Pokémon cards are the hottest thing in pop culture right now. And here are the most expensive Pokemon cards in the entire world right now.
From movie stars to influencers to rappers, everyone has had one major purchase of Pokemon cards that we know of. Whether it be a precious Charizard or Pikachu card.
Or the tournament cards featuring Psyduck and Jigglypuff. The legendary Mew or Lugia is drawn in their most iconic poses. Or the various signed cards which boost up the value of a card. From a couple of tens of thousands to a quarter to a million dollars.
Pokemon cards come with many price tags. But all of them have a story which makes them special than the millions and millions of cards which get printed every day.
15. Venusaur No Rarity Symbol Base Set (Autographed) $55,000
Venasaur fans arise as this is the best card the final evolution of the animal-plant thing has in existence. To add to its credibility, it is one of the cards designed in the first batch of the cards. When the original cards were being prepared all the way back in 1996.
They call them No Rarity, as the Japanese first editions weren’t thinking of the future of the cards, 25 years later. The rarity of finding one at PSA Gem Mint 10 is highly unlikely as there have only been 5 known to exist till now.
In November of 2021, the card sold for $55,000 and became the highest sold Venausaur card. Further eclipsing its original value, this edition has the signature of the original artist of this card, Mitsuhiro Arita.
14. Summer Battle Road Mew Victory Orb Trophy $60,000
While not as scarce in quantity as the previous card, this trophy card featuring the first mythical Pokemon in the franchise is one of only 16 PSA Gem Mint 10.
During the Summer Battle Road held in 1998, this card was given to only the top three people in every bracket only in Japan. Put on auction in the PWCC held last December, the card did enormous numbers, reaching a massive $60,000.
13. Charizard-Holo #100 (Gold Star) – $60,065
While not being the most expensive Charizard card on this list, this shiny Charizard from the EX Dragon Frontiers pack is a must-have for any collector. It was sold for $60,065 at an auction.
It might be one of the strongest cards on this list as well as being one of the newest ones. More than a collector, a player looking to win in their next battle should pick up this card.
12. 1999 Pokemon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind – $65,100
Being one of the few tournaments held in Hawaii, this card comes with its history. While not powerful to use or talked about in pop culture, Psyduck has become the kid that Gamefreak and the Pokemon TCG company love to ignore.
But with fans clamouring for Psyduck and Misty to return in the anime as another cameo, the Psyduck love train has only been moving at faster speeds.
Being sold at an astounding price of $65,100 back in October 2020, this is a must-have for any Psyduck fan. Packed with an illustration of Psyduck and Jigglypuff chilling in Hawaii, playing the ukelele and swinging in a hammock. This card is utterly gorgeous.
11. University Magikarp Tamamushi Univ. Prize 1998 Nintendo Pokemon Japanese Promo – $66,100
Being one of the weirdest cards to have ever been given out, this card was the closest Pokemon and studies came together. Wanting to improve the studiousness of the students of Japan, Pokemon held a series of tests for the various academics among the Pokemon fanbase in 1998.
Through the pages of the Shogakukan magazines, the high-scoring students were invited to Osaka, where a conference was held to determine the true academic Pokemon nerd in Japan. And those winners received this card as a result.
Strange as its origin is, the card has a fun design with a fun take on the hilarious meme Magikarp. The card came up in one of the PWCC auctions in February 2021 and was sold for $66,100.
10. 2005 Pokemon Japanese Play Promo 70,000 Pts Holo Umbreon Gold Star #26 – $70,000
With not even being in a PSA 10 Gem Mint condition, this card is still one of two which exist in the world today. The history of this card has also been one of the many reasons for such a rarity and price value.
Being sold for $70,000 in June 2021, this card was an absolute grind for players to go through before they could obtain such a card. To get the card, players had to physically go to different places in Japan and fight many trainers to gather 70,000 XP points till the Pokemon Player’s Club’s fourth season ended.
Though it might have been worth it at the time, seeing as this beautiful display of the most favourite Eevee evolution in its shiny extravagance was all the more reason for an IRL grind.
9. Pokémon Super Secret Battle “No. 1 Trainer” Trainer Promo Hologram Trading Card (1999) – $90,000
The card that grants the holder an entry into the most elite club in the Pokemon TCG pantheon. It is an invitation card for the Super Secret Battle event held in, well secret from the entire world.
Are we ready to go into the rabbit hole of Pokemon elite hidden groups’ conspiracy theories now? Joking aside, this card was given to the winners of seven regional tournaments held throughout Japan. This resulted in only seven cards in existence through the official Pokemon TCG company.
While there was no hope of it reaching the media as the winners might want to keep it near and dear to them, one slipped the ranks of the elite. It was sold for $90,000 in July 2020 in a PSA Gem Mint 10 condition.
8. 2006 Pokemon World Championships Promo No. 2 Trainer – $110,100
Going for a sky-high price of $110,100, this was another one of the trophy cards only given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranks in the 2006 Pokemon World Championship. Due to the scarcity of this card, it is one of the must-haves for any fan intending to expand their collection.
Held in California, the PWC tournament is a Super Bowl for all TCG fans. It becomes a time for the Pokemon TCG company to advertise their product to a bigger audience. Going above 150 bids in an auction held in February 2021, this card was not even in PSA Gem Mint 10 condition.
7. 2000 Pokemon Neo Genesis 1st Edition Holo Lugia #9 – $144,300
With the release of Pokemon Gold and Silver, the Pokemon hype train was at its peak. Never before and never since have Pokemon fans collectively thrown themselves to buy and play one of the mainline series.
So when the other legendary pokemon dwelling deep in the mountains of Mt. Silver made its debut, fans were all for it. And in this era of Pokemon TCG where the older and more pristine the card, the more the auction value.
This card takes the cake for being one of the priciest ones out there. Clocking at $144,300, as a BGS rated 10 conditions, this card was sold in May 2021. Just a side note, it’s one of three cards to have obtained that grading valuation.
6. Kangaskhan-Holo #115 (Family Event Trophy Card) – $150,100
While not matching the previous ones when it comes to quantity, this Kangaskhan card has gone for much more. As Pokemon TCG makes the tournaments more and more fun and exciting, it is amazing to see their result in the prices of such cards.
The contest demanded a parent and child to climb up the ranks of the tournament to finally have this card. With its cute interpretation of the mother protecting her child at any cost. The receivers might have felt such joy and ecstasy while playing.
These kinds of ecstatic tournaments are done by the Pokemon TCG company to increase the value of such a game in the eyes of parents as well. Even in the auctioning category, there have been two cards that have come into the public’s view. Both of them were sold for $150,000 in October 2020.
5. 2017 P.M. SM Black Star #TPCi01 Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed Pokemon GX Promo Card – $247,230
One of the most unique cards on this list was the gift that the Pokemon company gave to all of its employees. On the occasion of the birthday celebration of Tsunekazu Ishihara, the CEO and President of the company.
While there were many cards given out, there haven’t been many with PSA Gem Mint 10 condition, in April 2020 one was bought for $50,000. But the one we are interested in is the one sold in Goldin Auctions with a 7 PSA Gem Mint condition for $247,230.
Now you would be wondering what made it so costly, the signature of the CEO and President himself sent this card from a respectable $50,000 valuation to almost a quarter of a million dollars. The world of Pokemon TCG is truly fascinating sometimes.
4. Pokémon Blastoise #009/165R Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram – $360,000
Like the Venasaur card on the top, this is another one of the beloved Kanto starters, Blastoise. This card has a long and winding history and is the reason for the popularity of Pokemon TCG in North America.
Being handed out to stores in an attempt to make them familiar with the product, there are rumours that there are only two of these present in the entire world. With the card being this rare, it is no surprise about its valuation.
Being sold for $360,000, it has a chance of being way higher than this if another card comes to any of the auctions. It is wonderful how a card only known to very few from 1998 made its way to 2021’s auctioning hall.
3. 1999 Pokemon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard #4 – $420,000
The card which sparked the most interest in the hearts and minds of all Pokemon players. Charizard is the original mascot of the Pokemon franchise before Pikachu became a mainstay because of the anime.
With as much popularity as this red dragon, there is always a better sale price for the original shadowless edition of the card in PSA Gem Mint 10 condition. With there being only 121 of them, there is no doubt that this price will only get higher.
First, the American rapper Logic set the record for a $226,000 Charizard card, then two months after someone set the record at $350,000. But it was overruled immediately after, just four hours later, by a purchase of $369,000.
All of these couldn’t match the height of the latest record set in March of this year with the purchase of the same Charizard card for $420,000.
2. 1995 Pokemon Japanese Topsun Charizard, Scarce Blue Back – $493,230
This next card on our list is one of the most controversial cards in any Pokemon TCG card catalogue discussion. Should they be considered a Pokemon TCG card when it comes to digging up stories of the past relating to these cards?
Or should this card not be included because of the creative team behind being the Topsun company. Well for us, more than the legitimacy or the price, telling the story of the TCG company through the various cards is the reason for making this list.
Selling at almost half a million, $493,230, this card has its history. Being the other company that was making Pokemon cards Topsun were giving these out with gum packets. Yes, it can be argued that a gum packet purchase is now equal to that of a whole house.
1. Illustrator CoroCoro Comics Promo (Pikachu illustrator card) – $6,000,000
The rarest card in every collector’s mind, there have been only 20 of the CoroCoro promotion card. It is yet another weird and eccentric way of giving away such a precious card. But the bar for creativity in obtaining these cards has never been higher.
This card made it to the World Guinness Book of Records alongside the proud owner who paid $6 Million for this card. While the previous owner paid $900,000 for it, the price Logan Paul paid is absurd.
The biggest coverage that Logan Paul and the card received was when Logan wore it as a necklace. Parading it around when he made his entrance in Wrestlemania 37 this year.
The enthusiasm and excitement for the Pokemon cards may have sparked a whole lot of content for many YouTubers.
But with the growing popularity of these cards, many stories about the weird tournaments held in Japan. Fierce bidding wars with 150 and more bids for just one card. And my favourite is the recent unearthing of various prototypes for the recent Pokemon cards.
