Best Pokémon Cards For Sale

Pokémon cards have made a come back and have been soaring in prices rapidly over the past couple of years. There are many valuable Pokémon cards available for sale that range greatly in price. But before we dive into the best and most valuable pokemon cards for sale on the market, we need to go over what makes them valuable in the first place.

What makes a Pokémon Card Valuable?

There are several different main factors that determine what make a pokemon card valuable such as the card series, condition rating, and overall rarity of the card.

Card Series

To start the are three main different card series. There are 1^st edition cards, shadowless cards, and unlimited cards. 1^st edition cards are the most sought after and worth more money than shadowless and unlimited series cards. These were released in limited quantities and are exceedingly rare. 1^st edition pokemon cards from the basic pokemon set are considered “holy grail” cards and include Charizard, Blastoise, and others. You can tell if your pokemon card is first edition by looking at the bottom left corner of the pokemon picture. If your card has a small #1 with the word "edition" wirtten above it, then you have a 1st edition card like the one pictured below.

Shadowless cards are not as rare as first edition cards, but they are definitely more sought after than unlimited cards and can still catch a pretty penny on the market. Shadowless Pokemon cards do not include a black outline around the picture of the pokemon card and therefore are considered “shadowless”. You can also tell a shadowless card because the power font on the top right is in skinny font and the bottom of the card where dates are listed is different compared to the unlimited series. Shadowless cards include an extra date which is 99 and has a space in between the 1999 and circled C on the bottom right. Pictures below show the difference between shadowless and limited series cards.

Limited Series cards are the most common type of pokemon cards and are rarely worth anything of value. Some rare unlimited series cards that are in mint condition can sometimes be valuable, but that is about it. You can tell these cards by looking at the black outline behind the pokemon picture.

Condition

The condition of a rare pokemon card can truly make or break its value. When I say condition by the way, I do not mean your personal judgement of whether you think the card is mint. For big ticket cards, the condition of the card must be authenticated by a reputable third party company such as PSA or others. Having an official grade rating on the card lets buyers know exactly what condition the card is in according to a professional. Rating for cards range from 1-10, with 1 being in poor condition and 10 being a gem. Cards rated at a 10 can sell significantly more than cards rated at a 9 and are more sought after. If your card has not been authenticated by a reputable third party it will be near impossible to sell at its actual value.

Rarity

The pokemon card rarity the last determining factor for its value. Cards range from common cards to holo, rare cards. Holographic pokemon cards are generally rarer than the others and are the most valuable. Within the holographic pokemon group, there are some that are rarer than others due to how many were released. Holographic heavies from the 1^st pokemon set such as Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur are rarer than say Chansey or some of the other holographic pokemon.

5 Best Pokémon Cards

Now that we have covered what makes a pokemon card valuable, we are going to cover some of the 5 best and most valuable pokemon cards available for sale.

Charizard Unlimited

The Charizard unlimited is a classic card that is appreciated by all pokemon card collectors. This card is not incredibly valuable since it is neither 1^st edition nor shadowless, but the rarity of this card still makes it wanted. A Charizard unlimited graded PSA 10 can still fetch you up to $5000 and is considered a classic pokemon card.

Blastoise 1^st Edition Shadowless

The 1^st Edition Blastoise pokemon card is rare and very hard to find. If you happen to come across one of these rated a PSA 10 then you will be looking at one of the rarest pokemon cards in the world. This can fetch up to $20,000 if in great condition and properly authenticated.

Venusaur 1^st Edition Shadowless

This is another heavy holographic card that is a favorite by collectors. As of late, 1^st edition Venusaur cards rated perfect 10s have been selling as high as $50,000. This classic card comes from the 1^st pokemon card set and is an original pokemon.

Charizard Shadowless

This is one of the holy grails of pokemon cards. Although it is not as rare and valuable as the first edition Charizard, this one is still a keeper. A PSA graded 10 Shadowless Charizard is one of the most demanded pokemon cards and can you fetch you up to $20,000 for one.

1^st Edition Charizard

This is the pokemon cards of all pokemon cards! Charizard was always a popular pokemon and many collectors tried to get their hands on one of the Charizards cards. Of all the Charizard pokemon cards, the 1st edition, shadowless Charizard is the best. It is possibly the rarest and most valuable pokemon card on the planet. A first edition Charizard card that has been graded an authentic 10 can sell for over $100,000.

Closing Thoughts

That is our list of the 5 best and valuable pokemon cards available on the market. If you have any questions please feel free to comment below!