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.
Pokmon World Championships No 1 Trainer
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.
Kangaskhan Holographic Trophy Card
Regarded as the third-rarest Pokémon card in the world, this holographic Kangaskhan is a special Japanese promo card awarded to participants of the 1998 Parent/Child Mega Battle Tournament. Apart from having unique artwork, this glorious card features the original Pocket Monsters Card Game logo on the front and back, and only 46 copies have ever been officially graded.
This card is so rare that only three have ever been sold publically, with a PSA 7 copy selling for $35,000 in 2020. However, everyone was shocked when a mint condition copy of the card sold for $150,100 on eBay in October of the same year.
Of course, a card featuring the grandaddy of all Pokemon would be worth a lot!
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Blastoise 1st Edition Shadowless Base Set
- Release Date: 1999
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $45,100
Not only is Blastoise one of the most beloved characters in the Game Freak RPG, but the Water-type starter has also become one of the most valuable Pokemon cards currently on the market.
Those who grew up with the 1999 Base Set easily equated the turtle on the same level as the highly sought-after Charizard, so it makes sense that decades later, many are willing to bust out their wallets for the iconic mon.
While its 1st Edition Shadowless Pokemon card from 1999 has always brought in good money, the popular item has seen a massive jump in value recently. In a PWCC auction held in November 2020, the rare Base Set Blastoise sold for $45,100.
First Edition Shadowless Holographic Chansey
Its a good thing Chansey likes to care for the sick and injured because you might pass out when you learn how much this card is worth. Several of the 48 recorded PSA 10 copies of this rare first edition Chansey have sold for over $25,000 at auction, with the highest sale sitting at $36,877.
Hes not Charizard, but we still love him.
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Venusaur No Rarity Symbol Base Set
- Release Date: 1996
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $55,000
While the English version of the TCG Base Set had the coveted 1st Edition stamped cards, the original run of the 1996 Japanese release simply had no symbol at all. Called No Rarity, the scarce artifacts are truly the first Pokemon cards to ever be made.
A Venusaur from this original batch went up for sale at PWCC Auctions on November 18th, 2021, and sold for a jaw-dropping $55,000 a record for the beloved Kanto starter Pokemon. According to PSA, the grade 10 collectible is only one of 5 to exist in the entire world.
As if this collectors item wasnt special enough, the casing on the outside was also autographed by the cards original artist Mitsuhiro Arita. This is truly a one-of-a-kind artifact that any Venusaur fan would die to have in their collection.
Super Secret Battle No 1 Trainer
The answer to Whats the rarest Pokémon card of all time?
Sold for $90,000 in July 2020
Its unlikely youve heard of Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer, and extremely unlikely youve ever seen a copy in person. When it comes to rare Pokémon cards, there are very few cards rarer than this.
No. 1 Trainer is a holographic promotional card awarded to finalists in the Secret Super Battle tournament held in Tokyo, Japan in 1999. To earn a place in the competitions finals, which were held in a secret location, players had to first win a regional tournament. Their prize was the No. 1 Trainer card, which granted them access to the finals.
The cards text translates to: The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournaments champion is recognised here, and this honour is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle. The card features the Japanese logo for the Pocket Monsters Trading Card Game, along with artwork of original generation Pokémon Mewtwo by illustrator Hideki Kazama.
This is a card so rare and valuable that Indiana Jones probably had to escape a crumbling temple with it at some point. Its 1999 counterpart cards No. 2 Trainer and No. 3 Trainer, similarly awarded to winners in Japanese Pokémon tournaments during the late 1990s, are almost as rare and valuable.
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Identify The Card With The Name And Number In The Set
Finally, identify the card by looking up its name and card number on eBay.
The name will be located above the illustration of the card and the number is on the bottom right of the card. After checking all three of these steps, you should easily be able to identify every card, even if you dont know exactly what set it is in.
Psa 10 Base Set Holo Shadowless Charizard: $420000
There are a lot of factors that make this card worth so much compared to any other Charizard card. Specifically, the lack of a shadow means it isn’t just a first edition, it’s the first print run of the first edition. While most base set cards have a shadow on the right side of the art frame, the very first cards Wizards of the Coast printed lacked it, giving them an extra level of value.
Second, though shadowless Base Set Charizards are fairly common and number in the thousands, a PSA 10-graded one are incredibly rare. Only 56 have ever been identified by PSA.
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These Charizard cards have become one of the prime reasons for the Pokemon Card trend of the past two years, with YouTuber Logan Paul opening one as recently as February 2021 that was estimated by auction site owner Ken Goldin to sell for upwards of $500,000. In auction it tends to sell for significantly less, though: last year one sold for $264,000 through Heritage Auctions. In March 2022, Charizard broke its own record, and sold in a PWCC auction for a new high of $420,000.
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Pokemon Promo No 2 Trainer World Championships: $110100
Even runners-up get big prizes at World Championships, with all three finalists at Anaheim, California’s 2006 championships each receiving a copy of this massively valuable card. Winning the card in 2006 automatically granted entry to the finalist in 2007 as well, bypassing the whole organised points play system they would otherwise need to work through.
In February 2021, PWCC sold a PSA 9-graded copy of the card for $110,100. The fact it wasn’t even in pristine, PSA 10 condition and still sold for six figures should go some way to show the value of this card.
What Are My Pokemon 1st Edition Base Set Cards Worth
If you own any of the cards listed below, condition is the biggest factor in figuring out what your cards are worth. The prices below illustrate what these cards are worth after grading in mint condition as PSA 9’s & 10’s.
Important to note: It is very unlikely that your cards will grade this high if they have been played with. If you have these cards laying around in less than mint condition, it still may be worth getting them graded as long as they are in pretty good shape.
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Thoughts On Pokemon Card Set Symbols
If the cards came from real booster packs then the cards should be genuine unless it was a fake pack of Pokemon cards Ive never seen that before. Ive just seen reprints of high dollar cards sold online . All the cards Ive collected have come from booster packs I dont buy individual cards because Im not that serious about collecting/playing specific cards. I make due with what I get from the packs.
Matthew Its hard for me to say without seeing the symbol. Cards from 1999 can be valuable especially if its a Pikachu Trainer No. 1, 2, or 3 these were given out at the winners of the Pokemon World Championships they fetch 10s of thousands of dollars! But those cards have a Poke Ball symbol and that doesnt sound like the media symbol you describe. It could be a Snap Pikachu Trainer card, that set has a camera symbol, its in Japanese so not sure if thats it. The Snap cards are from 1999 release of the Snap 64 Nintendo game. Players could take snapshots in the game and compete to get their snapshot printed on real Pokemon card with credit to the player that snapped it. Id have to see a picture of the card to tell you more.
Pokmon World Championships No 2 Trophy Trainer Card
If we didnt know better, wed say these trophy cards were deliberately made to frustrate collectors determined to catch em all. These ultra-rare cards were given to finalists of the 2006 World Championships in California, and its rumored that only three exist, making this one of the rarest Pokémon cards ever.
This is another one of those rare Pokémon cards thats so extremely scarce they can sell for six figures even without a perfect 10 PSA grade. In early 2021 this card sold for an impressive $110,100.
Featuring the always adorable series mascot Pikachu holding up a silver trophy, its not surprising that the other owners of this card havent had the heart to put it up for sale.
Sometimes, hanging out with your parents really pays off!
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No 1 Trainer Super Secret Battle
- Release Date: 1999
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $90,000
In 1999, The Pokemon Company hosted regional contests in Japan. Winners received a No. 1 Trainer Pokemon card which granted them access to the final that took place in a secret location.
Named Super Secret Battle, the special TCG tournament had a lot of mystique surrounding it. The rare Pokemon card features a silhouette of Mewtwo which has made it all the more desirable to fans.
In July 2020, the Japanese promo sold for an astonishing $90,000 making it one of the most valuable Pokemon cards to ever exist.
Pokemon Jungle Set Interest And Popularity
The Jungle set has a great vibe because the artwork was done by a lot of different artists. If you had to select a Big Three for the Jungle set, it would probably be Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon because theyre Eevee Pokémon.
Eevee is a popular, little dog-type Pokémon that can evolve into Flareon, Jolteon, or Vaporeon.
Aside from its connection to Eevee, the Flareon single also boasts what many consider to be the most dazzling and colorful artwork in the set.
The Jolteon card is also highly coveted. This is a powerful Pokémon, pictured against a gold holographic background, thats capable of blasting out 10,000-volt lightning bolts.
The Kangaskhan is one of the toughest holographic cards to track down in PSA 10.
The Pikachu single is one of the most coveted common cards.
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Chansey #3 1st Edition Shadowless Base Set
- Release Date: 1999
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $36,877
For many Pokemon card collectors, it doesnt get any better than the Base Set which made its North American debut in 1999. Not only does it feature some of the TCG series most iconic artwork, but there is also a ton of nostalgia players have connected to the release.
As a result, Pokemon cards from the release have seen the most explosion in value over the last decade. While not a heavy-hitter in the franchise itself, fans have been going wild for the adorable Chansey #3 Pokemon card. So much so that it surprised industry veterans when it started fetching jaw-dropping prices.
While hovering around $20k since 2019, the collectibles value has only continued to grow. According to PWCC, a 1st Edition Shadowless version sold for $36,877 in a November 2020 auction.
First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard
Ranking the rarest Pokémon cards without covering shiny Charizard is harder than choosing your starter Pokémon. Collectors have always coveted rare Charizard cards, but this one is the undisputed king!
Like many of the most valuable Pokémon cards, this 1st edition Charizard is cherished for being the victim of an early printing error that resulted in the absence of a drop shadow on the character art . As such, this card is incredibly hard to find in mint condition .
In recent years, this hot property has become the face of Pokémon card collecting, with high-profile sales to Logan Paul and Logic in 2020. Two other copies of the card were sold the same year for $350,100 and $369,000.
Another shiny Charizard was recently sold for an eye-watering $420,000 in March 2022, making it the third most expensive Pokémon card ever sold at auction.
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The Pros Of Collectors Getting Their Pokmon Cards Graded
Collectors who want to buy & sell collectable TCG Pokémon cards for a profit will in most cases need to get them graded. The difference between a graded and an ungraded Pokémon card is substantial. For example, the highly sought-after Alternate Art Rayquaza card from 2021’s Evolving Skies expansion can be bought for $130 without being graded, while the same exact card has sold for as high as $500 after being graded a 10 by PSA.
Fans who get their Pokémon cards graded can increase their collectible value in most cases by a lot. Another benefit of grading is protection, as most companies will send the Pokémon card back in a sealed slab of plastic. While fans can store their cards in binders or penny sleeves, grading slabs are generally the safest way to secure cards from taking damage. Many collectors will send even their worthless TCG Pokémon cards into grading services, just to get their favorite cards secured in the tough slabs.
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A major issue plaguing the Pokémon TCG in 2022 is counterfeit collectibles. Scammers have come a long way since the 90s, and are now able to create fake Pokémon cards that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Fans worried about whether their cards are fake or not, can have peace of mind as grading companies also authenticate card collectibles during the rating process. This means collectors can buy and sell their Pokémon cards knowing that they are guaranteed to be real.
Wizards Of The Coast Blastoise Prototype: $360000
In 1998, Wizards of the Coast wooed Nintendo in an attempt to land the Pokémon Card Trading Game licensing deal for the North American market. They produced a series of Pokémon card prototypes to display to the Pokémon Company’s executives.
One of these prototypes features Blastoise, a central figure in the Pokémon Blue game. The prototype only has an image on the front because its creators never intended to distribute it for sale. Wizards of the Coast only made two copies of this prototype, which has blasted its value even higher. It went to auction in January of 2021 and sold for $360,000.
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Poliwrath No Rarity Symbol Base Set
- Release Date: 1996
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $25,015
Rounding out the top 21 of the most expensive Pokemon cards list is Poliwrath from the Japanese version of the Base Set. While the Water-type mon has traditionally been one of the weaker valued cards from the 1996 and 1999 releases, this item is actually special.
Similar to the English version having a 1st Edition run, the very first print of the Japanese set featured no markings at all. Due to there being extremely limited amounts even printed, barely any of them survived three decades later.
Consider this THE earliest version of the iconic card, and you can see why its value has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2020, one appeared in a PWCC auction selling for $25,015. If you think that is a lot, we are only getting started!