The Five Most Valuable Pokémon Cards
Extremely rare and extremely expensive, these five Pokémon cards are the most coveted cards on the market. Here’s why.
Pursued by advanced collectors and investors alike, the five most valuable Pokémon cards in the world are not only extremely rare but they deliver a mega-dose of nostalgia to those who played the card game as kids. But that nostalgia comes at a hefty price.
1. $360,000 – A Commissioned presentation Galaxy Star hologram Pokémon “Blastoise” No. 009/165R, (Wizards of the Coast, 1998), is one of two copies produced. In mid-1998 Wizards of the Coast commissioned Cartamundi to print two of these cards to be used as “presentation” pieces to seek Nintendo’s approval to begin printing Pokémon cards in English. The whereabouts of the second such card is unknown, providing hope for all that a hidden treasure is out there to be discovered.
2. $300,000 – Arguably the hottest card in the entire hobby, a 1st Edition Base Set Charizard, and it's graded a PSA GEM MT 10. Charizard is the final evolved form of Charmander, and if you watched the Indigo series you might recall that Charmander was kind and innocent, but as soon as he evolved into Charmeleon, everything changed. Charmeleon was rebellious, did not listen to Ash's commands, and when he the evolved into Charizard things only got worse. The card is worth what you’d pay for a house if you can find one in mint condition.
3. $224,250 - A Nintendo Pokémon “Pikachu Illustrator” Trainer Promo hologram card, which was given to a winner at the 1998 CoroCoro Comic illustration contest in Japan. A maximum of 39 cards were released and it’s not known exactly how many surviving copies are still around.
4. $117,000 – This uncut Unlimited Base Set proof sheet is a standout in the hobby. A total of 110 cards are on the certified proof sheet. The “proof” status here establishes this rare sheet as one of the very earliest of Pokémon cards released in the United States.
5. $90,000 – One of just seven printed, the Pokémon Super Secret Battle “No. 1 Trainer” Trainer Promo hologram card is perhaps the most sought-after card and one of the rarest cards in the entire Pokémon trading card game. Printed on the card: “The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament’s champion is recognized here, and this honor is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle.” The finals of this tournament were a secret, hence the name of the tournament – you only found out the location after winning one of these cards in one of seven regional tournaments.
You May Also Like
An enthusiastic collector and well versed in a wide variety of collecting areas, Eric Bradley is the author of more than a dozen collectibles reference books including Mantiques: A Manly Guide to Cool Stuff and Harry Potter -- The Unofficial Guide to the Collectibles of Our Favorite Wizard. Highly respected in the field, Bradley is vice president of editorial content and public relations at WorthPoint.
