Tamamushi University Magikarp Trophy Promo
- Release Date: 1998
- Grading: PSA Gem Mint 10
- Pokemon card value at auction: $66,100
In 1998, Shogakukans Magazines in Japan offered a contest for school students. Fans that took the various tests offered in the publication could send them back to the company to have them graded.
Those studious enough to pass with high scores were then invited to a special conference held in Osaka of that year. Once there, the children got to participate in a unique Pokemon card battle tournament. Winners of the rare contest ultimately received the Magikarp Trophy Pokemon card Promo.
Due to the insane obscurity of how the TCG item was given out, its easily one of the rarest Pokemon cards on our list. It was not very surprising then when the Trophy collectible went up for auction in February 2021 and sold for $66k at PWCC.
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.;;
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#10 Stormfront Charizard, $489.46
Prepare to see a lot of Charizard on this list. As the series’ most popular Pokémon, it appears on almost all of the cards here in some form or another.
Stormfront was released in 2008 under the Diamond & Pearl umbrella. While not one of the set’s many rare Lv.X Pokémon, Charizard was still a highly coveted Secret Rare, putting him as the most valuable card from the entire set.
Aquapolis’ Lugia
The Pokémon Company/Wizards of the Coast
#9 Aquapolis Lugia, $490
Aquapolis came from that weird e-Card era of the Pokémon Trading Card game, where cards could be scanned into the e-Reader peripheral for the Gameboy Advance. While the whole thing was a total failure , some of the cards from that time are still pretty valuable. Lugia is the most expensive card from Aquapolis, coming in at around $490-$500.
FireRed & LeafGreen’s Charizard ex
The Pokémon Company
#8 FireRed & LeafGreen Charizard ex, $500
The return to Kanta in the GameBoy Advance era also saw the TCG follow suit, with a set entirely featuring Pokémon from the original 151. To give it that Advance generation flair, a number of Pokémon also received an ex form, a new feature that was first introduced in EX Ruby & Sapphire. Of course, the #1 card was Charizard ex.
Charizard VMAX from Shining Fates
The Pokémon Company
#7 Shining Fates Charizard VMAX, $510
Base Set Charizard. Note the drop-shadow on the right side of the art frame.
The Pokémon Company/Wizards of the Coast
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System For Ranking Pokmon Trading Cards
The Pokémon trading cards quickly became coveted collectors items, especially for diehard fans. The cards are marked with one of three symbols in the bottom-right corner:
- Common cards have a black circle
- Uncommon cards have a black diamond
- Rare cards have a black star
But the ranking system doesnt stop there. There are also unique card designs.
Pokemon Japanese Champion’s League
Sold in April, 2021 for $30,000
Beginning in 2000, Champion’s League and Battle Roads tournaments offered contestants throughout Japan the opportunity to battle it out amongst the best of the best.
In 2000 and 2001, there were two Champion’s League tournaments, one in the Spring and another in the Summer.
From 2002 to 2006, however, there was a reduction to just one Champion’s League tournament per year.
And before the 2005 tournament held in Tokyo, no trainers received any kind of promotional card.
However, the top four ranking players in each age division of the 2005 tournament received this promotional stadium card, making it the first Champion’s League promo stadium card.;
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Shining Fates Elite Trainer Boxes
Best Modern Pokemon Set for Diversity of Artwork
The modern set everyone had been waiting for. Shining Fates hit the shelves in early 2021 with great anticipation. Seen as the follow on from the hugely successful Hidden Fates set, the diversity of artwork, popular Pokemon and chase cards make it a fun set to open. Combine that with an incredible looking Charizard VMAX full art card, and theres plenty of value to gain if lady luck is on your side. Retail demand remains through the roof though, and this set sold out quickly. Whether youre buying to crack open packs or keep sealed for a rainy day, your best bet is probably Bay.
Best Cards in Shining Fates to Collect
If youre a fan of Japanese cards, you will love the new Eevee Heroes set. With a focus on Eevee-lutions, in both full art V and VMAX cards, there are some incredible looking artworks to pull from this set. I particularly like what theyve done with these VMAX boxes; you get 8 booster packs and a special VMAX booster than contains one VMAX card and 3 holographic energy cards. Its something a bit different to what weve seen from recent Elite Trainer Boxes, and in my opinion, really fun to open!
Best Cards in Eevee Heroes to Collect
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Pokmon Charizard 1st Edition Card #4/102
Charizard is unquestionably one of the most popular Pokémon characters. Given his presence on the original Pokémon Red game cartridge, he’s linked to the brand almost as closely as Pikachu. Due in part to that popularity, a highly graded first edition card has proven itself as one that is dependably sought out by collectors and consistently valuable.
What’s it worth? The value of sale has been widely speculated, but it can easily sell for as much as $20,000 for a high-grade example. Add to that the play value of this one and you can see why people have been on the hunt for all versions of this character’s card since the card game’s inception.
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Southern Islands Reverse Holo Mew: $200
When the second Pokemon movie was released in Japan, the makers of the Trading Card Game decided to release a special edition set of cards to mark this occasion. The Southern Islands card series was born, featuring just two sets of nine cards apiece that were unique to any other set in the game.
Full sets of these cards can sell for a lot, but the absolute highest value is undoubtedly the Southern Islands Mew, which has a rare reverse foil treatment where the frame around the art is the only part thats shiny. Troll and Toad is currently selling copies for just over $200 right now, making it even more valuable than the elusive and stylish Ancient Mew mentioned earlier.
Pokmon Neo Revelation Holo 1st Edition Entei #6
One of the few options released past the turn of the century to make the list, Entei is found as part of the 2001 Pokemon Neo Revelation set.;
As were looking at the most valuable cards were sticking with 1st Edition versions, although you wont have to worry about shadows.;
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Entei is also known as the Legendary Beast of Johto and made his first appearance in Pokémon Gold and Silver.;
His legend lives on as of 2021, even if the Pokémon only just misses out on a space in the top 10.;
There are 30 gem mint first edition cards in existence, making for a great pick that contends with the 1999 set.;
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Pokemon Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Number 2 Trainer
Sold in October, 2020 for $50,300
Held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village from 1999 to 2001, the Pokemon Tropical Mega Battle gave the best players from the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe the chance to test their skills against each other.
To be invited, players had to first win a local tournament in their respective regions.
During the final match of the Tropical Mega Battle, each player received the same 90 cards that they would use to make their own 40-card deck to battle for the championship.
If a player were fortunate enough to make it far enough through the competition to finish in second place overall, he or she would receive this number two trainer card.
Sticking with the tropical theme for the cover art, an image of Exeggutor, a dual-type grass/psychic Pokemon that resembles a palm tree, sits in the middle of the card with text below it that reads:
“The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament’s runner-up winner is recognized here, and this honor is praised.”
Poliwrath No Rarity 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!
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Pokemon World Championship Master Key Trophy Card
Sold in August, 2020 for $26,900
The Pokémon World Championships are where the best of the best meet each year to battle it out for money, prizes, and the title of Pokémon World Champion.
Players who earn enough points in qualifiers and smaller tournaments receive a special invitation to compete in the three-day event held in rotating locations.
The first tournament kicked off in 2004 in Orlando, Florida, but in 2010 the competition made its way to the Hilton in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii.
Just thirty-six contestants participated in the 2010 event and each received a copy of this beautiful foil card in a special case.
With so few of them ever produced, they are among the rarest Pokemon cards, and command huge prices if and when they do surface for sale or auction.
Pokemon Ex Team Rocket Returns Torchic Gold Star
Sold in December, 2020 for $25,400
Released in 2004, the EX Team Rocket Returns set marked the seventh expansion from the EX Series and featured 111 cards in its checklist.
Three of the cards, #107 , #108 , and #109 , are special holographic shiny rare cards noted by the gold star next to their name.
First introduced in the third generation of Pokemon games, Torchic is one of the three starter Pokemon that originate in the Hoenn region.
This orange and yellow chick may look cute and cuddly, but make no mistake, this fire-type Pokemon can shoot fireballs at its enemies that will instantly leave them burnt to a crisp.
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First Edition Holographic Ninetales
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $3,000
It’s easy to see where Ninetales gets its name although the spelling of “tails” is noticeably different.
And while each of its golden-white tails is catching to the eye, it is said that simply grabbing one of them can result in a 1,000-year curse giving this fox-like Pokémon its reputation of extreme vengeance.
Inspired by the;kitsune;of Japanese folklore, Ninetales holds mysterious powers within its nine tails and can even control the mind with its piercing, red eyes.
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 Sugimori’s tame depiction of Mewtwo on this card, as this creature packs devastating ferocity and power.
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Pokemon Pop Series 5 Gold Star Umbreon
Sold in December, 2020 for $20,000
To help boost participation in Pokemon leagues and Pokemon Organized Play events, players were treated to exclusive POP series cards released on a regular basis over roughly a five-year span.
POP Series 1 kicked things off around September 2004 with POP Series 9 bringing things to a close around September 2009.
Released between March 2007 and September 2007, POP Series 5 was the last EX Series promotional set and featured Espeon and Umbreon, two of the eight Pokemon that evolve from Eevee.
The POP Series 5 checklist contained seventeen cards in total with Epseon and Umbreon being the most elusive of them all, noted by the gold star distinction next to their name on the card fronts.
As of this writing, just fifty examples of this Umbreon card have achieved PSA 10 status.
Collecting The Pokemon Tcg
Even though there is a seemingly endless number of cards you can collect, you can learn the game and have hours of fun by picking up a few theme decks. Again if you are new to the Pokemon TCG and want to give it a try, we recommend grabbing a few of the newest theme decks, like these below.
Given the number of previously released cards, we also do not recommend trying to catch up by buying booster boxes from older sets. If there are older cards that catch your eye , you can buy individual cards from websites like TCGPlayer.com.
If you play the game and love it, the best way to expand your collection is by keeping up with future sets. Some players only buy a handful of packs when a new set releases and buy the rest of the cards they want as singles. Most, however, buy anywhere between one and three boosters boxes every time a new set is released.;How many boxes you buy really depends on your budget and the experience you want to have.
Buying one booster box;is enough to give you a variety of cards from a set. This will let you get a feel for the new cards and inform your decision to purchase more packs or buy specific singles. This is a great way to go, particularly if you only plan to play across the kitchen table or are really just looking to enjoy the game with friends and family.
From here, you have a number of options to fill in your collection with specific cards you want.
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Pokmon Tcg’s Older Sets Regularly Sell For Thousands Of Dollars
First Edition Base Set
Unsurprisingly, the First Edition Base Set is perhaps the most valuable;Pokémon TCG set on the market. As the very first collection, it is the origin of the;Pokémon Trading Card Game phenomenon that contributed to the franchise’s popularity. Aside from the First Edition Shadowless Charizard card, which is one of the most valuable cards in existence, this pack is also home to other extremely expensive;cards. The Shadowless Blastoise and Venusaur cards present within this set sell for thousands of dollars at auction;with mint or near-mint condition . The possibility of obtaining First Edition starters and Legendary;Pokémon is enough of an incentive to purchase even a single sealed pack for hundreds of dollars. Booster packs will sell for even more and have sold at auctions for over $408,000, according to Price Charting.
POP Series 5
Skyridge Pokémon TCG Set
The Skyridge Pokémon Trading Card Game set was released in May of 2003, and was the 16th set ever released in the game. Trainer Booster Boxes regularly sell at auction for over $50,000. This collection set is home to particularly valuable cards such as the Crystal Charizard card, which is one of the most valuable Charizard;Pokémon TCG cards ever;released and has been sold for over $5,000 at various auction hours and websites . The Skyridge;Pokémon TCG set also has Ho-Oh, Gengar, and Celebi cards which are valued at over $1,000 each at mint or near-mint condition.
Most Valuable First Edition Pokemon Cards
Originally released in Japan as a video game, Pokémon later transformed into a trading card game that began hitting store shelves in the U.S. in 1999.
Today, these trading cards are some of the hottest non-sports cards in the hobby.
And with a catchphrase like Gotta Catch Em All., it’s easy to understand why.
On top of common and rare cards in the base set, there are variations such as Shadowless and First Edition Pokémon cards needed to complete an entire run.
Those First Edition cards are especially some of the rarest and some are even considered to be among the most expensive Pokémon cards;in general.
And in this guide, we take a look at the 25 most valuable.
Let’s jump right in!
More…
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Pokemon Japanese Promo Wonder Platinum Trophy Card
Sold in November, 2020 for $25,100
Held at the Prince Park Tower Tokyo on May 4, 2009, the final round of the 2009 Japan World Championship pitted finalists against each other in fierce competition.
Each of the twenty finalists across three different age divisions received one of these Wonder Platinum cards, so one can assume that only twenty of these cards made their way into collectors’ hands.
How many still exist today is unknown, but finding one graded in a BGS 9.5 holder is incredibly rare.
What is known is that this trainer card is one of the most highly coveted DPt-P promotional cards, and its imagery makes for an incredibly well-designed card.