Whether they experienced it by playing the games, watching the anime series, reading the manga, or collecting the trading cards, you would be hard pressed to find a kid that grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s who wasn't somehow affected by Pokémon. But unlike many other aspects of pop culture from that time period, the popularity behind Pokémon ha𓂃s never wavered. If anything, it may have increased.
By introducing new mechanics and new creatures in their games, Ni𝓰ntendo has been able to keep fans not only interested but ecstatic at the thought of a new entry to their beloved series. But we're not here to talk about the video games.
We're here to talk about the time-honored tradition of collecting trading cards. Pokémon isn't the first series or thing to receive trading cards that collectors fantasize about, and they won't be the last. But as it is one of the most popular franchises in the world, there are some cards whose values have increased exponentiall🤡y over the years.
If you're kicking yourself over the fact that you got rid of your collection years ago, don't. Prices can vary drastically depending on what condition the card is in, if it is holographic, if there's a printing error, or some other feature. I for one sold my entire collection at a flea market as a kid just to pay for the latest trend (which was Yu-Gi-Oh, by the way).
Many Pokémon cards can be found for relatively cheap. But for a handful of them, they could grant you a small fortune. Here are 15 Pokémon cards 💦that are worth more than a car, and 15 that aren't worth much at all.
30 Worth A Lot - Charizard ꧟
The value of a Charizard card from the Base Set can vary depending on a few key features. When the cards were first being created, a printing error resulted in some cards being “shadowless.” This refers to 🦂the border around the illustrati꧋on.
Printing errors can make the value of a card go up an insane amount, as it makes these cards unlike most.
A 1st edition, holographic, shadowless, mint condition🐎 Charizard from the Base Set once sold for $11,999. But now, it can be valued at up to $20,000. That is a serious chunk of change.
29 🃏 Not Worth A Lot - Energy Cards
The worth of many Pokémon cards is not at all attributed to how useful ꦺthe cards can be. Most collectors don’t care about using them in the actual card game. Many trainer cards, which can be used for various strategic moves, can be bought now for almost nothing.
The same is true for the cards that are vital to a player’s deck: Energy cards. These sort of work like land cards from Magic: The Gathering, helping players 🦄bring out their pocket monsters. You can purchase boxes of energy cards online for ju♒st a couple bucks.
28 🐻 🐼 Worth A Lot - Mewtwo
The mighty Mewtwo was one of the most mysterious creatures from Pokémon Red and Blue. That, along with his sh🎉adowy appearance in the anime and his starring role in the first mov🍌ie, made him one of the most popular psychic types out there.
A 1st e♓dition, holo, shadowless Mewtwo could get you around a grand at a grade 9, and a grade 10 is currently on eBay for $3,000. To be fair, that isn’t even close to Charizard. But also, to be fair, that still seems like a lot to spend on a shiny piece of paper.
27 Not Worth A Lot -🐻 Abra
Most Pokémon cards,♔ even those from the original set, are actually incredibly easy to come by. Not too many of them were considered rare when first released. Take Abra, for example.
This insanely elusive Pokémon from the games has a card that can be bought for incredibly cheap.
We’re talking less than a buck for a normal one. And even if you were to have the holy grail of Abra cards, it wouldn’t get you that much. A 1st edition, shadowless, mint co꧙ndition Abra is currently on eBay for $120. Compared to others, that’s chump change.
26 Worth A Lot - Bla✨stoise ♑
Charizard was definitely the most popular of the final forms of the three starters available in Pokémon Red and Blue, but a Blastoise card from the Base Se𒆙t 𝓡can still get you a good amount of money.
Currently on eBay, one could spend a little over $8,500 for a 1st edition, holographic, shadowless Blastoi🐠se. But that’s graded at a 10, which is extremely important. If it werℱe to go down a single number, the value would drop to about two grand.
25 Not Worth A Lotꦺ - Arcanine
Arcanine was one of the more powerful creatu🐓res players could have the privilege of including in their decks, and definitely one of the coolest from the original 151.
But, unlike the other powerful creatures on this list, Arcanine was designated as “uncommon,” not “rare.”
Most Arcanine cards can be bought for far below $10 depending on the condition they’re in. Even if it’s a 1st edition, shadowless PSA grade 10 card, it’s still not worth more than $250-$300. And yes, I realize how ridiculous it sounds saying that’s not a lot of money for a Pokémon card.
24 Worth A Lot - Venusaur 𝓡
Ah, poor Venusaur. There was always going to be a least favorite from the three original starters, and that seemed to be Bulbasaur. The same can be said of its fi💙nal evolved form.
Although, it is still one of the rarest cards you can find.
Its current prices don’t quite reach Blastoise’s, as a 1st edition, holo, shadowless, grade 10 Venusaur can be purchased for $6,000 (or $1,800 for a grade 9). The price variations are the same in their regular cards as🍒 well. A non-graded, non-1st edition Venusaur is valued around $6, w🐟hile a Blastoise is $8.
23 ♋ Not Worth A Lot - Gust Of Wind
As is the case with Energy cards, trainer cards were crucial to playing the Pokémon card game, especially for those who wanted to play strategically. Gust of Wind could be a really useful card, as 🍎it let you switch your opponent’s active creature with one of their benched ones.
If they had something extremely intimidating as their active Pokémon, this could come quite in handy. You can buy this useful ✱card for about 10-30 cents depending on the condition. But if you really wanted that 1st edition, shadowless, PSA gra༒de 10 Gust of Wind, it would cost you about $100.
22 🌠 ꧃ Worth A Lot - Prerelease Raichu
Nintendo now publishes all cards for the Pokémon trading card game, ℱbut for a long time it was a company by the name of Wizards of the Coast. Supposedly, before the original set of c⛦ards was released, the company stamped “PRERELEASE” on several Raichu cards and gave it to a few employees.
This stamp has made it one of the rarest and it is thought that there are only ten of these 𒆙specific cards in existence. They obviously don’t show up often, but when they do they go for about $10,000.
21 🃏Not Worth A Lot - Onix 𝔍
Onix is one of the stronger rock types that could be added to a player’﷽s deck. Although Rock Throw doesn’t do a lot of damage, he does have fairly high HP and his other move, Harden, could be quite useful from lighter attacks.
He is also one of the most common Pokémon from the Base Set.
༺For kids buying booster packs, there was a good to fair chance that Onix would show up. You can find it on moওst sites for literal pennies, unless you want the PSA grade 10 shadowless card, which is a little over $70.