In recent years, the value of Pokémon Trading Cards has significantly surged, with some graded cards now worth nearly half a million dollars. If you’re like me, you may have started out as a fan hustling kids on the playground (sorry, Jessica, your Aerodactyl still has a place in my heart) and battling your way to badges at Toys R Us, but lost your way for a few years leaving you without knowledge of some wicked Pokémon set releases. Let’s go through the 24 most expensive Pokémon cards of March 2023 based on TCGplayer’s market price.
Contents
What makes Pokémon cards valuable?
Pokémon cards are valuable for several reasons. Firstly, the rarity of the card plays a significant role in determining its value. The fewer cards of a particular type exist, the more valuable it becomes. This rarity can be because the card was produced in limited quantities or because it was released during a specific time frame.
Secondly, the condition of the card is also crucial in determining its value. Cards that are in pristine condition are more valuable than those with wear and tear, such as creases, marks, or scratches.
Another factor contributing to the value of Pokémon cards is their age. The older the card, the rarer it is, and thus, the more valuable it becomes. Additionally, cards featuring popular or fan-favorite characters tend to be more in demand, driving up their value.
Furthermore, the popularity of Pokemon as a franchise and its continued success over the years have also contributed to the value of its merchandise, including trading cards.
Overall, the rarity, condition, age, and popularity of the Pokémon franchise are significant reasons why Pokémon cards are valuable.
24 most expensive Pokémon cards as of March 2023
As a reminder, this list will fluctuate because there is never a definitive price of a Pokémon card due to the nature of the market. This list is composed of the current market value according to TCGplayer.com. I prefer to use TCGplayer over any other list due to the company’s technical skill, analysis, and values. Their product connects thousands of hobby gaming businesses with customers across the globe, which power sales through physical stores, websites, mobile apps and the TCGplayer Marketplace. This is not a sponsored post. I just trust them.
24. Umbreon VMAX (Alternate Art Secret) – Evolving Skies – $531
Kicking us off with one of the hottest cards in which you can still find moderately priced packs if you’re lucky is none other than Umbreon VMAX Alt Art secret rare from Evolving skies. The Secret Rare alternate-art version of Umbreon VMAX that depicts Dynamax Umbreon trying to boop the moon is the most popular card in Evolving Skies, and arguably the most coveted Pokémon card in the entire Sword & Shield Series. Beside Umbreon, this set includes 3 other eeveelutions at are priced $100+. If you don’t want to test your luck opening packs or spend a pretty penny on market price cards, I highly suggest checking out poster of Umbreon VMAX.
Stats
Price last month: $481
Price last year: $292
Purchase poster | Purchase card
23. Shining Celebi – Neo Destiny (N4) – $550
For those not familiar with Neo Destiny, it introduced a new type of Pokemon, Light Pokémon. Light Pokémon cards have a white and gold artwork window, Evolution box and Pokédex box. When Celebi was introduced in Generation 2, fans fell in love with the little onion-like fairy. While it may not be powerful, the time-traveling abilities are really neat to add to the lore. With Celebi being a fan-favorite and also being 1 of 8 shining cards in this set, the first edition holofoil became a chase card at a whopping $500 market price. You can also check out the unlimited holofoil at less than half the price at $216.
Stats
Price last month: $550
Price last year: $500
22. Gengar (H9) – Skyridge (SK) – $575
The Skyridge booster box, which was released in 2003, merged the cards from the Japanese expansions Split Earth and Mysterious Mountains to create a single English expansion. This was the final Pokémon TCG set produced by Wizards of the Coast, the original manufacturer of the English version of the card game, before The Pokémon Company took control. Skyridge was the last set in the ‘e-Card’ series of Pokémon collections released between 2002 and 2003. The series earned its name from the ability of the cards to be scanned using the e-Reader peripheral for the Game Boy Advance handheld and Nintendo GameCube console. The market price of this Gengar holofoil is $575 due to it being a fan-favorite and the limited amount printed.
Stats
Price last month: $575
Price last year: $380
21. Blastoise – Base Set (Shadowless) (BSS) – $580
If you were a fan back in 1999, I can almost guarantee that you were hunting for the big 3 to complete your Pokémon card collection. If you’re a fan today, you can drop $580 to make that happen for a 1st edition shadowless holofoil. Shadowless is when there is no drop shadow underneath the art box on the right side of the card, and this Blastoise from the base set falls into that category. If 1st edition isn’t your forte, you can find the unlimited holofoil market price for a mere $400.
Stats
Price last month: $400
Price last year: $650
20. Charizard – Plasma Storm (PLS) – $599
Charizard from Plasma Storm is 1 of 8 Charizards to bless us on this list. The Plasma Storm expansion features the debut of Team Plasma in the Pokémon TCG and was actually riddled with errors. This Charizard Secret card could be printed with a Fighting Energy symbol within its second attack instead of the correct Fire Energy. The holofoil market price according to TCGplayer is currently $600.
Stats
Price last month: $513
Price last year: $520
19. Shining Steelix – Neo Destiny (N4) – $599
The moment you pull a shining card, you know it’s going to be a good day. Plasma Storm Shining Steelix comes in at #19 on our list of the most expensive Pokemon cards. It’s 1 of 5 shining cards to make this list, and a 1st edition will run you $600 market price in March 2023. If you don’t need this big boy in 1st edition, an unlimited holofoil costs $177. Fun fact, a male Steelix has two jaw teeth while a female Steelix only has one.
Stats
Price last month: $599
Price last year: $552
18. Zapdos – Base Set (Shadowless) (BSS) – $599
Let’s chat 1st editions. 1st Edition runs were produced for every set (except Base Set 2) up to and including Neo Destiny. The ideas was scrapped due to the pressure Wizards of the Coast faced to release sets on dates they had specified, which became particularly apparent during the Neo-era. After Nintendo gained control of the TCG, 1st Edition runs were rejected altogether making them incredibly high-value cards today. Combine that with this Zapdos being shadowless and boom – $600 market price. Fun fact, if you’re special like me, you may not have realized that the three legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres include Spanish numbers for 1, 2, and 3. It’s okay to be special. Everyone is welcome here.
Stats
Price last month: $599
Price last year: $400
17. Umbreon (H30) – Skyridge (SK) – $600
Umbreon is the 6th most popular Pokémon according to data collected and analyzed through Google, Yahoo, and Bing at 113,000 total monthly searches. Combine that with the limited amount of Skyridge packs produced and you’ll get a $600 price tag for this holofoil Umbreon card.
Stats
Price last month: $449
Price last year: $299
16. Charizard (XY Evolutions Prerelease) – XY Promos (PR) – $655
The X & Y Promos were the sixth wave of promotional cards released. These promos were a new set that followed the X & Y series. As such, they are numbered XY. This Charizard is a part of the Evolutions Prerelease Kit, which is a special product given to participants at the start of Prerelease Tournaments for the Evolutions expansion. Prerelease Tournaments for the Evolutions expansion were held on the two weekends prior to the release of the expansion, on October 22-23, 2016 and October 29-30, 2016. Each Kit contains a random set of predetermined cards designed to enhance the experience of the Limited format tournament that followed.
Stats
Price last month: $660
Price last year: $849
15. Charizard – SWSH066 (Prerelease Promo) [Staff] – SWSH: Sword & Shield Promo Cards (SWSD) – $681
![Charizard - SWSH066 (Prerelease Promo) [Staff] - SWSH: Sword & Shield Promo Cards (SWSD) card as number 15 on Palette Town's most expensive Pokémon card list of March 2023](https://palettetown.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image-6.png)
If a card has “STAFF” printed onto it, that means the only way to obtain it was to volunteer at an official Pokémon TCG event. This Charizard is part of the Vivid Voltage set that was released in 2020, when a surge of Pokémon fans entered the game. It was also the last staff promo to ever be produced making this rare Charizard a part of Pokémon history.
Stats
Price last month: $597
Price last year: $559
14. Lugia – Neo Genesis (N1) – $749
According to TCGplayer.com, this card was released in Neo Genesis in 2000, and it is the first Lugia card in the Pokémon TCG. The Diving Pokémon Lugia is the game mascot of Pokémon Silver and played a central role in Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One. The market price for a 1st edition Lugia in March 2023 goes for $749, but an unlimited holofoil is only $216.
Stats
Price last month: $800
Price last year: $1,001
13. Charizard ex – FireRed & LeafGreen (RG) – $775
11 years ago this card this was one of the few Pokémon cards that could OHKO (one-hit-knock-out) your opponent with its epic 200 burn down attack. Even if rotation allowed, no one would dare remove it from its safe space due to it being the #13 most expensive TCG on our list.
Stats
Price last month: $775
Price last year: $1,101
12. Crobat (147) – Skyridge (SK) – $799
We’re halfway through our list of the most expensive Pokémon cards. Coming in at #12 is none other than Crobat. When Crobat from Skyridge was in rotation, it was very versatile due to its hazardous attack called Poison Flame, which could either burn or poison the defending Pokémon following a coin flip. Skyridge was the last set created by Wizard of the Coast, and it only had one print run making this Crobat a lot of Pokéfans’ chase card. The holofoil version hits our list at $799 although the reverse-holo version is only $147.
Stats
Price last month: $799
Price last year: $499
11. Shining Gyarados – Neo Revelation (N3) – $799
According to TCGplayer, Shining Gyarados and its unevolved form, Shining Magikarp, are the some of the first Shining Pokémon cards, as well as the first cardboard depictions of Shiny Pokémon. They actually predate “Shiny Pokémon” as a term for Pokémon with a typical color schemes. The first edition holofoil ties with Skyridge Crobat for $799, and the unlimited version goes for $335.
Stats
Price last month: $799
Price last year: $500
10. Blaine’s Charizard – Gym Challenge (G2) – $800
Blaine’s Charizard is the second Charizard where early 1st edition and normal edition have a Fighting-type symbol instead of the Fire-type symbol. Also, “Energy” is misspelled with a lowercase “e” instead of a capital “E”. These errors have made Blaine’s Charizard a hot commodity among collectors. Although the 1st edition holofoil is market priced at $800, the normal unlimited holofoil currently goes for $234.
Stats
Price last month: $800
Price last year: $1,199
9. Mew Star (Delta Species) – Dragon Frontiers (DF) – $899
Pokémon TCG: EX Dragon Frontiers is the 15th main expansion that mostly features Generation III Pokemon. Due to shipping delays, Wizards of the Coast halted the distribution of Dragon Frontiers prerelease boxes forcing some TCG shops to never receive inventory. It is currently unknown how many boxes are left unopened, making this the most rare Mew in Pokémon TCG history.
Stats
Price last month: $899
Price last year: $378
8. Shining Tyranitar – Neo Destiny (N4) – $900
Shining Tyranitar is one of the Pokémon TCG’s first-ever true chase rares, according to TCGplayer.com. It’s from Neo Destiny, and it remains one of the game’s most popular collector’s cards for the last 20 years. All of the Neo Destiny Shinings featured foil embossing on the character, something entirely unique that Pokémon had never done before. A 1st edition holofoil currently goes for $900, although a non-first edition is priced at $311.
Stats
Price last month: $300
Price last year: $749
7. Pikachu Star – Holon Phantoms (HP) – $1,000
You would think that Pikachu from the base set would take the top English Pikachu spot for most expensive Pokémon cards (yes, that’s some foreshadowing!) based on a quick Google search, but actually Pikachu Star from Holon Phantoms’ market price is almost 5x higher at a whopping $1,000. There isn’t much exciting news about this card or expansion set. It just happens to be a shiny beloved Pikachu card. If we were talking graded cards, this would be an entirely different playing field. I’m looking at you, Pikachu Illustrator.
Stats
Price last month: $1,000
Price last year: $549
6. Charizard – Skyridge (SK) – $1,199
Another Charizard, another Skyridge card. Put them together and out pops a $1,199 market price Pokemon card. This specific Charizard is also sometimes known as Crystal Charizard due to the Poké-Body Crystal Type, in which the type of the Pokémon changes from Colorless to one of three specified types if the corresponding Energy card is placed on it, for one turn. The background of these crystal cards also looks extra shiny with a plethora of sparkles. Crobat from earlier on the list is also a crystal card. Charizard – Skyridge was also released as a Reverse Holofoil Jumbo Box Topper, included in booster boxes of the English expansion, which goes for $699.
Stats
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Price last year: N/A
5. Poncho-wearing Pikachu – 208/XY-P – XY Promos (PR) – $1,200
Looks like Ditto isn’t the only Pokemon to play pretend! One set of elusive promos featuring Pikachu are the Poncho-wearing Pikachus: a series of cards from the X & Y and Sun & Moon eras that show Pikachu donning a Pokémon-themed hood to dress up like other popular Pokémon. Since these have never made it to the US, they are in very high demand and will run you $1,200.
Stats
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Price last year: N/A
4. Pretend Magikarp Pikachu – 150/XY-P – XY Promos (PR) – $1,500
According to TCGplayer, while other “cosplaying” Pikachu cards existed previously, Pretend Magikarp is one of the first cards that shows Pikachu wearing a poncho of another Pokémon. This promotional card was originally obtained in the Pretend Magikarp & Pretend Gyarados Pikachu Special Box, a specially printed commemorative box that was created for the Pokémon Center in Hiroshima and released for sale on June 26, 2015.
Stats
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Price last year: N/A
3. Pretend Gyarados Pikachu – 151/XY-P – XY Promos (PR) – $1,500
Tied for most expensive non-graded Pikachu Pokémon card of March 2023 is Pretend Gyarados Pikachu from Japan’s XY Promos. It was released along-side Pretend Magikarp Pikachu in a commemorative box created for the Hiroshima Pokémon Center.
Stats
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Price last year: N/A
2. Charizard Star (Delta Species) – Dragon Frontiers (DF) – $1,999
Along with its set-mate, Mew, Charizard Star is also a part of the rare Dragon Frontiers Pokemon set. It’s both shiny and a Delta Species Pokémon, making it exceedingly rare in Pokémon lore. It’s similarly rare in the real world, as one of the biggest chase cards from the entire EX Series, which ended in 2006.
Stats
Price last month: $1,999
Price last year: $749
1. Shining Charizard – Neo Destiny (N4) – $2,800
The number one more expensive non-graded Pokémon card of March 2023 is Neo Destiny’s Shiny Charizard. At $2,800, the 1st edition holofoil card is the first Pokémon card to depict a Shiny Charizard, and predates “Shiny” as a term for rare Pokémon with unusual coloration. Among collectors, it’s one of the most prized Pokémon cards ever printed. Unlimited holofoil runs a tad less expensive at $1,416.66.
Stats
Price last month: $2,899
Price last year: N/A
Wow, what a list of the most expensive Pokémon cards! I’ve learned a lot about the different expansions today as well as a few fun facts; I hope it’s enough to make your professor proud.
