If you collected Pokemon cards when you were young, chances are you have an old shoebox storing your collection in Mom's basement somewhere. Rare Pokémon cards have been known to sell for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, but how can you tell?areAre the cards really worth money? Here's how to tell if your Pokemon cards are valuable collectibles or just a bunch of cardboard nostalgia.
We'll cover the two main factors that go into determining a Pokémon card's value (rarity and condition), then explain how to determine a card's value and where to exchange it for money.
How to determine pokemon card value
pokemon card rarity
Anyone who's ever opened a Pokémon booster pack knows the thrill of flipping through the deck to see if there's a coveted rare inside. Rare cards are the most valuable cards printed by Pokémon, and a few different types have been released over the years. There are numerous factors that determine how rare a card is.
The black symbol in the bottom corner of a Pokémon card indicates its rarity: a dot is common, a diamond is uncommon, and a star is rare. Traditionally, the star is black, but a card with a star of another color, such as white or gold, means it's extremely rare.
A card with a First Issue stamp on the side means it's from the first edition of a deck, giving it added value.
When a card is holographic, it's worth even more.
Over the years, new types of cards have been introduced that look very different from your standard Pokémon card. These rare cards have names like Pokémon EX, Pokémon GX, and Pokémon V/MAX, and they stand out thanks to the holographic art that covers the entire card.
There are Standard, Full Arts, Rainbow Secret Rares, and Shiny versions of these cards, each with their own set value.
All of these different types of cards can be hard for the uninitiated to digest, so you can easily find which card you have by looking it up online using the designated number in the bottom corner.
Aside from the symbol that is printed on it, there are other factors that can make a card valuable. Cards featuring popular Pokémon are eagerly sought after by fans, creating high demand that increases the value. Some popular Pokemon are:
- Glurak
- Blastoise
- Rayquaza
- Pikachu
- His death
- umbrella
- Lugia
Cards that are particularly good in the game are often worth more.
Then there are the limited edition cards that can only be obtained by attending special events, entering contests, and entering tournaments; These are some of the most valuable cards a Pokemon collector can get. We will cover this in more detail below.
Sorting your collection by these rarity types is a good starting point for identifying the crème de la crème. These cards can be further evaluated to discover their true value.
Don't worry if most of your cards are not rare cards that are worth a lot of money, that's perfectly normal. If you have a lot of cards that aren't worth selling individually, you can still sell them in bulk.
pokemon card status
Once you've identified which cards in your set are rare enough to consider selling, the next step is to assess their condition. Any card you consider valuable should be stored in a protective sleeve and out of direct sunlight to preserve its condition.
A card in mint or near mint condition generally sells for full price, while any blemishes will cause the card to lose value.
There are obvious blemishes, such as scratches, creases, and cracks, which are usually caused by playing with the cards or improper storage. This type of damage can greatly reduce the value of a card.
Then there are the minor blemishes like centering and chipping that are a result of how well the map was printed. These blemishes have a minor impact on value and are typically only considered when the card is professionally appraised.
Special letters to consider
In addition to the various rarities mentioned above, there are some unique traits worth looking out for that can mean a Pokemon card is high in value. These are often printing errors or limited distribution that have resulted in a card becoming extremely valuable to collectors. Sometimes these cards look no different at first glance from others of the same type and require special attention to identify, so take a close look!
no shadows
You may have heard the term "shadowless" when referring to extremely valuable Pokémon cards. For example, a Charizard card from the Shadowless core set typically sells for a few thousand dollars on eBay. But what does this term mean and how can you tell if your card is Shadowless?
After the first edition of the base set Pokemon cards, a drop shadow was added to the box art to bring some life to the design. Therefore, all cards from the original set are known as Shadowless. Shadowless cards have become collectibles because only a small number of them exist.
Look closely at the edge of the cards in your base set. If no shadow is visible along the edge, you have a map with no shadows.
Tournaments and Promo Cards
Not all Pokemon cards come from booster packs. Some of the rarer Pokémon cards were only given out as tournament prizes or giveaways. These cards often have a stamp on the graphic to identify where they're from, or have a special promotional star in the bottom corner, so be sure to keep an eye out for such markings on your cards.
Some of these special cards were pretty common back then, like the Mew promo card that was given out in 1999 to those who bought tickets for Pokémon: The First Movie, so they're now worth no more than a few dollars.
But some, like the 2011 and 2012 Pokémon World Championships Tropical Beach map, can easily cost hundreds of dollars.
error cards
Certain cards have misspellings, formatting issues, typos, or other errors that make an otherwise unremarkable card a rare collector's item.
For example, a 1999 Pokémon Unlimited base Blastoise that is missing the "stage" in the top right corner is labeled as"Blastoise Stage Error"and it can go by the thousands.
There are dozens of different bug cards that have popped up over the years, so it might take a while to go through your collection, but it might be worth it if you end up finding one. While some bugs are common and not worth much, some are extremely valuable to collectors.
Boxshe is readyto see if you have a particularly rare error card.
How to collect your Pokémon cards
Now that you've reviewed your cards and identified which ones might have value, it's time to see how much they're really worth and put them up for sale.
Unsurprisingly, one of the easiest ways to check a card's value is to look it up on an auction site like eBay. Check completed offers to see how much the card actually sold for.
Other useful sites are liketcg playerYtroll and toad, which act as digital storefronts for game stores and individuals who sell cards. Once you're looking for a card, you can check the market price to get an idea of what it's currently worth. Like eBay, these sites allow you to sell your cards for a fee.
Once you know how much your cards are worth, you can make an offer on one of these websites to sell them, or you can visit a card shop or flea market to haggle in person to get the best price for your cards. of pokemon.
Joshua is a Senior Features Editor and Producer at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are commonly used words in his vocabulary, he should follow them.Twitter @JoshuaYehlYIGN.