Saturday, April 20, 2024

How To Value Pokemon Cards

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Rarity Symbols On Pokmon Cards

*ARE YOUR POKEMON CARDS VALUABLE?* How To Find Value!

All Pokémon cards have a symbol that indicates how uncommon they actually are. You can find it in the bottom right corner of the card. The three main rarity symbols are:

  • Circles: This symbol means the card is ordinary.
  • Diamonds: This symbol means the card is pretty uncommon.
  • Stars: This symbol means the card is rare and more valuable.

If your cards collector number is higher than the actual number of cards in the deck, its probably a secret card, which means it will sell for more money.

Is Charizard Really Worth $200000

The recent buzz around the original Pokemon cards has a lot of people wondering if the Charizard card is really worth money. The most sought out Pokémon card by collectors is the first edition shadowless base set Charizard in PSA 10 Pristine Mint condition, which recently sold for a total sales price of over $200,000. There are around 50 of these cards in circulation.

But is the card really worth that much money? The price has greatly varied over time. The average sales price for the base set shadowless first edition PSA 10 Charizard card was $20,000 a couple years ago , but it sold for $40,000 in private auction 2019 , and more recently sold for a world record price of over $200,000 in 2020 .


There is one card that is considered one step above the first edition shadowless base set Charizard in PSA 10 Pristine Mint condition. The Crown Jewel version of this card is the Beckett Pristine 10, and according to Gary, who is one of the worlds biggest Pokemon Card collectors and holds the only two of thee cards available in the world, it was worth in the rage of $50.000 to $100,000. He said that back in 2017 on Pawn Stars , the value has greatly increased since then.

The market has definitely been seeing a rising pique in interest and different factors are currently influencing the market. Here are some of them:

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Pokemon World Championship Masters Key

  • Release Date: 2010
  • Grading: BGS 9
  • Pokemon card value at auction: $26,900

In 2010, the best pokemon cards players around the world were flown into Waikoloa Village, Hawaii for the World Championships. Upon arrival, contestants were given a Master Keys Pokemon card.

Because the item was only printed for participants at the tournament, only 36 of these in total were ever created, making it technically one of the most rare Pokemon cards to ever exist in the hobbys nearly 25-year history.


Despite only being intended for those at the event, one of these made there way out to the public and was sold for an astonishing $26,900 in August 2020. A pretty sweet reward to receive 11 years later.

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Getting Psa Graded Pokemon Cards

So now weve learned a little about PSA Graded Pokemon Cards, you might be considering sending some of your own cards off for grading, more information about this can be found at

Alternatively you can take the guesswork out of it and keep an eye on our site, we will be getting new batches of PSA graded Pokemon Cards in every couple of months and theyll always be Ultra Rare, Secret Rare or Rainbow Rare cards plus that way you get to just simply buy a card at the level you want without paying for grading, shipping and waiting for months to get the card back only to find it comes in at a lower grade than youâd hoped ð A couple of our latest and greatest graded cards can be found below, be sure to check them out!

The Key Factors To Get A High Grade On Pokemon Cards

eBay Pokemon Cards Selling Price
  • Corners: This refers to the condition of the corners. Anything like whitening, nicks, or unsymmetrical cutting can affect the grade of a card.
  • Centering: How well centered the artwork on the card is. Grading services tend to be stricter with centering on the front of the card, compared to the back. They will also work off certain centering ratios to determine the grade of the card.
  • Edges: refers to the condition of the edges of the card. Again, whitening, nicks and edgewear can affect the grade.
  • Surface:refers to the condition of the surface of the card. Scratches, nicks print lines and even holographic bleed can affect the grade.

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Understand What Time Period Your Cards Are From

For the purpose of this article, I will largely focus on cards produced by Wizards of the Coast from 19982003. These are the classic “vintage” Pokémon cards that many of us in our mid-twenties to mid-thirties remember collecting as children, and they’re the ones adults commonly find when they go digging for their old binder of cards.

This is not to say that Pokémon cards produced after this time period don’t have comparable value, but I would need the length of a book to write a guide that would encompass the entire Pokémon trading card ecosystem.

Knowing what era of cards you have is an important first step. Below, you can find all of the set symbols from vintage-era Pokémon sets, which you can use to identify which sets your cards belong to.

All of the set symbols from vintage era Pokémon sets. You can find the set symbol, depending on the set, beside the right lower corner of the illustration frame, or at the bottom left corner of the card.


A Note On Pricing And Condition:

The examples throughout this text all utilize the Pokémon Charizard, who typically fetches the highest prices of any Pokémon from these early sets. Those looking to sell their collections should not expect Charizard-level pricing for other cards from these sets. While other Pokémon, like Blastoise and Venusaur, carry decent value, none approach the level of Charizard.

The pricing examples all note that the estimated retail pricing reflects a card in Near Mint condition. Finding cards from this era in Near Mint condition can be quite difficult. Pokémon cards are essentially pieces of a game, and many became treasured possessions of children who took them to school in their pockets to show off and trade. As a result, cards frequently show significant wear, which significantly affects their value. Unless exclusively stored in binders and played with in card sleeves , there are few Near Mint examples in circulation. In addition, cards that came from a household with heavy cigarette smoke, or that were stored in a damp attic or garage in the intervening years, can have a lowered value, even if the card physically appears otherwise Near Mint.

If you are considering selling your cards to a store, expect a much lower price than the retail price as stores would typically only pay between 30% and 60% of the retail value of an item.

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Holographic First Edition Machamp: $6000

The Kanto starters and legendaries aren’t the only original Pokemon to boast high-value shadowless holographic cards. Nearly any holographic first edition rare card from the original set can grow immensely in price compared to other rare Pokemon cards, but since they arent as actively hunted, their prices can vary far more wildly based on their quality.


Machamp is one of these. According to PSA Cards range of auction prices based on the cards quality classification, perfect mint condition Machamps of this kind can land between $800 and $6000, while dropping just one rating down will result in prices around $200 and $900. This card in particular truly proves how important it is to keep your trading cards safe through the years, as you never know just what will become valuable twenty years later.

First Edition Cards Are King

How to value Pokemon Cards! Pokemon Cards Worth 2020!

Pokémon cards that were released before Nintendo began distributing the trading card game were printed in two sets: first edition and unlimited. You can tell that a card is first edition because of the Edition 1 badge located at the bottom-left of the card illustration.

It is these cards that carry great value, while their non-first edition cards are much less valuable. For instance, an unlimited holographic Charizard from the Base Set perhaps the single most famous Pokémon card in existence sells for about $215 on average. However, a quick look at eBay reveals that first edition Charizards can easily sell for thousands of dollars.

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Shining Fates Set List

The Pokemon Shining Fates set is unique it contains 73 base set cards, plus a Shiny Vault subset containing 122 Shiny Pokemon.


The Shining Fates set was released on February 19, 2021. The fourth subset in the Sword & Shield Series is comprised of two part a base set containing 73 cards and a Shiny Vault set containing 122 cards. All the cards in the Shiny Vault subset are Shiny Pokemon.

Cards from this set are sold in booster packs. Packs will contain a reverse holofoil OR a Shiny Pokemon from the Shiny Vault subset. Youll also find scores of Pokemon V, VMAX, Amazing Rare, Shiny Rare, Shiny Rare V, and Shiny Rare VMAX these cards tend to be the most valuable cards in the Shining Fates set.

Prepare To Be Disappointed With Your Grades

It is really difficult to get cards graded 9s or 10s. Especially on older cards. Cards need to be centered perfectly. The have to be cut perfectly. They cant have dings to the corners, or white edges, or surface scratches. There can be no roughness on the face or edges. Look closely at the holofoil artwork for Any Scratches. Turn the card over, and look for any whiteness around the blue edges.

Many older cards you might think are perfect seem to come back as 7s or 8s. 10s basically have to be protected from the get-go taken directly from a booster pack and highly protected immediately. Most people werent doing that 20 years ago. Ive sent in about 30 cards myself and maybe got two to three cards rated 10. And these were all cards that went right from boosters to binders .

You should understand that 7s and 8s and 9s are still really good scores though! Those are Near Mint or better! Whether its comic books, coins or Pokemon Cards the higher the score, the better the selling price.

For reference here are actual average sales prices on 1st Edition Base Set Charizards on eBay March 2021

PSA 10 $311,800 Mar 2021BGS 9 $64,000 Feb 2021PSA 8 $25,000 Mar 2021PSA 7 $15,000 Mar 2021BGS 6 $14,500 Feb 2021PSA 5 $9,000 Mar 2021PSA 2 $4,000 Mar2021

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What Is The Value Of The Japanese Cards

First thing first, You cannot use Japanese cards in tournaments outside Japan. But foreigners are not restricted to use these Pokemon cards in Japan. This is one of the reasons that playable cards have a higher value. But being a non-Japanese collector, you might not be able to find the best deal for these cards.

Pokemon Portuguese First Edition Charizard

POKEMON TRADING CARDS (HIGH VALUE CARDS)

Sold in April, 2021 for $44,850

Only two Portuguese first edition Charizards have ever been graded PSA 10 out of the 34 submitted to PSA as of this writing.

Just two

Given how the market for Pokemon cards has soared recently and the scarcity of this card in PSA 10 condition, Im surprised this didnt sell for an even higher price.

Still, $44,850 is impressive and speaks to the strength of the Pokemon brand and the Charizard character, in particular.

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Introducing The Cgc Trading Cards Holder

Posted on 7/13/2020

The CGC Trading Cards holder combines crystal-clear optics and the most advanced archival materials for the best in display and protection.

CGC Trading Cards has invested significant time and resources to develop the hobbyâs best holder for and Magic: The Gathering cards. The result is a display-worthy holder that combines crystal-clear optics and superior long-term protection. An attractive and easy-to-read certification label provides a detailed description of the card and its grade. In addition, numerous security features in the holder and label protect against counterfeiting and tampering.

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Pokemon First Edition Mewtwo

Sold in November, 2020 for $22,655

A member of the exclusive and powerful Legendary Pokémon group, the psychic-type Mewtwo is considered one of the top Pokémon of all time.

The vicious and savage Mewtwo originated when a scientist altered its original DNA via gene-splicing techniques.

Its signature move, Psystrike, can deal out massive punishment to opposing Pokemon and has long been a favorite of many Pokemon fans.

Do not be fooled by Ken Sugimoris tame depiction of Mewtwo on this card, as this creature packs devastating ferocity and power.

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Where Should I Sell My Pokemon Cards

In most countries, eBay is a good place to sell Pokemon cards for good money. Many Pokemon traders and collectors keep a close eye on the site, helping you get a good price for your Pokemon cards, especially if you have good pictures and a good listing description.

The issue with trying to sell your cards to a trading card retailer is the business needs to make a decent profit on whatever they buy from you. This means that youre unlikely to get the best price from them, although they might help you to sell your Pokemon cards quickly.

Gold Star Umbreon Play Promo

FAST & EASY – How To Find The Value Of Any Pokemon Card!

Released in Japan in 2005, the Gold Star Umbreon Pokemon Play promo features some truly stunning artwork. This, combined with the card’s rarity, led to a copy being sold for $70,000 in June of 2021. The card in question had been rated by Beckett as a 9.5, suggesting that a perfect 10 could yet push the card’s value higher still.

In order to get their hands on a copy of the card, players would need to be a member of the Pokemon Player’s Club and then accumulate 70,000 EXP points before the end of the fourth season. Considering players only received 100 points for attending official events, not too many of these were ever handed out as evidenced by there being just 24 graded by the PSA to date.

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Browse Psa Price Guide By Category

Select a category below to browse by collectible type

PSA Price Guide is the only official price guide for PSA-certified collectibles and it is the most comprehensive price guide in the hobby. It includes over 400,000 prices for a host of different collectibles including, but not limited to: sports and non-sports trading cards, autographs, unopened packs, tickets, professional model bats and graded baseballs.

PSA Price Guide covers all the major sports too. Baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, racing and even boxing prices are here! PSA Price Guide also covers many of the most popular non-sports issues like 1940 Gum, Inc. Superman and 1962 Topps Mars Attacks. No other price guide covers such a wide range of collectibles, from vintage legends like Babe Ruth to modern stars like Derek Jeter.

* Editors note: plus beside a price indicates that the price has increased in the past month. A minus beside the price indicates that price has decreased in the past month.

Real prices, accurate grading

Prices listed in the PSA Price Guide are based on PSA-certified/graded collectibles. The clear benefit of having your items certified by PSA is because, generally speaking, items certified by PSA tend to sell for more sometimes significantly more than those that are not.

Find out what your cards are really worth
PSA Magazine

Most Expensive Pokemon Cards In 2021

It should be noted that top lists are almost always up for debate. A cards value can be determined by the highest its ever sold at auction, or what it sells for on average.

A Pokemon cards value can also wildly fluctuate with the market and are largely dependent on the items grading and condition. Our list is based on what the collectible has sold for in the latest auctions, and its position will be updated if it sells for less or more.

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Rd Party Italian Repack Crimps:

This crimp did not happen at a WotC contracted printing facility

Image source unknown.

The zig-zag crimp pictured directly above comes from a small Italian company that sells repacks. The crimp comes from the outer clear plastic packaging that the company uses to group their product. Every crimp that weve seen with this pattern has been an Italian language card. Its possible that this crimp pattern exists in other languages, but is most likely the result of 3rd party involvement.

Pokmon World Championships No 1 Trainer

Top 5 Rare Pokémon Card Values

Every copy of this rare and valuable promo card is one-of-a-kind

Sold for $31,200 in April 2021

The first of two rare and valuable Pokémon cards called No. 1 Trainer on this list, this particular card was awarded to winners of the regional Battle Road Spring tournaments held in Japan during early 2002.

The regional tournaments were held as qualifiers for the Pokémon World Championships, with the small number of No. 1 Trainer cards produced for the few winners making them some of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence.

Adding to the card’s rarity is the fact that each No. 1 Trainer card was customised with the name of the tournament winner printed onto the card, making each card one-of-a-kind. According to auction house Heritage Auctions, the personalised aspect of the cards also mean that they rarely appear at auction, making them an even rarer sight in the world of Pokémon cards.

The 2002 No. 1 Trainer card was illustrated by Ken Sugimori, best known as being one of the original artists and designers for Pokémon’s first generation of 151 Pokémon. The text on it reads: “The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament Battle Road Spring 2002 champion is recognised here, and his honour is praised.” Sugimori’s No. 1 Trainer artwork – featuring fan-favourite Pokémon such as Pikachu, Chansey and Marrill – is exclusive to the card, making it especially unique.

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