Pokémon cards were a big part of my early childhood. No one knew how to actually play the card game, but we’d tear open a fresh pack with excitement, eager to add them to our binders so we could show them off on the playground. Chances are, you’ve still got a large collection buried somewhere in the attic of your childhood home. Tell your parents not to throw them out. They’ll be worth a fuckton someday — especially when the real Pokémon get old and start dying.
It’s been over 20 years since the original cards were released, and now, many will net you a payday in the thousands.
1st Edition Squirtle — $100
As with most of the cards on this list, that little “1st edition” logo in the left corner of the picture is the difference between a valuable Pokémon card and a card worth little to nothing.
1st Edition Pikachu — $500
1st Edition Holographic Mewtwo — $810
Most of the rare, 1st edition holographic cards will net you in the high hundreds. Except Charizard — you’ll see how much that bad boy is worth further down.
1st Edition Holographic Blastoise — $900
1st Edition Holographic Machamp — $1,000
Pokemon Snap Cards — $8,000
To accompany the 1999 video game Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo 64, a Japanese magazine asked players to send in their best “snaps” taken in the game, which they would then place on a card. They are extremely rare.
Prerelease Raichu — $10,000
Only 10 of these were made and given to employees of the company, hence the “prerelease” stamp on the front.
Tropical Mega Battle cards — $10,000
Only 12 were ever made and given to winners of a Pokémon card tournament in Hawaii.
1st Edition Holographic Charizard — $12,000
Pikachu Illustrator card — $100,000
Only 20 to 39 copies of this card were given out to winners of a 1998 illustration contest. It is known as the world’s most valuable Pokémon card.
h/t ebay, OtakuArt, High Snobiety
