Pokémon consistently ranks as one of the world's most popular trading card games. However, much of the fun happens not during tournaments but when trying to track down and collect the rarest Pokémon cards. Pokémon has become as much a collector's hobby as a game, and the hardest-to-find cards can sell for thousands of dollars. The standard process of finding a Pokémon card value consists of identification and pricing research.
How To Identify The Rarest Pokémon Cards
The first step to determining if you have a Pokémon card that may be worth serious money is to look at the symbol in the bottom right corner. A circle indicates that the card is common. A diamond tells you that a card is uncommon. Finally, a star or letter "R" means the card is rare and has the most potential to have significant value. Some of the rarest Pokémon cards have limited print runs or special variations in their design. Pokémon cards worth investigating can have a holographic finish while reverse holo cards are holographic except for the character picture toward the top. Ultra-rare cards are the hardest to come across, and will often have "ex" or "Prime" included in the name of the card.
How Pokémon Card Condition Affects Value
Like with most collectibles, particularly trading cards, condition seriously impacts how much the rarest Pokémon cards are worth. Mint Pokémon cards have no significant flaws and look like they were just pulled from packs. Near Mint cards may have small nicks or chips around the corners and edges or slight surface scratches. Other card conditions include Lightly Played, Moderately Played, Heavy Played, and Damaged. The most damaged cards may have tears or surface creases which dramatically reduce Pokémon card value. If you have discovered a rare card in near-mint or mint condition, it may be worth sending it to a major grading company like PSA which will evaluate its condition on a scale from 1-10. Although expensive, grading can preserve the condition of cards and many of the record-breaking sales are ultra-rare Pokémon cards in high grades.
How To Find Pokémon Diamonds In The Rough
Even after determining the rarity of a Pokémon card, some limited print run cards may be worth only a few dollars, while others have sold for $10,000 or more. Fortunately, many price guides and search engines are available to better narrow down a Pokémon card value. Static price guides can struggle to keep pace with the rapidly changing demand for certain cards and overall market trends. eBay is one of the most popular places to find actual selling prices for even the rarest Pokémon cards. Completed item searches can show sales going back 90 days. Terapeak is a more powerful search engine that eBay provides free of charge to anyone who sells at least one item. This research tool tracks Pokémon card sales over the past year. Other search engines like Card Ladder charge subscription fees but offer a gigantic database of eBay sales stretching back to the early 2000s.
How To Keep Track Of Your Pokémon Collection
Just because one of your rare Pokémon cards isn't in high demand now, doesn't mean it won't be more sought after in the years to come. These days, it's easier than ever to sort through large Pokémon card collections thanks to apps from hobby authorities like TCGPlayer. Using phone cameras, you can scan your rarest Pokémon cards, identify and store them in lists, and even see selling prices for cards that you own. the thrill is often in the chase, and it may take a lot of patience before you come across your personal holy grail of Pokémon cards.