Top 20 Most Expensive Pokémon Cards
In recent years, Pokémon cards have become one of the market's most popular collector’s items. Since the Pokémon empire has been a widespread media source for multiple generations, there is more hype than ever around the Pokémon Trading Card Game (better known as Pokémon TCG).
For 90’s kids that grew up with the original video game, TV shows, and card games, dipping into your old collection and seeing if you have any winners has become a popular activity. This guide will cover the top 20 most expensive Pokémon cards ever sold. We’ll also cover how cards reach these astronomical prices and a few frequently asked questions.
20. 2010 Pokémon World Championship Master’s Key Trophy Card BGS 9
Price: $26,900
The Pokémon World Championship Master’s Key first appeared in 2010, when the World Championship tournament was held at the Hilton in Waikoloa Village in Hawaii.
The tournament was highly selective, and only 36 players were selected, resulting in the distribution of only 36 cards worldwide.
The card might only be a legend if it wasn’t for one of these special-issue World Championship Master’s Key cards was put into broader circulation. It appeared on the market in 2020 and sold for $26,900 with no PSA grade. Instead, the seller valued the card using the Beckett grading system, a method used for other collectibles to place a price.
Surprisingly for such a rare card, the seller had unfortunately opened the card’s protective seal reducing its value according to the Beckett grading system.
Even with the seal broken, so few mint-condition copies exist, which makes the World Championship Master’s Key one of the most valuable Pokémon cards circulating in 2022.
19. 2002 Pokemon Trophy Card Neo Summer Battle Road Number 2 Trainer BGS 7
Price: $34,000
The Neo Summer Battle Road Number 2 Trainer Trophy Pokémon card is another of the most expensive Pokémon cards available. Again the contest distributed the card to anyone who, while competing in the 2002 Neo Summer Battle Road tournament, placed second in their division.
The competition began in Sapporo, Japan, and featured some of the best TCG players in the world.
Several things make this edition of the Neo Summer Battle Road Number 2 Trainer Trophy one of the most expensive Pokémon cards in circulation.
The first is a unique autograph. This card has Fukunishi Tomoki written on the card. Tomoki was the runner-up and took the card home. Instead of reducing what it was worth, the individualized nature of Tomoki’s signature ensures the card is one-of-kind.
Ken Sugimori’s artwork is the other contributing factor. This immediately recognizable art only appears on a handful of cards, including the E-Series formatted cards, which players could collect during the Neo Summer Battle Road Tournament.
18. 2010 Pokemon Japanese Promo Daisuki Club 8,600 Holo Masters Scroll
Price: $35,000
Die-hard Pokémon Card collectors probably know about the Pokémon Daisuku Club. Members earned points by participating in various events and activities to earn points.
If you managed to collect 8600 points, you could trade them in for the coveted Master’s Scroll Pokémon Card. It wasn’t easy to get and was that way on purpose.
The Daisuku Club was one of TCG’s efforts to market Pokémon cards and increase their value. Only a handful of Master’s Scroll promotional cards exist to ensure their worth. You also needed an astonishing 8,600 points to receive a copy.
It’s not just its rarity that contributes to its high value. It’s also a beautiful holographic card. It’s no wonder that when one went up for auction in 2021, it fetches such a high price. Since so few cards exist and get sold infrequently, the value of this card has the potential to increase exponentially.
17. 1999 Pokemon Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Charizard PSA 9
Price: $36,800
The Chansey #3 First Edition Holo Shadowless Base Set card is one of the most expensive base set Pokémon cards.
It’s a rare card, appearing in the very early days of the game. Here part of the price is thanks to a tremendous amount of nostalgia. For card collectors who began in the 1990s, a Chansey #3 First Edition in mint condition is worth the money.
This version of the Chancey Pokémon card reached a new high, selling for $36,877 in 2021.
16. 1999 Pokemon Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Blastoise PSA 10
Price: $45,100
Blastoise has the distinction of being simultaneously one of the most valuable base set Pokémon cards and one of the most valuable 1st edition Pokémon cards.
There are many reasons for that, and aside from being a powerful card, nostalgia is once again helping to raise the price tag. Who can resist the appeal of this water-element starter in RPGs, video, and card games? Many kids started with Squirtle and then worked hard to evolve it into Blastoise.
Of course, for many players of the original Pokémon card game, it’s just a fact that Blastoise had as much value as the coveted Charizard cards.
On top of nostalgia, Holo Shadowless cards from 1999 have always been valuable, like the Chancey listed above. So, it was not a surprise when this Blastoise Holo Shadowless Base Set card sold for over $45,000 in 2020.
15. 2004 Pokemon EX Team Rocket Returns Holo Gold Star Torchic PSA 10
Price: $50,000
Generally, base set 1990s-era cards outsell other starter types because they have the perfect blend of nostalgia and rarity. People are willing to pay for a reminder of when they first started collecting cards.
However, this EX Team Rocket Returns Gold Star Torchic card set is the exception to prove a rule. Team Rocket has returned, and only a handful of Gold Star Torchics circulated. Of these, only 17 of 322 rare holos are in mint condition.
Other cards in this set featuring Masakazu Fukuda artwork have sold for reasonable prices, but they can’t hold a candle to Torchic’s fantastic price tag of $50,000.
14. 1999 Pokemon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle No. 2 Trainer
Price: $50,300
Only the (second) best players got a copy of this unnumbered card, and therefore, auctioneers and graders have only ever seen five of these cards. Like other tournament cards, the Tropical Mega Battle Number 2 Trainer is one of the most expensive Pokémon cards.
This card isn’t in mint condition, either. It was too poor-quality to receive a grade, thanks to sun damage on the back. Experts were left to authenticate it instead. The front is close to pristine, so everyone can appreciate the colorful artwork on that side instead.
13. 1996 Pokemon Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Holo Venusaur Autographed PSA 10
Price: $55,000
No rarity in this sense means they are extremely rare because they lack the rarity symbols that the printing line would add a few weeks later. This card is the equivalent of a first print book, complete with spelling mistakes or a missing page number.
At first, this error was just an omission on the Japanese prints, but over time, the printing error increased the value of cards significantly. Nostalgia again, these were first edition Pokémon cards in the truest sense of the words. They came before the 1999 starter packs.
The Venusaur without a rarity symbol is one of the most valuable base set Pokémon cards and one of the most valuable first edition Pokémon cards.
For collectors, the last piece of good news is that Mitsushiro Arito signed the card’s protective cover adding a one-of-a-kind touch to an already special card.
12. 2005 Summer Battle Road Mew Victory Orb Trophy PSA 10
Price: $60,000
During the summer of 2003, the Battle Road tournament issued Mew Victory Orb Trophy cards to the top three players in each age division. The card states that only the top three players could use the card during play.
Later iterations of the card, also rewards for placing in the top three, were reissues of this card but with slightly different artwork. The most expensive version of the Mew Victory Orb Trophy is unnumbered, and the artwork is unique to the 2003 tournament.
11. 1999 Pokemon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind PSA 10
Price: $65,100
The Tropical Mega Battle event in Hawaii distributed eight different cards to its players, and Tropical Wind was one of those cards. It’s not the rarest card they gave out; in fact, it’s the most common on the market of the set.
However, it’s very rare to find a mint condition Tropical Wind Promo Pokémon card or any of the cards within the series. So, it’s less surprising than it might be that the Tropical Mega Battle Tropical Wind Promo Pokémon card sold for $65,100 on eBay in October 2020 in mint condition.
10. 1998 Pokemon Japanese Promo Tamamushi University Prize Magikarp PSA 10
Price: $78,000
The card was available in 1998 to anyone who participated in a magazine “university” contest and returned their results for grading. The children who scored the highest were invited to a conference and invited to participate in a Pokémon card tournament. The winners received this Magikarp trophy.
It’s a suitable prize since Magikarp has an excellent evolution, but it takes a lot of work to get there.
The relative obscurity of the card and the test needed to obtain it means that the Tamamushi University Magikarp Trophy Pokémon card now rivals some post-secondary education costs. A lucky buyer purchased it for $78,000 in 2022.
9. 2005 Pokemon Japanese Play Promo Holo Umbreon Gold Star
Price: $78,000
Eevee and her many evolutions have always been popular with Pokémon fans, and there seems to be an evolution for everyone. So, when a card features a gold star Umbreon with stunning artwork and has a limited number of copies, it’s bound to be popular and expensive.
Released in 2005 to The Pokémon Player’s Club in its fourth season, this card was available in exchange for a certain threshold of points. With 70,000 points, you could earn the Gold Star Umbreon card.
The Umbreon Gold Star Holo card sold for $70,000 in June 2021. At that price, it’s a perfect dollar for points ratio.
8. Number One Trainer Super Secret Battle
Price: $90,000
Seven champions at the Tokyo World Championships received a copy of the card, meaning there were only those seven cards – until there weren’t. An eighth card suddenly appeared for purchase online which would have made them rare enough, but of these eight cards, only six achieved a perfect grading.
True to its name, the Number One Trainer Super Secret Battle card is believed by many to be the rarest Pokémon card, and features include artwork by artist Hideki Kazama.
It’s hard to believe, but one of the cards sold for $90,000 in July 2020.
7. Pokémon World Championships Promo No. 2 Trainer PSA 9
Price: $110,000
It’s believed that only three copies of this card remain after being given to successful players of the 2006 tournament as an invitation to return for 2007. Experts graded only one of them before the auctioning of the card in 2021.
The Pokémon World Championships Promo Number Two Trainer Pokémon cards hardly ever come up for sale, but they go for very high amounts when they do. Competition for the card was fierce, with 150 bids coming in until it sold for $110,100 in 2022.
6. 2000 Neo Genesis 1st Edition Holo Lugia BGS 10 Pristine
Price: $144,300
Japanese cards get most of the attention when talking about the 20 most expensive Pokémon cards. If a Western card comes up, it’s because it features one of the base set characters or a memorable printing error.
The Neo Genesis Lugia is an exception. In November 2020, an English-language first edition of the Neo Genesis Lugia with Hironobu Yoshida’s artwork sold for $130,000.
Then, in May 2021, a version of the same card with an even higher grade sold for $144,300, making it one of the most expensive first edition Pokémon cards ever sold, and it wasn’t even a base character.
5. 1998 P.M. Japanese Promo Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy – PSA 10
Price: $150,000
The Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy was a card given to tournament family-team winners in 1998 following the first Kangaskhan Family Event. While rare, only eleven copies exist, it hasn’t always been an expensive card.
In 2017, the card sold at auction for $6,000, and then suddenly, the price increased by twenty-five times. As of 2020, a trophy from this fun family event is worth $150,000. This card will most likely keep rising in the future.
4. 2017 PM SM Black Star Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card
Price: $250,000
Fourth on the list of the most expensive Pokémon cards in 2022, is the Ishihara GX Promo, which depicts not a Pokémon but The Pokemon Company President Tsunekazu Ishihara. The story is that this unusual card got handed out to employees attending the CEO’s 60th birthday party in 2017.
Although there are more copies of this card than others on this list of expensive Pokémon cards, the price continues to increase because of its unique subject matter. An estimated 30-60 exist, but that may only be the number in public circulation.
By 2021, the Ishihara GX Promo card, which was complete with Ishihara autograph, sold for $247,230. The same card would need to be in almost mint condition with an autograph to be worth even more.
Of course, collectors will always want it simply for its interesting backstory.
3. 1999 Pokemon Base 1st Edition Charizard Holo – SGC 10 Pristine
Price: $360,000
Almost 25 years ago, Wizards of the Coast pitched the idea of a Pokémon card game to Nintendo. Wanting to impress Nintendo and have physical examples of what the cards could become, they created two unique holo cards. These were the Presentation Galaxy Star Holo Blastoise.
Although professionals haven’t graded the cards, the one card still in circulation offers a rare glimpse into the world before the card game existed.
This Blastoise is the original first edition Pokémon card and a good starter for the whole game. It helped to launch a trading card phenomenon. The Wizards of the Coast Blastoise sold for $360,000 in 2021, making it the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold for a little while before number two on the list came in.
2. 1999 Pokemon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard PSA 10
Price: $420,000
Charmander is the second most popular Pokémon (after Pikachu) when it comes to video games, and its evolution, Charizard, kept that popularity alive. The penultimate card on this list is another of the most valuable base set cards, thanks to its rarity and lack of shadow in the upper right corner.
The rapper Logic famously spent $220,000 on this elusive Pokémon card, that’s the same amount as an expensive Lamborghini. But Logic’s Charizard isn’t the most costly Charizard Pokémon card.
The $220K Charizard was eclipsed in price by not just one but two different Charizard First Edition. The second-highest-priced Charizard card sold for $365,000.
Then in March 2022, a Charizard First Edition Shadowless Base Set broke all the records and sold for $420,000. Making it one of the most expensive Charizard Pokemon Cards.
1. Pikachu Illustrator Card PSA 10 (Logan Paul)
Price: $5.3 Million
In a recent video, @ LoganPaul shared that he bought the world’s most expensive Pokémon trading card for nearly $5.3 million.
Now, he is offering “co-ownership” of an #NFT of the card through his NFT platform, Liquid Marketplace. pic.twitter.com/3LONEtZqcZ
— Crypto General (@DaCrypto_Genera) September 19, 2022
But the most expensive Pokémon card on record makes all the other cards on this list look affordable. The Illustrator, CoroCoro Comics Promo, issued a Pikachu Illustrator card in 1998. The card resulted from a competition that encouraged aspiring artists to submit designs for Pokémon cards.
The outrageous price of nearly $6 Million puts it in the top 5 of the most expensive trading cards ever sold.
Winners received a set of cards featuring their competition-winning design and the Pikachu Illustrator card featuring artwork by original Pikachu designer Atsuko Nishida. While the Pikachu Illustrator card has no value in the game, that doesn’t stop collectors from wanting one of their own.
Only 39 of these cards exist, and surprisingly less than a quarter of those cards are close to mint condition.
Despite this, for years, it held the top ranking as one of the most expensive Pikachu cards and overall Pokémon cards, with a value of around $350,000 in early 2021.
Then in 2022, it broke its previous record not once but twice. First, it sold for almost a million dollars and then went on to break it again, selling for over six million dollars.
Factors That Affect Card Price
But what makes Pokémon cards more or less expensive in the first place? Several factors contribute to the worth of a Pokémon card.
Condition
One of the most important factors is the condition of the card. Color loss, sun damage, and creases all detract from a card’s value. Consequently, many collectors use protective covers and keep their cards in binders to preserve their condition.
Even so, card quality varies, and if you want to sell Pokémon cards, it’s vital to have them graded. That way, prospective buyers have an unbiased assessment of the cards’ condition and are more likely to part with significant sums of money for a coveted card.
Rarity
The other thing that adds to a Pokémon card’s value is its age. Cards with a limited print number inevitably outsell more mundane cards because collectors have fewer copies available.
Other factors that affect rarity include:
- Artist’s autograph
- No rarity symbol
- First edition stamp
- Holographic image
- No shadow
Age
First edition stamps help indicate the age of the cards you want to sell. Though exceptions exist, older cards tend to be more expensive than more recently issued Pokémon cards.
What’s more important is when during the printing run, the card appeared. First editions are naturally expensive, as they have a more limited run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about expensive Pokémon cards.
How can I tell what my Pokémon cards are worth?
All Pokémon cards include a key that explains their rarity and value.
All cards are ranked from common to rare. A circle indicates a common card, while a diamond stands for uncommon, and stars signify rare cards.
It’s also worth looking for ‘Wizards of the Coast’ along the bottom of the card, as that adds to the card’s value.
Which year of Pokémon cards is worth money?
The majority of the most expensive Pokémon cards became available in the 1990s. However, there are a variety of valuable cards that span several decades.
How can I tell if a Pokémon card is rare?
Look for a star symbol in the bottom corner of the card. Stars are usually black, but when they are gold or silver, it indicates a card is even rarer than usual.
Final Thoughts
Were you surprised by the Pokémon cards that made our list? We were shocked that so many trainer cards and promo cards stood beside well-known favorites like Charizard and Blastoise. While you may not be sitting on a six-million-dollar card, collecting and cataloging Pokémon cards is fun for any fan.
