Im just wondering if there is any experience with cards that are high value now because they are highly playable and then when they fall imto the “collectors” catagory.
The best example I can think of is shaymin ex. A $30+ card now, but what could happen after it rotates out of standard play. Now I know it will still be expanded legal which this season is being played more at leagues. I would even wait 2 years to addnit to my collection purely based on the crazy price.
Anyone remember anything like these scenarios happen.
I understand the game is different than it used to be so yes there are different variables. Just lookimg for your thoughts.
Thanks
Playability is THE defining factor for card prices for current cards. Any card that can be used in the TCG in Expanded (BW-current) or Standard (XY-current) has its price more or less directly related to its playabiliity. Shaymin EX is a great example. Its value isn’t inherently there, it’s a construction of the current TCG metagame and as such unstable. I can almost guarantee that Shaymin EX’s value will immediately plummet once it’s rotated out of play.
A couple cards I can think of that exhibit this trend: Virizion/Genesect EX and EX FA from Plasma Blast used to be $20-30 cards each as they made up arguably the most powerful deck at the time (2014 iirc). However that deck is no longer standard-legal and not very viable in expanded either. As such the prices of those card have slipped to $10-15 if not lower. Mewtwo EX from Next Destinies was at one time worth $90 in full art form. Now that it’s less powerful thanks to power creep and reprinting, you can score the full art for $40 in mint condition. Still a valuable card, but it lost over 50% of its value.
Values of cards that are older than BW base set are useless to players and therefore have their value determined by collectors. This is a much more accurate determination of a card’s value, not so say it isn’t prone to fluctuation. But it won’t experience the overnight value crash that current meta cards will. My best advice would be to wait until Shaymin has been rotated out or “tinned” and its value declines.
That being said (important side note) there are a certain select few cards that are hideously unplayable in the current metagame but are still valuable. One example I can think of is Groudon EX Full Art from Dark Explorers (still legal in expanded). Around a $25-30 card, but nowhere near playable. Also some cards may drastically increase in value upon PSA grading as that makes them more attractive to collectors. A Shaymin EX FA, which is worth double the price ungraded as a M Ray FA, would probably be worth less than half of what the M Ray is in PSA 10, as the Shaymin’s value is exclusive to players.
I would recommend that any serious card collector learn to play the TCG and keep up with current meta trends. It will be an invaluable tool in assessing current card values. If I were to pick a couple “buy now” cards whose values would increase in the future, it would be the FA versions of Primal Kyogre/Groudon and M Rayquaza. A couple “sell now” cards would be Shaymin EX, Seismitoad EX, and Manectric/M Manectric EX.
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I don’t follow TCG but I have noticed this holo is pricey
Thanks @fourthstartcg a great and detailed response. I figured as much but didnt think of a few things like when cards are “tinned” as they become more easily accessible for cheapear prices or when you look at a cheaper card normally and its reference to a high graded card. Maybe Mewtwo EX NXD from the battle deck would have brought down the price back then based on what you say even though its a different type of foil. So thats another thing Ive always wondered, why do some variations of cards and the biggest being reverse holofoils not gain much value when they are harder to obtain when looked at as a pull ratio?
@shizzlemetimbers I think its because for a stage1 card its good against Skyfield stadium using decks and has one of the better BREAK cards to evolve into. Then with break you can still use previous evolutions attacks also
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One thing to note is that cards that are extremely playable such as shaymin ex which fits into almost any deck is that it will be used a LOT. If you are looking to pick up a NM/M card of this down the road you may have a hard time. Sure the value of the card in general will plummet, but nm/m copies will be harder to find as well and so I am not sure if the nm/m price will suffer as badly. TCG playability has a large effect on prices but so does collectability of the Pokemon on the card. The mega charizards from flashfire were horribly unplayable and are still $40-$50 cards and seemingly going up as flashfire is out of print at this time.
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