Introduction:
Not all Pokemon characters are made equal. Some are more powerful than others but power is never a permanent state of affairs in the Pokemon universe.
A top dog today may get eclipsed the next time Nintendo adds more species to the Pokedex and this seems to happen with the release of every new generation.
The more stable approach is to invest in the most popular characters. But the hottest Pokemon of 2020 may be completely overshadowed by another come 2021.
Charizard
Charizard remains one of the most popular and recognizable characters in the Pokemon universe. It has managed to stay in the top 10 of every popularity ranking we could find.
The enduring popularity of the character is probably the reason why the 1st Edition Base Set Charizard remains one of the most expensive Pokemon cards on planet earth.
1.) Charizard G LvX Holo
Other Charizard cards may not command 200,000-dollar price tags but they have shown impressive growth over the past year.
The 2009 Charizard G LV.X holo from the Supreme Victors set surged 235.9% between November 2019 and November 2020.
PSA 9 values went from $220 to $739 in the space of a year.
2.) Blaine’s Charizard Holo 1st Edition
The 1st Edition Blaine’s Charizard Holo from the Gym Challenge set has done even better.
The value of PSA 10 versions has gone through the roof.
A card that sold for $1,300 at the end of 2019 recently sold for $8,988.
That’s an increase of 591.4% in the space of 13 months.
3.) Base Set Charizard Unlimited Holo
The Charizard Holo from the Base Set blows the two above out of the water, shooting 638% between November 2019 and November 2020.
From $2,249 to $16,600 in a year.
The majority of that growth was seen in the last half of 2020.
Pikachu
Pikachu may not elicit the same passion in fans that Charizard does but it remains the most recognizable Pokemon character. It’s the franchise mascot after all.
Pikachu has appeared in mainstream movies in addition to anime, video games, and trading cards. The electric type Pokemon has also been featured in countless promotional products and graces the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold to date, the Pikachu Illustrator.
1.) 2002 Japanese McDonalds Pikachu Promo
Promotional Pikachu cards are always in high demand.
They command good prices and you can count on strong growth due to their limited quantities.
The 2002 Japanese McDonalds promo card has surged over 725% in the past year.
It’s price has gone from $71.58 to $591 for a PSA 10 card.
2.) EX Holon Phantoms Pikachu Gold Star
Playing cards have shown strong price growth as well.
The 2006 Pikachu Gold Star from the EX Holon Phantoms set has seen a 240.6% surge in pricing from $500 to $1,703 for a PSA 9 card.
Gold Stars in general have performed incredibly well as a set.
3.) Jungle Pikachu 1st Edition
The 1st Edition Jungle Pikachu has seen an even stronger growth in value.
A PSA 10 version of the card that was selling for a mere $52 just a year ago now fetches $533.
That’s a +925% increase, again beating out many other different asset classes available today.
Eeveelutions
This cute fluffy Pokemon has been a fan favorite for years. It evolves into 8 different Pokemon, many of which have become similarly beloved.
Its evolutions Flareon, Umbreon, and Sylveon have all made an appearance in fan rankings.
1.) Jungle Vaporeon 1st Edition
The Jungle Vaporeon 1st Edition is a similarly strong performer though it had some trouble with shill bidding and speculators in October.
This led to some unfortunate price fluctuations but the market has since corrected this little anomaly and the card’s long-term outlook is pretty solid.
It has seen an impressive 655% price hike in the last 14 months from $54.95 to $415 for a PSA 10 copy.
2.) Skyridge Flareon Holo
The 2003 Flareon Holo from the Skyridge set is also a proud member of the 600% club.
The value of the PSA 9 card has risen from $90 to $660 (+633.3%) in the 15 months leading up to November 2020.
Gengar
The ghost type pocket monster has basked in fan adoration for quite some time. This broad popularity is responsible for the strong performance of Gengar cards across multiple sets.
1.) Sabrina’s Gengar Holo 1st Edition
Sabrina’s Gengar Holo 1st Edition from 2000s Gym Heroes set is one of the best performing Gengar cards out there.
PSA 10 cards saw a 1500% ($375 to $6000) rise in value between August 2019 and November 2020.
This incredible rise makes the Gengar cards one of the fastest growing characters to look out for in the coming years.
2.) Japanese Mega Gengar EX Promo
The Mega Gengar EX from the 2014 japanese XY promo is quite a strong performer as well.
PSA 10 cards saw their value rise from $20.01 to $299 between November 2019 and November 2020 (+1394.3%)
For those who have dismissed the recent sets as not being worth their time, might take a second look after seeing some of the returns the newer sets are bringing.
3.) Fossil Gengar 1st Edition
The 1st edition Gengar from the Fossil set has also posted a solid performance.
PSA 10 versions saw their value rise 261.4% from $83 to $300 in the 15 months leading up to November 2020.
Holographic cards steal all the headlines, but the truth is there is still lots of growth and potential to be seen in the rest of the set.
Mewtwo
Mewtwo reigned as the most powerful pokemon for years. While the addition of new species to the Pokedex has pushed it off the No. 1 spot, this psychic type Pokemon remains one of the most elite characters in the game.
Mewtwo cards perform just as well in the TCG market across multiple sets and categories.
1.) Mewtwo Battle Festa Japanese XY Promo
The Mewtwo Battle Festa was released as part of the 2015 Japanese XY promo.
A PSA 10 card fetching only $26 back in December 2019 sold for $142.50 in November 2020.
That’s a gain of 448.1% over 11 months.
2.) Base Set Mewtwo Holo Unlimited
The Mewtwo Holo from the Base Set surged over a thousand percentage points in the 12 months leading up to November 2020.
The value of a PSA 10 card went from $107.50 to $1,362.
That’s an outstanding increase of +1,166.98% for just an unlimited print card.
3.) Expedition Base Set Mewtwo Reverse Foil
The Mewtwo Reverse Foil from 2002s Expedition Base Set is another thousand-percenter.
PSA 10 values went from $54 to $650 (+1,103.7%) in the space of a year.
Conclusion:
If you want to take the Pokemon TCG market seriously, partially for profit.
You need to look into the long term future prospects of a trading cards value by analysing the historical importance of a Pokemon character, as well as it’s future potentiality.
Data retrieved from eBay completed auctions!
