Pokemon Card Prices

Pokémon card trading has seen quite the boom in recent years, as fans flock to stores to empty shelves of cards and bolster their collections. With so many people invested in the pastime, finding where to start, understanding the fundamentals of Pokémon card prices, and knowing which stores have inventory can be a process. Here’s how to dive into the world of the Pocket Monsters and get up to speed on everything from card values to rarity. Just be aware that there are now more of the colorful creatures than the Pokérap ever could’ve accounted for.

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How to Appraise Pokemon Cards

How Much Are Pokemon Cards Worth in 2022?

How to Spot Rare Pokemon Cards

Pokemon Card Prices, Guides, and Databases

General Online Resources

Pokemon Specific Resources

The PokéMasters

Pokemon Prices

TCGPlayer

Where to Sell Pokemon Cards

The Most Valuable Pokemon Cards Ever

How to Appraise Pokémon Cards

Appraising Pokémon card prices is similar to appraising a baseball card collection. In fact, there’s a lot of overlap between baseball and Pokémon card grading firms. These are some of the most popular.

Appraiser	Features
PSA	When PSA appraises Pokémon card prices, they’ll assign a grade to each card on a 1-10 point scale, as will CGC and Becket. PSA is a mainstay for all sorts of collectible cards, be that sports or Pokémon. They offer comprehensive packages for grading, certification, and certificates of authenticity.
CGC	CGC’s forte is trading cards, though they also offer grading services for comics. Their card registry is a great resource for keeping track of your Pokémon card collection.
Beckett	Beckett is another solid option for Pokémon card appraisal, though its website is geared towards sports card trading. However, it’s a one stop shop for other cards too, like Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!

Check out this blog post for more information on "The 3 Best Pokémon Card Appraisal Services Available in 2022."

How Much Are Pokémon Cards Worth in 2022?

Pokémon Card Prices	Pokémon card prices vary wildly, with some being worth just a few cents while others are worth thousands of dollars to the right collector. New cards release often, too, leaving you with an ever-increasing number to account for while you research their value. Pokémon card prices will mostly depend on rarity and condition.
Rarity	Determining a Pokémon card’s rarity is simple, as local game shops, eBay, and similar resources can give you a general sense of how easy it is to obtain a card and how high the demand for it is. A symbol on the card itself is also a clue to its rarity.
Condition	Condition can be difficult to determine and will most likely fall to an appraiser’s judgment.

Check out our in-depth guide to answer the question “How Much Are Pokémon Cards Worth in 2022?”

How to Spot Rare Pokémon Cards

As Pokémon card prices rise, rare cards become all the more lucrative for collectors. Longtime Pokémon fans likely have favorites, but sentimental value doesn’t always translate to real-world dollars when buying or selling cards. Luckily, Pokémon cards are easy to judge at a glance thanks to their rarity indicators, which are placed on the bottom-right corner of the card and are represented as a symbol.

Symbol	Rarity
Circle	Indicates a common card
Diamond	Indicates an uncommon card
Star	Indicates a rare card
Star + "Promo"	Indicates a rare promo card

Notably, Japanese Pokémon cards use a letter-based rarity system rather than the symbols found on US cards.

Letter (Japan)	Rarity
C	Indicates a common card
U	Indicates an uncommon card
R	Indicates a rare card

There are also some modifiers to be mindful of, such as holographic foil print cards, reverse foil cards, and special rare cards. When you find a special rare card, its set number will fall outside of the number of cards in its set. For instance, the Dark Raichu card from the Team Rocket expansion is card number 83, despite only 82 cards being officially listed.

For more information check out our full guide, "Pokémon Card Rarity: How to Spot the Rarest Cards in 2022."

Pokémon Card Prices, Guides, and Databases

There are many places to check the prices of Pokémon cards, though be prepared for market fluctuations. Here are some of the staple databases to check from time to time:

Community/Website/Database	Features
CardMavin	A searchable database with tools to help you find card prices. It also lists prices for different versions of the same card, which makes comparisons a lot easier.
Price Charting	A searchable database with tools to help you find card prices. It also lists prices for different versions of the same card, which makes comparisons a lot easier.
PSA	Primarily associated with baseball cards, PSA is a more robust Pokémon resource than you might expect. PSA offers a pricing guide based on recent sales of graded cards, but only graded cards.

General Online Resources

Social Media

Using websites like Reddit and Twitter can be a useful tool for Pokémon card traders, helping you find prices and connect with others in the community. Just keep in mind that internet comments aren’t always the most reliable for determining a card’s value.

Pokémon Specific Resources

The PokéMasters	One of the most comprehensive price guides available, The PokéMasters is a valuable resource for collectors at every level. It offers a current list of prices and historical market data for collectors that want to see trends. It also offers deeper insight into cards, like artist information.
Pokémon Prices	While it maintains a database like many of the other price guides, Pokémon Prices also keeps a Top 100 list for cards, making it easier to observe price changes over time.
TCGPlayer	A leading authority in all things Pokémon card-related, TCGPlayer is one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date databases for pricing. It takes data from individual sales, brick and mortar retail, and online sales to determine prices.

Click here to learn more about "The 9 Best Pokémon Card Price Guides, Lists, & Databases."

Where to Sell Pokémon Cards

Odds are that you could do without some of the cards in your collection, so you may be looking to sell a few once you’ve familiarized yourself with Pokémon card prices. There are plenty of places to sell cards, with lots of overlap between appraisers and vendors.

Dibbs	Dibbs is the first-ever marketplace that allows users to sell fractionalized real-world assets online. When you sell a card through Dibbs, they take the card and turn it into an NFT, which other people from around the world can buy, sell, and trade like a stock. This system means that you don’t have to hunt down an individual buyer for your card, which saves you time.
eBay	eBay is a tried and true method for anyone looking to get rid of just about anything. Buyers and sellers can use eBay as a middleman for resolving disputes should any arise, and their fees are reasonable.
Brick and Mortar Stores	Those that don’t want to sell their Pokémon card collections online can turn to brick and mortar options like comic stores and hobby shops. They’ll typically have a selection of cards to purchase and will buy many of the cards that you’re hoping to get rid of. However, such shops sell cards for a profit, so you may not make as much money as you would selling to a private party.
TCG Player	TCG Player is a premier platform for buying and selling any type of tabletop game card, including Pokémon. It’s free to list cards on the site, though you will have to pay both seller and PayPal fees for each sale. Higher volume sellers can unlock tiers with lower fees, though.

Check out this guide for more information about "Where to Sell Pokémon Cards For The Most Money Possible."

The Most Valuable Pokémon Cards Ever

Stories about Pokémon cards selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars are compelling even lapsed fans to search their dusty collections for hidden treasure. Here are just a few of the most valuable Pokémon card prices ever.

Cards	Value
1998 Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram Blastoise	Clocking in at a final sale price of $360,000 through Heritage Auctions in January 2022, the Blastoise card is one of the most valuable Pokémon cards of all time. It was part of an effort by Wizards of the Coast to bring the Pokémon TCG to the West, but neither the card’s design nor Wizards’ involvement was finalized at the time of printing, so its back is blank. An international version of the card is also said to exist, but it isn’t clear who owns it, and some believe it to be lost entirely.
1999 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Charizard	The first run of Pokémon cards is highly sought after by collectors, with Charizard cards being a particular focus. A fan-favorite Pokémon since day one, the shadowless holo version of the Charizard card fetched an incredible $420,000 at auction on PWCC in March 2022. It’s called the most recognizable Pokémon card ever made, challenging the throne of some of the most popular trading cards ever.
1998 Japanese Promo Holo Illustrator Pikachu	The most valuable card of all time features the poster child of the Pokémon franchise, Pikachu. The Holo Illustrator Pikachu card sold for $900,000 in February 2022. The card originated as part of an illustration contest hosted by Coro Coro Magazine in Japan in 1997 and 1998. Created by Atsuko Nishida, the card is said to be just one of two in existence with such good quality.

For more Pokémon card prices, check out "The 10 Most Valuable Pokémon Cards of All Time."

NFT Pokémon Card Trading

There’s an emerging field in the trading card world that blends technology with a collector’s mentality. NFT card trading is revolutionizing the scene, allowing enthusiasts to take ownership of collectibles more easily than they ever have before. The Pokémon TCG is included in this subsection of collecting, allowing collectors to own fractionalized portions of their favorite cards. Dibbs is the premier platform for these NFT Pokémon cards, featuring a robust set of tools for fans to find, invest in, and trade cards that were previously unattainable due to their high prices.

Pokémon Card Prices: The Essential Guide for 2022