at auction for as high as a whopping $25,015.
2003 Skyridge Holographic Crystal Charizard: $25,100
The 2003 Skyridge Holographic Crystal Charizard is one of the rarest cards out there, namely because it falls into a Skyridge set, a pack of cards that, if unopened, can sell for almost $300.
This particular card goes for a bit more, though. A pristine Crystal Charizard can sell for $25,100!
1999 Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind Promo: $65,100
The 1999 Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind Promo card was given to 50 participants at the original Japanese Pokemon World Championship. Extremely rare, the card depicts Psyduck and Jigglypuff lounging in a hammock on the beach.
Other versions of the card have been made, but the original sets are the ones that can sell for upwards of $65,100.
2006 Dragon Frontiers Gold Star Holographic Charizard: $25,400
Charizard is a fan-favorite Pokémon, and in 2018, the 2006 Dragon Frontiers Gold Star Holographic Charizard went for around $4,000. Fast-forward a few years, and in 2021 the price of this card skyrocketed.
A very rare and in-demand card, the Gold Star Holographic Charizard from the Dragon Frontiers expansion set can be worth up to $25,400.
2010 Pokemon World Championship Master Key: $26,900
Thirty-six Pokémon trading card game players were awarded the coveted 2010 Pokémon World Championship Master Key card at the World Championship held in Waikoloa Village in Hawaii.
The trophy card is one of the rarest cards in existence and, in 2021, was sold auction for a staggering $26,900. That's a solid $5,000 difference from a sale that happened two years before.
1999 First Edition Base Set Shadowless Holographic Chansey: $36,877
Sadly, the first edition of holographic Pokémon cards had a minor defect. The surface was easily scratched. Because of this, mint-condition cards such as the 1999 First Edition Base Set Shadowless Holographic Chansey are worth a lot of money.
In November 2020, 47 people bid on this particular card, with one person coughing up $36,877 in order to be its new owner.
1995 Japanese Topsun Holofoil Charizard: $37,600
One of the big controversies surrounding Pokémon is which company made the original trading cards. Topsun is a company that many fans consider to be the first, publishing the original 1995 Japanese Topsun Holofoil Charizard.
Very rare and valuable, this card is one of the priciest cards in the Topsun set, selling for a whopping $37,600.
2005 Ex Deoxys Rayquaza Gold Star Holographic: $45,100
Ex Deoxys booster boxes are some of the most expensive packs in the Pokémon game. Within those packs, collectors would vie for the Rayquaza Gold Star card, one of the rarest to come out of the boost box.
Amazingly, even a pseudo-wrecked card can sell for almost $300, while one in mint condition can go for a whopping $45,100.
2017 Ishihara GX: $50,000
The Ishihara GX card is unlike any other Pokémon card out there. Instead of a key, master, or actual Pokémon, The Ishihara GX depicts the company CEO, Tsunekazu Ishihara. A celebratory card issued for the CEO's 60th birthday, the Ishihara GX is a coveted piece of Pokémon history.
On eBay, Collectors Cache sold a mint condition card for a whopping $50,000
1999 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Mewtwo: $22,655
Mewtwo is one of the most popular villains in the Pokemon universe, making the 1999 First Edition Shadowless Holo Mewtwo No. 10 card a hot commodity amongst collectors.
With a star located on the bottom right-hand corner of the card, the first edition Mewtwo is extremely rare and can sell at auction for upwards of $22,655.
2004 Team Rocket Returns Gold Star Torchic: $25,400
The Team Rocket expansion pack of Pokémon cards was a fan favorite. As it was only included in so many packs, though, the Gold Star Torchic card is a pretty rare find, and one collectors are willing to spend thousands of dollars to own.
This particular card actually sold for $25,400.
1999 Japanese Tropical Mega Battle No. 2 Trainer: $50,300
The 1999 Japanese Tropical Mega Battle No.2 Trainer was given to the top three trading card tournament players in every region of the world, making this particular card very rare and extremely coveted by Pokemon fanatics.
The Professional Sports Authenticate (PSA), a third-party trading card authentication company, has only authenticated five of these cards! One was sold in 2020 for $50,300.
1998 Japanese Promo Holographic Illustrator Pikachu: $375,000
In 2021, the 1998 Japanese Promo Holographic Illustrator Pikachu became the most expensive Pokémon card in the world when it sold at auction for $375,000. There were only ever 39 copies of the card distributed, given to the winners of the 1998 CoroCoro Comic illustration in Japan.
It is one of the earliest Pokemon cards ever created.
1999 Shadowless Base Set Holographic Blastoise: $45,100
Blastoise is a fan-favorite Pokémon who gained popularity, not due to the trading cards, but the Game Boy Color game Pokémon Blue. Now, collectors are willing to spend a pretty penny to get their hands on a mint-condition card like the 1999 Shadowless Base Set Holographic Blastoise.
At a PWCC auction, one bidder went as high as $45,100 to own the card.
2005 Japanese Summer Battle Road Mew Victory Orb Trophy: $60,000
At the Pokemon Summer Battle Road tournament in2005, the top three players in each age group were awarded the Japanese Summer Battle Road Mew Victory Orb Trophy Card. At the time, 162 of the cards were distributed.
Now, there is no telling how many are left or their condition. In 2020, one of the 16 cards authenticated by the PSA sold for $60,000.
2005 Holographic Gold Star Espeon: $21,988.80
Extremely rare, there are only 37 of the 2005 Holographic Gold Star Espeon cards in existence! In order to obtain one of the cards, a player had to amass a staggering 50,000 EXP points in just four seasons.
This meant a player would have to attend various tournaments, events, and host games in hopes of gaining 50,000 points. At a PWCC auction in 2021, a mint condition card sold for $21,988.80.
2006 Pokemon World Championships Promo No. 2 Trainer: $110,000
The 2006 Pokemon World Championships Promo No. 2 Trainer is so rare because it was only issued to the 2006 Pokemon World Championship winners. In total, it is thought that only three of these cards were ever issued.
In 2021, PWCC sold one of the three cards for a whopping $110,000.
1999 Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer Hologram Promo: $90,000
The 1999 Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer Hologram Promo card was the golden ticket that admitted game players into a secret game tournament in Japan. Now, there are only seven cards known to exist.
In 2020, one of the seven cards sold at Heritage Auctions for an astounding price of $90,000.
