The best Pokémon cards in the world

How can the best Pokémon cards in the world be classified?

Pokémon today is far more than a series of anime, video games and card games. It has developed into a global phenomenon and one of the most valuable franchises of all! They are now even used as the basis for scientific studies.

Pokémon cards may represent only a small part of this world, but they too have gone through an enormous transformation. From a niche card game for a small number of fans, the trading card game has grown into a subculture of its own.

In the process, three types of people interested in Pokémon cards have emerged:

• The player: he uses the cards for their original purpose and competes against other players. In doing so he is constantly looking for new strategies, better cards and stronger opponents. Many players have been active since the 90s and have seen many different cards, meta games and trends come and go.
• The collector: he simply enjoys owning cards or completing sets. The collector likes to display his treasures in Pokémon accessories such as display or deck boxes and uses them as decoration. This Pokémon fan has often been there from the very beginning as well and knows the subject very well.
• The investor: the rarest Pokémon cards today achieve downright absurd prices of several million US dollars. The investor buys cards specifically as an investment in order to profit from strong price increases. He has often only developed an interest in the world of Pokémon relatively late.

Of course there are big overlaps between the individual groups. Many active players are at the same time committed collectors, or use the cards as a stable investment alongside.

What the best Pokémon cards in the world are always depends on the perspective from which you look at the TCG: an investor is interested in the aspect of rising value. For him, the best Pokémon card in the world is one that is currently cheap to buy and will soon gain a great deal in value.

For the collector, on the other hand, the best Pokémon card in the world is one that is particularly rare or could complete his collection. The price can, but does not have to, play a central role.

The player, in turn, is likely to be less interested in prices and rarity. He is looking for particularly useful cards that allow him new strategies, fit the current meta game and give him an advantage over his opponents.

The best Pokémon cards in the world by category

In the following we want to look at the best Pokémon cards in various categories. Depending on the goals you pursue with the cards, the best copy could fit into one or more of these groups.

The most expensive Pokémon cards

We start with a category that is relatively easy to understand and classify: the most expensive Pokémon card, that is, the copy that currently achieves the highest sale price.

Comparatively little has happened here in recent years. The most expensive cards ever sold are:

1. Illustrator Pikachu Grade 10

This card, which is not suitable for the actual game, was acquired in April 2022 by an internet personality for the incredible sum of 16.5 million US dollars. Only 39 copies were ever produced and just 20 are still known today. This example shows the great importance of condition: the same card with a PSA grading of 9 previously fetched “only” 1.3 million US dollars. So do not skimp on protecting your best cards!

2. Illustrator Pikachu Grade 9

As already described, the Illustrator Pikachu card with PSA grading 9 achieved a significantly lower but still handsome price: the new owner had to pay 1.275 million US dollars for it, which puts it in second place among the most expensive playing cards.

3. Charizard Topsun Blue Black

In 1997 the Japanese manufacturer Topsun added a Pokémon card featuring Charizard to its packs of chewing gum as a free gift. The development in value could hardly be more dramatic: today a copy with PSA grading 10 costs half a million US dollars!

The reason for this high price is a misprint on some cards: instead of the actual production year 1997, 1995 was printed. Experts still argue today about which number is actually correct.

Pokémon cards with the best value development

Anyone looking for the best Pokémon cards as an investment should look at the value development first. Even ahead of the actual price, it is the most important factor for a good investment.

There are many micro-trends in this area (short-term increases in the value of individual cards). Instead, however, we want to look at the best Pokémon cards with strong long-term price growth:

1. Kabuto 1st Edition

Kabuto cards from the first edition Fossil set look rather unremarkable at first, but thanks to enormous social media hype they have gained massively in value! A collector known only by the name “Kabuto King” is buying up every copy he can find.

Word has got around: within a few months the price rose from just CHF 1 to over 50 today! Further increases in value are to be expected if Kabuto King continues to buy up cards.

2. Mew ex - SVP 053

The EX Mew, number SVP 053, has a particularly beautiful artwork, which has certainly contributed to its enormous rise in value: the price has increased twentyfold in just two years!

The originally inexpensive promo card (price at release: approx. CHF 5) quickly moved into the focus of collectors. Today only a few copies are still available, which explains the very high price of up to CHF 500 for a PSA Grade 10 card.

3. Kingdra ex - SVP131

Another promo card that was available for around CHF 5 to 10 at the time of its release – but only “in the West” and not in Japan itself! This circumstance contributes to the strong rise in value of the Kingdra EX SVP 131: in next to no time the card was able to quintuple its value!

Here too, alongside the limited availability, the artwork is an important reason for the high demand: the depiction is based on The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the most frequently copied image in art history.

The most beautiful Pokémon cards

A very subjective criterion is undoubtedly the “most beautiful Pokémon card”. Anyone looking for the best display pieces for the cabinet at home will be especially interested in the design. The cards in the “Art Rare” and “Special Art Rare” categories stand out here in particular.

These are particularly attractive cards whose artwork was created by various artists. In each case the graphic extends across the entire surface, which gives the illustrators enough room for breathtaking designs.

All Art cards are not only beautiful to look at, they are also a lucrative investment. Which one is right for you depends on your taste and your budget. We would like to highlight two particularly beautiful examples:

1. Psyduck - sv2a 175/165

Psyduck, as usual with its hands on its head, stands lost on a large staircase. The artist “Whisker” shows here that, contrary to its reputation, the Pokémon does not always have to be clumsy!

The colour scheme of the surroundings in particular makes this card especially attractive. Speaking of attractive: at currently less than CHF 20 for a near Mint copy, the purchase price for a Psyduck sv2a 175/165 is very inviting, too.

2. Ninetales - sv3 110/108

Ninetales sv3 110/108 shows Ninetales in a forest clearing, with all nine tails visibly spread out. The Japanese illustrator Shie Nanahara has staged the often overlooked Fire Pokémon in an atmospheric way.

In keeping with the fire type, the card is done in warm red tones. Unfortunately there is no variant of the Alolan regional form; in the Art series, however, you will find many other beautiful copies in ice blue!

The best Pokémon cards for the Trading Card Game

Pretty or valuable versions are all well and good, but real players want the best Pokémon cards for their deck! That is the only way they can put current meta strategies into practice and beat their opponents.

The cornerstone of a modern deck is always strong Trainer cards, because they have a big influence on the game – even bigger than individual Pokémon! Two classics must not be missing here:

• Professor’s Research lets you draw five new cards and shuffle your current hand into your deck in return. A particularly useful move for a quick setup or to improve your current selection.
• With Boss’s Order you can swap your opponent's active Pokémon with the one on their bench and thoroughly disrupt the other side's strategy. This extremely popular card is available in various illustrations, languages and prices.

Anyone who wants to put together a strong set for competitions cannot avoid current decks. They match the current rotation, which means: you can use them entirely legally at official tournaments and do not have to worry that a card they contain does not comply with the rules.

The Pokémon TCG today is a card game, a collecting passion and an investment all in one. Depending on which category you belong to, the best Pokémon card can look completely different.

Anyone interested in the actual card game who wants to build the strongest possible deck cannot avoid Trainer cards such as Professor’s Research and Boss’s Order. Current decks are also the ideal way in, because they offer coordinated sets that are approved for official tournaments.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for an attractive decorative object, you will find what you are after in the “Art Rare” and “Special Art Rare” categories. Here you will find particularly beautiful illustrations such as Psyduck sv2a 175/165, Ninetales sv3 110/108 and many other full-page artworks by various artists.

In terms of value development, the unremarkable Kabuto has stood out thanks to enormous social media hype. EX Mew, number SVP 053 and Kingdra EX SVP 131 also show strong gains, which are likely to be connected to their rarity and very beautiful illustration.

If you are looking for the best Pokémon card in the “high price” category, you will have to dig deep into your pockets: two Illustrator Pikachu (one with PSA Grading 10, one with Grade 9) and a Topsun Charizard lead the list here. Entry is possible from around half a million US dollars. For the most expensive Pokémon card, over USD 5 million is due!

Frequently asked questions