The Pokemon TCG has become famous for the absurd prices of its most expensive cards, but how can lapsed players figure out if they have any cards of value?
In theory, Pokemon TCG is a trading card game. In practice, it’s basically gambling. That’s because a massive number of fans are only looking to get the biggest pulls.
While “staple” cards still warrant above-average price tags, many of the most expensive cards don’t pop up in tournaments. And of course, many of the most expensive Pokemon cards are too old to be used in tournaments, or were never tournament-legal in the first place. So how do players know if that binder in the basement has anything of value?
How to check a Pokemon card’s value
Checking the value of a Pokemon card starts with checking out game stores and card shops.
While there are many different valuable Pokemon cards, “value” can range from $5 to hundreds of thousands. Even in pristine condition, a base set PlusPower card might be worth just a few dollars. A hyper-rare full-art card might not be worth very much, either. On the flipside, a powerful, meta-relevant trainer card from recent expansions might be worth tens of dollars.
There’s no specific rhyme or reason when it comes to determining a card’s value. Because of that, players need to consult actual retailers when it comes to determining a card’s value.
The best option for this varies by region. Card shops like Troll and Toad in the United States and Face to Face Games in Canada are among the best. Those looking for prices of something unique like miscuts, rare promos, imports, or vintage cards can look to Ebay.
Just make sure to use filters to see cards that have actually been sold. Many people have outrageously high prices. value is always determined by what people will spend on it, not what people look to sell it for.
How to tell if a Pokemon card is valuable
The method for determining how valuable a Pokemon card is ultimately starts with determining what “valuable” means. There are many different eye-catching cards or vintage that are worth just a few dollars each. Meanwhile, some relatively nondescript cards are worth tens of dollars.
For the most part, players can get an accurate read of a card’s value by checking out its prices on digital card shops. If players think they might have a particularly valuable card on their hands, however, things get a bit more complicated.
The value of exceptionally rare or valuable Pokemon cards can only be ascertained by having them graded.
A first-edition base set Charizard ranges in price anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands. An ungraded first-edition shadowless Charizard typically sells for less than $2,500, even if it’s pulled from a pack and immediately placed in a hard case. Meanwhile, if it’s rated as a gem-mint 10 by PSA or Beckett’s grading service, it’s worth hundreds of thousands.
It’s worth keeping in mind that getting a 10 rating on a card is extremely difficult. Cards can routinely be scratched, scuffed, or nicked when being cut and packed by printers. They can also be scuffed or scratched during shipping and handling. On top of all this, most cards aren’t cut perfectly, which impacts their grade. It’s entirely possible that cards in an unopened pack could be rated just four or five.
