- 4 hours ago
Discover a treasure trove of the most coveted Pokémon cards, from elusive tournament trophies to rare shiny variants and misprints. These cards aren’t just collectibles — they’re cultural icons fetching jaw-dropping prices at auctions worldwide. Whether it’s the shimmering Espeon Gold Star or the legendary Pikachu Illustrator, we reveal the stories behind these stunning, high-value gems. Ready to see which Pokémon cards are worth a fortune?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Sales of trading cards, toys, and video games surpassed half a billion dollars in the U.S.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most expensive Pokemon cards in existence.
00:13From rare promo additions to misprints and vintage treasures,
00:17these cards have become highly sought after collectibles, commanding jaw-dropping prices well into the thousands.
00:23Collectors hope to find the rarest card in the box worth up to $4,500.
00:3130. Espeon Gold Star
00:34Released in the EX Team Rocket return set, Gold Star cards depicted Pokemon with alternate colors,
00:41their shiny forms, in stunning dynamic poses, with a distinctive Gold Star beside their name.
00:47Espeon's version from the Pokemon Pop Series 5 cards is particularly breathtaking,
00:52featuring gorgeous artwork that perfectly captures the shiny green Psychic Fox's elegance.
00:58Espeon, the sun Pokemon. Espeon are able to read air currents, allowing it to predict the future,
01:03as well as its opponents. Next moves.
01:06Cool.
01:07What makes it truly valuable is its extraordinary pull rates, making finding one in a pack near miraculous.
01:13PSA 10 copies have fetched thousands at auction, with one going for as much as $56,120 online.
01:22If you stumble across one in an old shoebox, congratulations,
01:26your childhood just paid off in the most spectacular way possible.
01:37Number 29. First Edition Shadowless Clefairy
01:41Don't let that adorable pink face fool you, the First Edition Shadowless Clefairy means serious business.
01:48Part of the original base set's earliest print run, Shadowless cards like the drop shadow behind the artwork window,
01:54marking them as among the very first Pokemon cards ever produced.
01:59Combine that with the prestigious First Edition stamp, and you've got a recipe for collector gold.
02:05It's so cute!
02:07Clefairy!
02:08Clefairy, this impish Pokemon is friendly and peaceful.
02:10It is believed to live inside Mount Moon, although very few have ever been seen by humans.
02:14While Clefairy often gets overshadowed by flashier cards, seasoned collectors know that early base set cards in pristine condition are
02:23extraordinarily rare.
02:25High-grade copies regularly command impressive sums, with PSA 10s going for over $10,000.
02:32Clefairy has always deserved more respect, and the online market is finally giving the now fairy type exactly that.
02:39Clefairy, fairy, fairy, Clefairy!
02:43Ha! I think it's saying hello!
02:45Yeah!
02:46Oh, look at them!
02:48Clefairy, Clefairy!
02:50Number 28. First Edition Dark Dragonites
02:54Released in the Team Rocket expansion, this holofoil powerhouse gave the beloved dragon Pokemon a sinister villainous makeover the collectors
03:03absolutely ate up.
03:05The Team Rocket set introduced dark variants of popular Pokemon, and Dragonite's version features dramatic, moody artwork that still looks
03:13incredible decades later.
03:15Dragonite, stop!
03:16Exu!
03:17Wow!
03:18Yeah!
03:21Dragonite, you've got to stop!
03:23Exu!
03:24Wow!
03:26As with all First Edition cards, the initial print run was strictly limited, making high-grade copies genuinely scarce.
03:34PSA 10 examples can command eye-watering prices at auction, with some reaching just shy of $20,000.
03:42It's proof that Dragonite doesn't need to play nice to be valuable.
03:45Sometimes, going to the dark side is exactly the right move, at least when it comes to how much you
03:51can command at auction.
03:52They say opposites attract, but I say likes attract, too!
03:56I think you're exactly right.
03:58Those two are drawn to each other.
04:00Number 27.
04:01Number 1 Trainer Card from Tropical Mega Battle
04:04Here's where things get truly extraordinary.
04:07The number 1 trainer from the Tropical Mega Battle is among the rarest Pokemon cards ever created.
04:14Awarded exclusively to winners of the Tropical Mega Battle tournaments held in Hawaii around 1999 and 2000,
04:22only a tiny handful of these cards are known to exist worldwide.
04:27We actually won!
04:32Hey buddy, we won the whole thing!
04:35The Tropical-themed artwork and prestigious Number 1 Trainer designation make it an absolute holy grail for collectors.
04:42When one surfaces at auction, it routinely sells for thousands.
04:47The 2001 Tropical Wind Card with Psyduck, Clever, and Smoochum, Chilling in a Hammock,
04:53has been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars.
04:56A 1999 PSA 9 version has even been listed for as much as $80,000 on eBay.
05:03One of the best bouts I've ever seen!
05:06You were amazing!
05:08Yeah, really, really cool!
05:10Kukui, Tapu, Coco, Ash, and Pikachu!
05:13Thanks a lot!
05:15Number 26.
05:16Pokemon World Championships Promo Number 2 Trainer
05:20Like its number 1 counterpart, more on that later,
05:23this card was handed exclusively to top finishers at official World Championship events,
05:29albeit for the runner-up.
05:30Instead of being lucky and finding one in a pack,
05:34it had to be earned through championship-level play
05:37and leaving devastated rivals in your wake.
05:39Finally, Wolf Glick gets to lift the first-place trophy,
05:44not the runner-up, and his fans are going wild in the crowd.
05:49With that level of exclusivity, this card commands a high price.
05:53High-grade examples have sold for staggering amounts whenever they appear on the market.
05:57For example, in 2000, before the competition was known as the World Championships,
06:03Toshiyuki Yamaguchi came second in Tokyo's Secret Super Battle,
06:07earning him a personalized card with his thumbs up.
06:11Best finals, if not the best master finals I've ever seen!
06:14Only two games, but what a two-game set it was!
06:17Those were so close, it all came down to just some small, tiny plays!
06:22In 2023, it was sold at an online auction for $137,500!
06:28Number 25. Latios and Latias Team-Up GX Alternate Arts
06:34Swooping gracefully into the video are the legendary Eon duo
06:38on their stunning Team-Up GX Alternate Art card.
06:42Released during the era where alternate art cards began revolutionizing the collector's market,
06:47this card features breathtaking cinematic artwork
06:50that feels more like a museum painting than a trading card.
06:53The vibrant colors, the pose with a heart and sunrise between them,
06:58and widespread love for Latios and Latias collectively sent demand skyrocketing.
07:04And then there's the whole idea of mastery, as you're hearing from Nicholas,
07:07it's like all understanding how these people do it,
07:10and then as I said, it's about storytelling, it's really about creating a world.
07:13Top-graded PSA 10 copies command serious money at online auctions.
07:18On eBay, some have been listed for over $15,000
07:21and have found a buyer who was desperate to add the Psychic Dragon duo to their collection.
07:27When it comes to the biggest Pokemon craze, it has to be the trading cards.
07:32This 747 arrived today from Tokyo, packed with the latest collectible cards.
07:38Number 24. Victory Orb Mew Battle Road Promo
07:43You can't pull this card from a booster pack, and you never could.
07:46The Victory Orb Mew was an ultra-exclusive prize card awarded to the top finishers at a Japanese TCG tournament.
07:54It followed earlier Victory Orb releases from 2003 and 2004,
08:00which featured different artwork from the original variations,
08:03and as such, were distributed under the same highly limited criteria.
08:18However, this being Mew, this specific version instantly became one of the hobby's most coveted tournament promos.
08:26With only a small number officially released, Victory Orb Mew represents the perfect storm of rarity,
08:33competitive prestige, and fan-favorite appeal.
08:37Mew says you don't prove anything by showing off a lot of special powers,
08:41and that a Pokemon's real strength comes from the heart.
08:44Number 23. Umbreon VMAX Alternate Art
08:48Upon release with the Evolving Skies series, this card, with its moonlit magnificence,
08:53immediately became a phenomenon.
08:55Umbreon's enormous fanbase, combined with the artwork's exceptional quality,
09:00created explosive demand that pushed prices into the stratosphere almost overnight.
09:05Umbreon! Dark pulse!
09:08Now we dodged it!
09:14P.S.A. 10 copies regularly command thousands of dollars on the secondary markets.
09:19Considering the Evolving Skies expansion was only released in 2021,
09:24it makes it even more impressive.
09:26P.S.A. 10 versions have been known to be listed for $5,000 online, which were snapped up.
09:32While cards that were ungraded were even getting listed just below $3,000, which also sold.
09:38Use Iron Tail!
09:40P.S.A. 10 copies!
09:43P.S.A. 10 copies!
09:44P.S.A. 10 copies!
09:47Number 22. First Edition Venusaur
09:50While Charizard and Blastoise get all the love from Kanzo fans,
09:54Venusaur isn't to be dismissed with its First Edition Shadowless card.
09:58As the final form of one of the three original starter Pokemon,
10:02the grass-poison creature carries enormous historical significance.
10:14The Shadowless First Edition printing represents the absolute earliest production run,
10:20making pristine copies exceptionally scarce.
10:23P.S.A. 10 examples routinely sell for impressive sums,
10:26and serious collectors who have attempted to complete the original base set holo lineup in top grade
10:32know precisely how challenging a mint Venusaur can be to track down.
10:37Yet, when they do, you can expect to have your finances razor-leafed,
10:41one P.S.A. base holo card sold via an online auction for a staggering $75,640 in 2026.
10:58Number 21. Pre-Release Raichu
11:01Known as one of the most mysterious cards in all of Pokemon collecting,
11:06this legendary card has lore that would make the Pokedex jealous.
11:10According to legend, this card was accidentally stamped with pre-release text
11:15during production of the jungle set's pre-release Clefable cards.
11:18Essentially, that's the only difference to the base Raichu holo card,
11:23which is typically sold for around $50.
11:25The most popular aspect of Pokemon is the trading cards,
11:28which can be used to play games in Pokemon tournaments.
11:31You can find these matches all over the Central Coast.
11:34Only an incredibly small number are believed to exist,
11:37perhaps fewer than 10 confirmed copies worldwide.
11:40The card's murky, accident-laden origins only amplify its extraordinary mystique and desirability,
11:47making it a holy grail for collectors.
11:50In 2025, this near-mythic card went up for auction online.
11:54Graded 6 by PSA, it sold for an industry-shifting $550,000.
12:14When the very first Pokemon cards were released in North America in 1999,
12:20one of the highlights was this so-called shellfish.
12:22Isn't it a turtle?
12:23Anyway, if you were lucky enough to pull this original starter back in the day,
12:28we pray you held onto it and kept it in a sleeve,
12:31because pristine first edition Blastoise cards can fetch you $20,000 and up.
12:44In case you're wondering,
12:46first edition refers to the black stamp shown on the left of the Pokemon,
12:50and indicates it was produced during the very first print run of these cards.
12:5519. First Edition Chansey
12:57When you think of the most popular Pokemon from the first generation,
13:01mons like Charizard, Pikachu, and Mewtwo probably come to mind.
13:05That's all, Chansey isn't very high up.
13:12In fact, it probably doesn't even make the list in the first place.
13:16But that didn't stop its original card from exploding in popularity.
13:20Its presence in the original base set has earned it a killer reputation among collectors,
13:25and they've proven as much with their wallets.
13:28Even though the artwork has been reprinted a few times over the years,
13:32the original cards still fetch prices well into the thousands,
13:36evidently being Nurse Joy's assistant has its perks.
13:4018. Torchic Gold Star
13:52In 2004, the TCG introduced slick, coloured variants of their most popular Pokemon
13:59in order to boost sagging card sales.
14:02To say it worked would be a massive understatement.
14:11Just look at Torchic.
14:13The Hoenn starter is a beloved Fire type,
14:16and its Gold Star form was a rare pull inside an already rare set.
14:21You can probably see where this is going.
14:23Based on its low distribution rate and sky-high popularity,
14:27nabbing one for a few thousand dollars isn't out of the question.
14:31Although, if you want one in mint condition, you'll be lucky to pay anything less than 25k.
14:38If you aren't careful, this Fire type can easily burn a hole straight through your wallet.
14:4317. Delta Charizard Gold Star
14:46Ever since his trading card debut,
14:49this Kanto classic has had a habit of racketing up prices,
14:53and his time in the Dragon Frontier set is no different.
15:01There, Charizard and his new alternate coloured look and dark typing
15:05flew all the way past $1,000 in value.
15:08And then he soared past $10,000 and then $20,000.
15:11He's been hovering over there for a few decades, but that trend is hard to miss.
15:16While $20,000 is hardly a small amount of money,
15:19if you think you'll ever want one, you may want to snag it now.
15:22After all, if there's one thing we know about Charizard cards,
15:26it's that they don't get cheaper with age.
15:35Gold Star
15:50This iconic card comes from the set EX Deoxys,
15:54and is part of the coveted Gold Star line.
15:57The packs alone for this set go for over $300,
16:01and if you're willing to open them,
16:03you could potentially pull a Rayquaza worth over $10,000.
16:14In 2023, a PSA 10-graded version of this card sold for a whopping $48,000.
16:22If you don't manage to pull this powerful Sky Beast, though,
16:25you still have a chance at the Latios Latias Gold Star,
16:28which goes for over $1,500.
16:31Better than a kick in the teeth.
16:33This is like one of the creme de la creme of Gold Star.
16:36This is the best Gold Star card you can pull.
16:38Number 15.
16:39Crystal Series
16:40As if the TCG didn't have enough rare variants,
16:44the Aquapolis expansion introduced a whole new exclusive species,
16:49Crystal Pokemon.
16:50They were marketed as so-called secret cards,
16:54and that's evident in the fact that only nine Pokemon got the new form.
17:00Crystal Charizard!
17:01Holy f***!
17:03Holy f***!
17:04You heard that right.
17:05There are less than 10 different Crystal Pokemon in the whole TCG.
17:10It turned already rare Pokemon like Ho-Oh and Charizard into bonafide gold mines.
17:15Since the Crystal Series was retired at the end of the e-card era,
17:19just finding one nowadays costs thousands.
17:23If you want all nine, you'll be writing a check with a whole lot of zeros.
17:28Number 14.
17:29University Promo Magikarp
17:31If the TCG can turn this useless fish into a hot-ticket collector's item,
17:37then anything is possible.
17:38Well, anything except finding a University Magikarp for a decent price.
17:43Just between you and me, this Magikarp is like a Pokemon goldmine!
17:48Nabbing one in its original release was hard enough.
17:51You had to live in Japan, pick up a specific magazine,
17:55and then fill out a notoriously difficult Pokemon trivia quiz.
17:59If you managed to do all that,
18:01you were sent this ultra-rare University Magikarp card.
18:05Allegedly, only 1,000 copies were ever made,
18:08and even fewer actually made it into circulation.
18:15With all that, it's no surprise that an auction for one of these
18:18sold for $66,000.
18:26In the early mainline games,
18:29every wild Pokemon had about a 1 in 8,000 chance
18:32of being an off-colored, shiny version.
18:35So it's only natural that the trading card game
18:38introduced their own spin on the formula.
18:40Enter the Shining Series.
18:43What's your destiny?
18:45The only difference is that, instead of your time,
18:47finding a shiny card takes cold hard cash, and a lot of it.
18:52No matter if it's a Magikarp or a Mewtwo,
18:55the brand demands astronomical prices.
18:58It doesn't help that so few Pokemon have shining cards in the first place.
19:02Altogether, that adds up to a set that's pretty much worth its weight in gold.
19:0712. First Edition Lugia
19:10Ironically, this trading card is just as rare as the legendary Pokemon it depicts.
19:19Although, that shouldn't be too surprising,
19:21considering the perfect storm of its release window.
19:24At the peak of Pokemania in the late 90s,
19:28Lugia starred as one of the new box art legendaries for the second generation,
19:33and that included a starring role in the beloved Pokemon the Movie 2000.
19:37As a result, this first edition card has remained an elusive collector's item for over 20 years.
19:48That's pushed its demand well into the thousands,
19:51and that's for a dinged-up version.
19:53For a highly graded copy, you're looking at a price tag over 50 grand.
19:58All right, so let's see what you got.
20:01First pack.
20:03Oh, he got the Lugia!
20:05Number 11. Master's Scroll Promo Card
20:08One of the most expensive Pokemon cards on the market doesn't even have a Pokemon on it.
20:13Instead, it features the prestigious Master's Scroll,
20:17which was only distributed to members of a Japanese fan club in 2010.
20:21Trainers had to participate in several activities and minigames,
20:26and once they accumulated a whopping 8,600 points,
20:30they'd receive one of these speciality cards as a reward.
20:34Since the Master's Scroll has never been officially released outside of this Japanese exclusive event,
20:40overseas buyers have amped up the price to staggering heights.
20:44Let's just say it's not out of the ordinary to see the Master's Scroll touch six figures in value.
20:51Number 10. Autographed First Edition No Rarity Symbol Venusaur
20:56Kanto Starter? Check.
20:58First Edition? Check.
21:00We could go on, but you get the point.
21:03Funnily enough, this card doesn't actually have the traditional rarity symbol,
21:07and that only makes it even more special.
21:10Still, none of that is the reason Venusaur is so popular.
21:14The real moneymaker is the autograph from famed Pokemon illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita.
21:19There's supposedly only five of these signed Venusaur cards in existence,
21:24and that scarcity has led to some absurd prices.
21:28You can get a standard Venusaur card for a few grand,
21:31and the same goes for Arita's autograph.
21:34But if you want them together, you may want to pull out your piggy bank.
21:38Number 9. Master Key Prize Card
21:41While all the cards we've seen so far are incredibly pricey,
21:44at least they're somewhat in circulation.
21:46The same cannot be said for Pokemon Tournament Prize Cards.
21:50These cards are handed out exclusively to tournament finalists and winners of international Pokemon events,
21:57meaning you can't just pull one out of a pack.
21:59And Hunter Butler is your 2020 Dallas Regional Champion here.
22:05The first of these is the Master's Key Prize Card.
22:08There are approximately only 30 of these cards in existence,
22:11as they were handed out solely to competitors in 2010 Pokemon World Championships.
22:16If you're fortunate enough to get your hands on one,
22:19it could fetch you upwards of 20 large.
22:24Number 8. Number 1 Trainer
22:26Most of us never bothered to learn the actual game
22:29from which the Pokemon Trading Card game gets its name.
22:32But if you did, and got insanely good at it,
22:35you might have a shot at getting a No. 1 Trainer Prize Card.
22:41Tournament champions in 1997 received this secret super battle print featuring holographic Mewtwo.
22:48But it's unlikely any of these recipients thought the card would someday be worth $90,000.
22:55In July of 2020, Heritage Auction sold one in PSA 10 condition for nearly six figures.
23:02If you are one of only a handful of people in the world to own one,
23:06it is without a doubt the centerpiece of any collection.
23:10Number 7. Umbreon Gold Star Promo
23:13There's no hope of pulling this Umbreon from a random pack.
23:17At least not the rare version.
23:19Instead, the only legitimate way to get your hands on this promo evolution
23:23was to accumulate points through Japanese-only TCG events.
23:28Since the release window was extremely tight, too,
23:32not many of these Umbreon cards saw the light of day.
23:37While the English-language versions are comparatively cheaper,
23:41the original Japanese promo cards can, and have,
23:44sold for as much as $70,000.
23:48Mind you, that's after a few re-releases.
23:51Before more Umbreon's entered circulation,
23:53we can only imagine how much they went for.
23:56A whole bunch of random crap.
23:59Boom.
24:01Mint 9.
24:03Gold Star Play Promo Umbreon.
24:07This is a big dog right here.
24:10Number 6. First Edition Charizard.
24:19Forget Wall Street.
24:20Put your money into Charizard's.
24:22Back when the base set was first released,
24:25this Fiery Dragon was the best pull you could get,
24:28and it still is today.
24:29In fact, there are too many extremely expensive Charizard cards to name,
24:34including some we already mentioned,
24:36like Shining and Crystal Charizard.
24:38Others like Rainbow Charizard,
24:41Shiny Charizard GX.
24:42You get the idea.
24:44At the very top, however, is the Holy Grail,
24:47the first edition base set Shadowless Charizard,
24:50which had a ballpark price of $50,000.
24:53The card itself is considered the crown jewel of the Pokemon world.
24:57That is before rapper Logic set a new record,
25:00with his winning bid of $226,000 in 2020.
25:09Since that big boom, however, the price has dipped back down,
25:14but it's still the Holy Grail of Charizards.
25:17Even the non-first edition Shadowless Charizard is easily still a five-figure card in the right grade.
25:24Number 5. Magic the Gathering First Edition Blastoise.
25:28Before the official English release of the Pokemon TCG,
25:32publisher Wizards of the Coast made several test cards using their old stock.
25:37The result?
25:38A first edition Blastoise printed on a Magic the Gathering card.
25:43Twenty years later, one of them resurfaced, and collectors got to work.
25:48Getting a first edition Blastoise on its own will already cost you around $20,000.
25:52But if you want this insanely rare test card, you need to tack on an extra zero.
25:58That is no exaggeration.
26:00The card sold for a whopping $216,000 in 2021.
26:06And nowadays, that price would probably have a three in front of it if another one even exists.
26:12Number 4. Ishihara GX.
26:15Pokemon GX is a variant of trading card that was introduced in the Sun and Moon era,
26:21with much higher HP Pokemon.
26:23You won't find it in a pack, but this unique GX card was presented to a select group of people
26:28at a private birthday celebration in 2018 for Sunekazu Ishihara, the CEO of Pokemon International.
26:37It is unlike any card in existence, depicting the Pokeboss himself reaching for a Master Ball
26:43and featuring a special congratulations attack to commemorate his 60th birthday.
26:48At auction, this card has sold recently for an unbelievable $247,000.
26:55Number 3. Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy
27:03Be warned, we are now entering the six-figure territory.
27:07Fist up, the Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy card,
27:10a prize for participants in the Parent-Child Mega Battle Tournament in 1998.
27:16This magnificent-looking card features Papa Kangaskhan and his baby,
27:21an appropriate prize for a family-themed event.
27:25Like the Master Key and Ishihara GX,
27:27Trophy Kangaskhan is in the Holy Grail category of collectibles,
27:31and there are under 50 of them in existence worldwide.
27:35Only 11 exist in PSA 10 condition, one of which sold on eBay in October 2020.
27:42The current price?
27:43A cool $150,000.
27:47Time to start building those tournament decks.
27:49Number 2. Trophy Pikachu
27:53The next card on our list is the Trophy Card to End All Trophy Cards.
27:58Presented to winners in the very first Pokemon TCG tournament in 1997,
28:04the Trophy Pikachu exists in first, second, and third place forms,
28:08but all three are remarkably valuable.
28:11In 2019, a third place iteration sold for $100,000.
28:16After the hobby exploded in fall of 2020, however,
28:19you can bet this card is soaring in value.
28:22At the time of this video, it is listed on eBay for $1 million.
28:26It is a card so unique and unattainable
28:29that fake, aka proxy versions of it, have sold for over $3,000.
28:56You can find a link in the description to check out the game
28:58and be the first to play Terrible Influence.
29:06Historically, prize cards didn't just go to winners of card game tournaments.
29:10In 1997, Pokemon hosted the Coro Coro Comic Illustration Contest,
29:15and winners of this event went home with the now mythical Pikachu Illustrator card.
29:20A total of 39 of these are known to exist in the world,
29:23and to give you an indication of their value,
29:26a graded version of one sold for $50,000 in 2013.
29:31Since then, you can bet the price has been climbing.
29:34An October 2019 auction saw this piece of Pokemon history go for an astounding $195,000.
29:42Off-the-grid sales of this card are even more unbelievable, though,
29:46as Logan Paul purchased a Gem Mint 10 copy for a reported $5 million.
29:52Whether or not it's worth $5 million, we'll let you decide.
29:56What's your favorite Pokemon card that was ever made,
29:59regardless of how valuable it is?
30:01Let us know in those comments below.
Comments