Rarest and most valuable Pokemon cards worth up to £1.3million – do you have one?
POKEMON was a toy phenomenon back in the 1990s but the popular cards featuring cute characters could be worth some serious cash now.
Pokemon cards have become collectibles, with fans splashing out thousands and even millions of pounds for the rarest.
Back in the day a set of cards would set you back around £4. So if you have old ones lurking around you could find they are now worth a small fortune – if it’s the right one.
The pandemic lockdowns when people had more time on their hands even fuelled a new surge of interest in Pokemon trading cards.
Enthusiasts can send their cards to be graded, valued and sealed by an organisation in America called The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).
It will give cards a rating out of 10, with the highest being the most valuable.
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The record for the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold was the Pikachu Illustrator card that was PSA grade 10.
It was snapped up by YouTuber Logan Paul for a whopping £3,862,424 last year.
Richard Page, owner of NeoCards and Collectibles, previously told The Sun that the most valuable cards are those that are older, harder to find (so rare) and are in the best condition.
According to research from Money.co.uk which looked at Pokemon cards for sale on eBay, you could make a tidy sum from flogging some cards.
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Of course a Pokemon card, or other collectible, is only really ever worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
A collector could be willing to pay more for any item that completes a set and prices can change over time, even for the same item.
Plus, don’t forget that eBay sales and asking prices are just an indication and the item may have sold for less, or not at all.
Here are the Pokemon cards with the five biggest price tags currently being sold on eBay.
Japanese No2 Trainer Neo Spring battle trophy card – £1,352,814
Different trainer cards were given out to competition winners in locations around the world in several years so they are generally rare and unique.
This particular card is a Japanese promo from 2001 and minted as a 9 out of 10 on the PSA scale, according to the listing.
There’s no recorded sale of this particular card, according to PSA.
But similar versions for Summer battle have gone for around £20,000 (£16,016) in previous years, though they had a lower grade of seven.
Japanese Kangaskhan Holo familiy event trophy card – £395,000
With a rating of PSA 10, the card is the highest quality and is another trophy card from a Japanese tournament in 1998.
The same card has sold twice previously, though for far less than this seller is asking for.
They could still end up with a tidy sum though, as they each sold in 2020 for just over £120,000, according to PSA.
Machamp first edition holographic – £30,000
The seller claims to have a first edition base set Machamp – but has not detail of the condition in the listing or official PSA
The highest a grade 8 sold for according to PSA was £65, while a grade 10 went for £641 last year.
As the card for sale does not appear to have the casing which surrounds most officially graded cards – and the card has been for sale since last August – it’s unlikely the buyer is going to get that asking price.
Charizard first edition – £26,183
Charizard first editions are among the rarer Pokemon cards but the exact value depends on which version you have.
This listing for the Charizard card is asking for just over £26,000 for a grade 8 and claims it has a “grey error” though does not state what that is.
Shadowless versions of Charizard cards (the artwork was later changed) are usually worth more and the YouTuber Logan Paul purchased one of these too for $150,000.
This card listing doesn’t say it is shadowless, but those that are not usually sell for far less.
The most recent grade 8 non-shadowless first edition Charizard card sold for around £6,000 in January.
Typhlosion first edition set of three – £16,500
Another first edition from Pokemon Neo Genesis in 2000, this card is rated as 9.5 according to the Beckett Grading Service (BGS) another firm which confirms condition.
According to PSA the most recent 9 scored card sold for £1,584, but this did not have the “red dot error” that the cards in the listing have.
Errors can have an effect on the value of cards, as it can mean they are rarer, but should be a recognised error.
Florence Codjoe, finance expert at money.co.uk, says if you find one you think is worth money and want to sell, compare prices across sellers.
She said: “It’s sometimes hard to know if you’re selling for the right price, or if you’re being ripped off with one you have your eye on.
“Compare listings with similar ones across marketplaces like Amazon or eBay, or even niches selling sites like Cardmarket.
“It can help to compare historical sold prices too, to check you’re not overpaying.”
When comparing prices ask yourself, is it in a similar condition? Is it authentic? Does it have its original packaging?
If it’s in mint condition then it might be worth selling it through an auction house or directly to a collectables website.
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Don’t forget to that if you’re selling there may be fees involved, like platform fees and shipping.
You can choose to get your card verifies to prove its authentic and grade its condition, which can lead to a higher price, but you’ll have to pay for this too
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