The Most Valuable Pokémon Cards in My Collection

There are some extremely valuable Pokémon cards out there. If you’re like me and have spent years collecting, then you undoubtedly have some. While I may not have ever picked up the Umbreon VMAX I fought so hard to find, I still came away with plenty of extremely valuable cards.

For the purposes of this article, we’re cutting it off at $50 on TCGPlayer and not including multiple different versions of the same Pokémon. Additionally, those not pictured will have a link to the TCGPlayer page with an image on it.

Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR – Crown Zenith

Pokémon cards, Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR — Photo Credit: The Pokémon Company

Crown Zenith was a fantastic set, and it introduced to the world (and this collection) this stunning Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR card. The art style is fairly unique, even in the wider world of the series. There just aren’t many cards that look this good, hence why it’s going for $55 on TCGPlayer.

Mimikyu – Cosmic Eclipse

This Mimiyku is a secret rare, which always drives up the value. It’s got a pretty excellent art cover, featuring a trainer as well. It hails from Cosmic Eclipse, which was a pretty solid set. Right now, it’s sitting at $58 on TCGPlayer, so it’s pretty valuable.

Iono – Paldea Evolved

Some trainer cards end up being pretty expensive, and this Iono from Paldea Evolved is no different. Iono was one of the coolest trainers in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, so it’s not surprising that this card has aged so well. It’s going for $71 on TCGPlayer.

Charmeleon – Scarlet and Violet 151

This set of the original 151 was bound to have some bangers in it because those are the most popular Pokémon cards. Charmeleon, which is part of the most popular evolutionary line in the franchise, is unsurprisingly worth a good amount. This full-art goes for $73 on TCGplayer.

Charizard VSTAR – Sword and Shield

Charizard VSTAR, Pokémon cards — Photo Credit: The Pokémon Company

This one is a promo card, but it’s one of the most valuable promos ever made. The base set Sword and Shield brought this beautiful Charizard VSTAR into the mix, and it remains one of the best cards in my collection, worth about $92 on TCGPlayer. Side note: there could be even more Charizards than the two on this list, but for the sake of the article, we’re ignoring mentioning this one and this one.

Jessie & James – Hidden Fates

Jessie & James are perhaps the most famous NPCs in the entire Pokémon video game series and the anime, so it’s not surprising that this full art from Hidden Fates is one of the most valuable Pokémon cards in my possession. You can find it on TCGPlayer for $99 even still.

Umbreon V – Brilliant Stars

It’s not the Umbreon I mentioned earlier, but this Umbreon V is still amazing. It’s sitting at $99 on TCGPlayer. It has a perfectly fitting art for Umbreon, a dark and brooding Pokémon. Like a few others, it has gone up since I first opened them in packs long ago.

Darkrai VSTAR – Crown Zenith

For a while there, VSTAR cards were all the rage. Like many things, they’ve kind of gone away with the new expansion and sets, but they remain pretty awesome. This particular Darkrai VSTAR ranks high in my collection, going for $125 on TCGPlayer. It’s pretty beautiful, so it makes perfect sense that it’s so expensive.

Charizard VMAX (Shiny) – Shining Fates

Back when there was an active set of shiny Pokémon cards, this was a holy grail of sorts. It has since dropped in value, but it’s still holding steady at $157 on TCGPlayer. That makes it one of the more valuable cards from the Sword and Shield expansion. My brothers and I relentlessly pursued this one, and we all managed to come away with one. Perhaps that speaks to why it has roughly halved in price since then.

Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX – Sun and Moon

Zapdos, Moltres, Articuno — Photo Credit: The Pokémon Company

It doesn’t get cooler than the Legendary Birds. Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno are some of the coolest Legendaries, so having them on Pokémon cards together is a recipe for value. But when you do it in this epic stained glass art style, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s worth $167.

Togepi & Cleffa & Igglybuff GX – Cosmic Eclipse

The second Cosmic Eclipse card on this set, this one features three of the most adorable baby Pokémon on one card. Togepi, Igglybuff, and Cleffa are so cute, and their cards are awesome. Put them together and you get a $199 card on TCGPlayer, unsurprisingly.

Lapras GX – Sun and Moon

Rainbow rares used to be so awesome. It is a crime that they’re not included in sets anymore. Seeing the rainbow color as you slowly pull up the previous card is an unmatched feeling. They’re often pretty valuable, too. This Lapras is worth $199.

Tyranitar V – Battle Styles

Tyranitar V alternate art — Photo Credit: The Pokémon Company

AN alternate art is always a huge pull. For the longest time, I thought this was the most valuable card in the set (more on that below). Even if it’s not, a $263 Pokémon card is not bad at all. This sleeping Tyranitar has such an awesome cover that it makes perfect sense for it to be so valuable. Interestingly, Battle Styles was not a very good set, but it had this banger.

Mew Ex – Paldean Fates

I’m as gobsmacked as you. I knew this Mew Ex card from Paldean Fates was valuable. It’s been in a hard sleeve since day one. However, in doing research for this article, I was utterly stunned to find out it’s sitting at $923 on TCGPlayer. No, it’s not for sale out of my collection. Also, like with the Charizards, there could’ve been more Mews on this list. Seemingly, those two are the most desirable Pokémon cards out there.

Conclusion

The moral of the story here is that no matter how lucky you get with Pokémon cards, which I sometimes did, you probably won’t make back your money. I have several valuable cards, as seen above, and there’s almost no way I have as much in value as I spent collecting. Still, it has been a fun chase, and it has left me with some really awesome cards.