More than 25 years after the Pokémon Trading Card Game launched in English in early 1999, some cards from its first sets are selling for far more than their original pack price. The figures below are approximate prices for ungraded English cards in near-mint condition, based on sales through late October 2026. Spanish-language cards have a separate market and may sell for different amounts.

The original Base Set, identifiable by the absence of an expansion symbol, includes several of the most sought-after holographic cards. A near-mint Charizard (4/102) sells for about €556, while Blastoise (2/102) is around €190 and Venusaur (15/102) about €143. Alakazam (1/102) is roughly €70, and Mewtwo (10/102) about €59. Even the common Base Set Pikachu is selling for approximately €8.75.

Prices can shift quickly. Charizard reached around €737 in September 2026, but now sits about 25% below that peak. Blastoise is up 181% year over year and at its highest price since 2021; Venusaur has risen 242% over the same period.

Neo Genesis, the first expansion featuring Pokémon from the second generation, followed the release of Gold and Silver and arrived in English in December 2000. Its standout card, Lugia, is selling for about €674 in near-mint condition, up 68% over the past year and at its highest price since January 2021. Typhlosion is around €269, a 161% annual increase, but remains below its April 2021 peak of €441.

Other early expansions also include valuable cards. The holographic Scyther from Jungle sells for about €45, up 127% over the year and at a record level in the available tracking. Fossil’s holographic Zapdos is around €28, 54% higher than a year ago but still 45% below its January 2021 peak. Dark Charizard from Team Rocket is worth about €320, up 48% year over year.

Condition is crucial. A near-mint card should be almost flawless, with no whitening on the edges, scratches on the holographic surface or creases. A heavily played card can be worth only a fraction of the near-mint price; a worn Base Set Charizard, for example, sells for less than a third as much.

Two features can add further value: the black “Edition 1” stamp beneath the illustration, and, for Base Set cards, the shadowless design, which lacks a shadow along the right edge of the illustration frame. Professional grading can also make a substantial difference. A Base Set Charizard graded PSA 9 sells for about €3,153—more than five times the price of an ungraded copy.

Modern cards can also command high prices, though the source describes these as exceptions. Special illustration rare cards are among the most valuable: an ungraded Umbreon ex from Prismatic Evolutions sells for about €993, down 14% from a year ago, while the special illustration rare Mega Charizard X ex from Phantasmal Flames is around €560.

For anyone checking a collection, the practical first step is to separate holographic and rare cards, identified by a star in the lower-right corner, and inspect them in good light. Prices should be compared with completed sales rather than sellers’ asking prices. UltraBall tracks sales for more than 20,000 Pokémon cards and shows both graded and ungraded prices and how they have changed over time, but its figures cover English-language cards and should be treated only as a reference for cards in other languages.

Sources: Nintenderos.