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The revival of Pokemon has made young people rummage in their closets, hoping to find their old trading card collection.
And, if they are lucky, a rare card that can make them rich.
The transition from Japanese anime to a trading card game to a video game series in 1997 held a special place in the hearts of children in the 1990s. They cherished furry creatures with elemental powers that could be traded, battled, and hoarded for years.
For Pokemon enthusiast and card trading expert Scott Pratte, his hobby has never diminished. Pratte collects and sells some of the most precious Pokemon cards in the world.
“I have completed a seven-figure transaction,” Pratt said. “That’s just a deal, not even my life’s income.”
Due to the non-disclosure agreement, he cannot say exactly which cards brought him the most money, but he said that his trophy card, which is the rarest Pokemon card on the market, can easily make more than $1 million.
Only a few people hold these trophy cards, usually those who won the Pokemon Championship in the early 2000s and received ultra-limited edition cards. But there are quite a few more common Pokemon cards that can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Important note in this article
Our professional card dealer and collector Scott Pratte provides many tips for making money by selling Pokemon cards. This is his best suggestion:
- The first edition or the new edition? Don’t be kidding, we know you know that New Edition is a boy band from the 70s and 80s. However, you need to know what you have in that box of Pokemon cards. In other words, which are rare cards and which are not. Do you have an original holographic card? Tea Qing.
- What is the status of your card? If they have been kept under the bed in a box so that the light does not fade them, or the dog does not touch them, then you may be in good health. Never removed from the wrapping paper? More tea greens. This is the so-called mint. All cards in good condition may be worth more than the price you (or your mother) pay for them.
- The best place to sell Pokemon cards? It’s eBay all the way. It would be great to sell a card for a large sum of money, and eBay has promoted some of them. However, if you want a large audience and buyers who are willing to pay $30 for a piece of pop music for your card, you can increase sales.
- Do you think you have anything valuable? consult Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) And get an estimate. This will put you in an advantageous position to bargain with buyers, which is what you should expect.
Pokemon cards worth selling
If you want to sell Pokemon cards, the two biggest value factors to consider are their rarity and condition.
Rarity: Is your collection so special?
In terms of rarity, “basic set” cards are the most profitable place for most collectors, and these cards are the most traded cards in hobbies. Pratt said that the suit card is “any card you can take out of the package” purchased from the store. The basic set includes the original 102 cards printed in 1999, including classic Pokemon such as Pikachu, Blastoise, Charizard and Venusaur.
Complete initial basic set, intact Sold for $100,000 in December 2017. If you have a basic card in your card collection, you can measure its value through some visual indicators.
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Holographic card: At first glance, these are the most obvious. The background of the Pokemon illustrations is shiny and reflective-not the entire card, only pictures of monsters. They are often called “holographic” cards, and only 16 of the original 102 cards are holographic cards.
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First edition card: The “1st edition” logo appears directly next to the left corner of the illustration. These rare cards were purchased shortly after the initial release, and are still some of the most sought-after and most valuable cards.
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Shadowless Card: This edition is almost the same as the first edition print, but does not include the first edition logo. If you don’t have a newer card to compare, it’s especially hard to notice: the illustrated frame appears in 2D. On newer cards, the right border of the picture box has a shadow to give it a 3D appearance.
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Unlimited card: These cards are still old and rare, but they do not contain the first edition symbols, and shadows are added behind the illustrations to give the picture frame a 3D effect. To check if your card is part of the basic set, check the bottom right corner of the picture box. If you don’t see one of the many suit symbols added later, then you have an infinite card with a basic suit.
Condition: Have you taken good care of your card?
The second important factor of card value is condition. If you happen to own the first holographic basic version of Charizard, there is no guarantee that you will receive thousands of dollars. The price depends on the maintenance of the card.
If you have a card estimated to be worth more than $100, Pratt recommends rating it as Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).
Despite its name, PSA scores various trading cards, including non-sports cards like Pokemon. PSA 10-point rating scale Accepted as an industry standard, the company also released Price guide Help you determine the value of the card.
According to its current valuation, the original card that is intact is worth at least $40. These are not uncommon, holographic cards. The first version of the hologram in good condition can earn between $1,000 and $24,000.
So why is Pratte’s $100 limit? Well, this number is not a hard and fast rule, but the card grading service provided by PSA costs $20 or more per card, which means that lower-value cards are not always worth the cost for authentication.
“This is a process,” said PSA spokesperson Terry Melia. “But it may eventually reap handsome rewards.”
In addition to grading the condition of the card, PSA also checks for tampering by using high-power lights and amplification equipment to ensure that the card is not counterfeit.
“There are a lot of fakes and counterfeit goods there,” Melia said.
Especially online.
Examples of valuable Pokemon cards
The table below includes the value of some of the rarest Pokemon cards in the world, namely cards that were obtained as prizes for winning games in the late 90s and early 2000s.
These types of cards have never been open to the public, and they often make headlines at auctions at six-figure prices. (But as Pratte pointed out, the price they sell privately may be much higher-and may be subject to a non-disclosure agreement.) The table also includes some cards that are publicly available as part of the original basic set of prints. According to Pratt, these are the most commonly sold cards among hobbyists. If you have a rare card in your collection, it is probably of this type. Note how the condition (ranging from 1 to 10) significantly changes the value.
Valuable Pokemon Card
| Pokemon care | put | situation | Card value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holographic Pikachu (Illustrator) | Not applicable; limited game release | Mint 7 | 375,000 USD |
| Holographic Version 1 Fire-breathing Dragon | Basic set | Gem Mint 10 (perfect) | 369,000 USD |
| Holographic Version 1 Fire-breathing Dragon | Basic set | Nearly intact 7 | 13,000 USD |
| Pikachu (No Shadow) | Basic set | Gem Mint 10 (perfect) | 100 dollars |
| Pikachu (No Shadow) | Basic set | Nearly intact 8 | 25 USD |
After you have done some homework-check the type of card, estimate its value and send it for identity verification when needed-you are finally ready to sell. Where to sell Pokemon Cards
The best place to sell Pokemon cards online: eBay
“The main market will definitely be eBay,” Pratt said. “Even if you are someone who stumbled across your childhood collection, it’s easy to take a few photos [and] Make a decent listing. “
Why eBay? It is home to several high-profile deals and also caters to deals of $20 and $30. In short, eBay is the perfect meeting place for nostalgic buyers and sellers and people who have been peddling and trading Pokemon cards since the 90s.
Other places where Pokemon cards are sold
- Card market: An online market located in Germany that caters to the needs of trading card game lovers.
- Troll and toad: The center of all game-related things, including video games, table games, and trading card games.
- TCG player: An e-commerce market that allows shops and enthusiasts to buy and sell trading cards.
- Facebook market: A free tool connected to your Facebook profile that allows you to buy or sell almost any physical object locally.
- Local comic book or hobby shop: If you want to buy or sell Pokemon cards without the hassle of shipping, this is a great alternative to Facebook Marketplace.
Selling Pokemon Cards: Expert Tips and Takeaway
- Look for indicators of rarity, such as the type of Pokemon, setting symbols and shadow boxes (or lack thereof), and of course holographic reflections.
- If you know that each card is worth at least $100, Pratt recommends that you verify and grade the cards, especially if you plan to watch them. For lower-value cards, the cost of rating them may exceed the potential selling price of the card.
- If you don’t have an ultra-rare card, don’t worry. Even some of the little-known cards in the basic set are worth about $20 each as long as they are in good condition.
- Be prepared to bargain. Rating them will definitely help prove that your card is legitimate, but when negotiating to get the best deal, you still need to support their value through other buyers’ offers, PSA’s price guides, and other sources.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do you buy a Pokemon card at the pawnshop?
In some cases, pawn shops do buy Pokemon cards, but we don’t recommend selling them there. Unless the pawn shop specializes in card games, the clerk may not know the ins and outs of Pokemon card trading. So you can expect a low price offer.
If you want to sell them locally, try using a comic book store or hobby shop.
What is the most valuable Pokemon card?
The “Pikachu Illustrator” card sold the most, at least publicly. These cards were awarded to the winner of the Pokemon contest held in Japan around 1998. It is known that there are fewer than 40 of these cards. In recent years, some have been priced between US$100,000 and US$375,000.
The first version of the holographic fire-breathing dragon of Gem mint 10 (also known as the perfect state) from the 1999 basic set is almost as valuable. They sold for as much as $369,000 at auction.
Should I sell my old Pokemon card collection?
You should sell your Pokemon card collection only when you are ready to give it up and You know its true value. In true Marie Kondo fashion: if owning cards brings you happiness, keep them. If selling them will bring you more happiness, then do it.
Should I rate my Pokemon card?
It may take a while to score your Pokemon cards, and each card costs approximately US$20. With this in mind, as long as the value exceeds $20, you should consider rating the card.
Some exceptions apply. For example, if you have a complete basic set that you want to sell (or show), it may be worth scoring each card—even if the value of a single card is less than $20—because scoring the entire set of cards will enhance Its overall value.
Spend time researching their value
With the release of new video games and movies, Pokemon re-enter the mainstream culture, and it is expected that the buying and selling of old cards will increase. But interest will not pick up overnight.
“In this sense, it is not binary,” Pratt said.
Instead, it’s a more gradual process, and each new version related to Pokemon reminds people in their twenties and thirties of their childhood: the crumpled sound of tearing open a pack of new cards, and then It is their strong ink smell when they shuffle the cards in the series, hoping to find something rare.
But when you flip through your collection, please remember that you are not in a hurry to clear it now. Take some time to process your cards. See if they are valuable. Consider letting them authenticate. Then decide whether they are worth selling.
Twenty years later, Pokemon-and its card collector enthusiasts-will not disappear anytime soon.
Adam Hardy is a former contributor to The Penny Hoarder, who specializes in the story of the gig economy. He graduated from the University of South Florida, majoring in journal journalism and sociology.
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