The Pokemon card game began in 1998, first produced by Wizards of the Coast. It has maintained a steady following for the whole of its lifespan, and has gained popularity as a source of valuable collectibles.
Why Are Pokemon Cards Valuable?
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Generally, the cards that are worth the most money are either old, rare, or misprinted in some way. Each of these factors reduces the number of these cards that can be found, driving up their scarcity. Cards may also be sought after if they have particularly enticing artwork, or are related to a limited-time event.
How to Find Rare Cards?
The best way to get your hands on the most expensive cards is to purchase them online. Sellers like TCGplayer will allow people to host their own card shops, granting you access to a much wider variety than you could find in any physical location. This will, of course, come with an upcharge that could be avoided by patrolling card shops and garage sales for a good find.
The Most Valuable Cards
These cards are the top five most expensive Pokemon cards to ever sell. Each one is a rare treasure and would make you quite a lot of money if you managed to find one.
Commissioned Presentation Blastoise Galaxy Star Holo
There are only two copies of this card in existence. It was printed for use in a single interview and was never meant to be publicly distributed. It features strange, sans-serif text, and a slightly askew layout as compared to standard cards. It also has an entirely blank backside, which was never meant to be shown in the presentation. It sold at auction for $360,000.
First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4
This card is a classic target for collectors. It features the fan-favorite monster Charizard and even has the advantage of having been usable back in the early days of the TCG. This card is somewhat more common than others on this list, with roughly 120 perfect-grade cards known. The highest price paid for a copy was $420,000, but the average price has now fallen by roughly $200,000.
Trophy #2 Pikachu, Silver 2nd Place
A second-place prize from the second Pokemon TCG tournament. As there were multiple age brackets and locations, multiples of this card were printed. Fourteen are thought to have been printed, but only four have been professionally graded. Despite being a 2nd place trophy, a PSA 10 grade of this card sold for $440,000.
Charizard Topsun Blue Back
Notable for not actually being a Pokemon TCG card, this card was part of a set of Pokemon art cards produced in 1997. Even among these art cards, few have the distinctive blue back found on this Charizard. A PSA 10-graded copy of this card sold for exactly $493,230.
Illustrator Pikachu
The holy grail of Pokemon cards, this Pikachu is the most valuable Pokemon card to ever be sold. The art features a Pikachu holding a pen and a brush, with other cards visible in the background. While this is by far the most expensive Pokemon card to ever sell, it is debatable if it should be counted as such. In 2022, Youtube influencer “Logan Paul” paid the outlandish sum for this card as part of an operation to have his fans “co-own” the card. With this in mind, it is safe to assume he has somewhat inflated the price to entice more “co-owners”. Still, this card is one-of-a-kind and is estimated to be worth roughly 2.5 million.
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