How much is each pokemon card worth

How much is each pokemon card worth
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If you want to sell your Pokémon cards, it's important that you value them first so you know you're getting a good deal. Fortunately, Pokémon cards are easy to value once you know what to look for and where to look.

  1. How much is each pokemon card worth

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    Check card rarity. Each Pokémon card has a rarity that determines how likely you are to open it in a booster pack. While this isn't the only thing that determines a card's a value, it's probably the biggest. Look in the bottom right corner of the card to find the rarity symbol, next to the card number:

    • A circle means the card is common, while a diamond marks uncommon cards. These are easy to find, and not usually worth much unless the card was printed in 1999 or 2000.
    • A star means the card is rare, while a star H or three stars are special, extra-rare cards.[1] These rarities have the highest potential to be valuable, so separate them from the rest of your collection.
    • Other symbols typically mean the card was sold as part of a special product, not a booster pack. Try looking up the card as a "Promo", "Deck Kit", or "Boxtopper" version to check the price. These can range in price from a few cents to over $100, depending on the product.

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    Investigate early cards closely. Cards printed soon after the game was released are especially valuable, and even commons and uncommons might be worth $5 each or more.[2] Any card that says "Wizards of the Coast" at the bottom of the card is from 1999 or early 2000, and is worth investigating closely. If one or both of the following features are present, and the card is a rare, it could potentially sell for $100 or more:

    • Look for a first edition stamp below and to the left of the card artwork. This looks like a "1" inside a black circle, with lines radiating out above it.[3]
    • If the art box has no "shadow" underneath it, it is referred to as "shadowless" by collectors.[4]

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  3. How much is each pokemon card worth

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    Check the collector number. Look at the collector number at the bottom right corner. This is another way to identify a card, and can also clue you in to some special, often valuable cards:

    • Secret rares have a collector number higher than the total # of cards (supposedly) printed in that set, for instance "65/64" or "110/105." Secret rares can range anywhere from a couple of dollars to hundreds of dollars.
    • If the collector number begins with "SH," the card is one type of "Shining Pokémon," with different art than the regular version. These are all also reverse holographic cards.[5]
    • If there is no collector number, the card is probably an early printing, although Japanese cards continued to not display the number for a while longer.[6] Not all of these are worth anything, but it's worth checking.

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    Look for holographic cards. "Holo" cards have a shiny, foil layer over the Pokémon artwork, while "Reverse Holo" cards are shiny everywhere around the artwork. This doesn't automatically make it valuable, but a rare holo (or reverse holo) is definitely worth setting aside.

    • Some special cards have a holographic border around the whole card, but no other holographic portion. These are also potentially valuable, and can be identified more closely using the guidelines below.

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    Check for extra symbols or words after the name. Pokemon that were released before HeartGold SoulSilver display the Pokémon level after the name in the top right, such as "Pikachu LV.12." Some Pokémon have a special symbol instead, and these tend to be worth anything from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.[7] Check for card names followed by ex, ☆, LV.X, LEGEND, or BREAK. Other extra-rare cards called "SP" for "Special Pokémon" have names followed by a stylized G, GL, 4, C, FB, or M. This last group is also easily identified by the "SP" logo at the bottom left corner of the artwork. These Pokémon with those following SP symbols are from Pokémon Platinum: Rising Rivals set.[8]

    • LEGEND Pokémon are printed across two cards, that need to be laid side by side to display the full art and mechanics.

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    Look for other signs of value. Pokémon has released many special, extra-rare, and promotional cards over the years. Most of these are identified by one of the features above, but a few cards are unusual, and sometimes valuable, for other reasons:

    • Full art cards have a picture that extends over the entire card, with the text printed on top of it. These are referred to as "FA" cards by collectors.[9]
    • World Championship cards have a different back than regular cards. These are not legal to play in tournaments, but some are worth $10 or more as collector's items.

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  1. How much is each pokemon card worth

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    Look up card prices using online card-selling websites. There are thousands of unique Pokémon trading cards, and prices change over time as people sell, buy, and speculate. Recently printed cards may drop in price once they are no longer legal in tournaments. Because of these factors, looking up a card actually for sale is more likely to give you an accurate number than a price guide, which may not be up to date.

    • Try a Pokémon card-selling site or eBay, or search online for (your card name) + "selling". Remember to include any special features, using the terms described in the identification section.
    • Most online listings show how much a company is selling cards for. Look for a "buylist" to see how much the company will pay to buy your cards. If selling to another player, the price you'll get will typically fall between these two numbers.

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    Ask Pokémon players or collectors. It's often difficult to find a price online, especially for extra-rare cards that do not trade hands often. Search for a Pokémon trading card game forum online, and post a picture or description of your card for advice. You could also look for a hobby or gaming store in your area.

    • Be wary of scams. Get a second opinion on your cards' value before selling them to a stranger.

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    Note the card's condition. If a card has no visible marks on either side, except perhaps small white marks at the edges, it is considered Mint or Near Mint, and will sell for full price. Different companies have different condition guidelines for damaged cards, but typically a card will be worth significantly less if it is whitened, scratched, or stamped. Many people will not buy cards that are written on, water damaged, modified or torn.[10]

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    Sell low-value cards in bulk. Any card that does not have one of the defining features in the identification section is unlikely to be worth more than a few cents. As you probably discovered if you looked up your individual rares, many of those are worth less than a dollar. The same online stores that sell individual Pokémon cards often buy bulk orders as well, and this is probably your best bet at making some money off these cards.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    How can I detect a fake card?

    How much is each pokemon card worth

    If the back of the card's color is light, if the card is more flexible than normal, if the attacks are outrageous, and if the packs the cards come in are sealed with regular glue, instead of the kind of sealing the Pokemon company uses, then it's likely that the cards are fakes.

  • Question

    What are the white stars for?

    How much is each pokemon card worth

    If the star is at the bottom of the card, this means that it is an ultra-rare card. If the star is located beside attacks, it's just the colourless attack cost symbol.

  • Question

    What does the symbol on the bottom right hand corner of a Pokemon card mean?

    How much is each pokemon card worth

    That is the set that the card is from. For example, if you see a fist, then that card is from the furious fists set.

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  • Sell recently printed cards before they stop being legal in tournaments to get maximum price.

    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

  • Try to keep your cards in mint to near mint condition as much as possible. This way, there will be a higher chance that they will sell more in the near future.

    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

  • Note the strength in its value. If the strength is high, then add a dollar or two to the price.

    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

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  • Brick-and-mortar stores that sell cards typically do not allow people to sell cards on their property.

    As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

To value your Pokémon cards, start by looking for their rarity symbols in the bottom right corner of the cards—a star symbol, a star symbol with an "H," or 3 star symbols mean a card is rare. Once you've figured out which of your cards are rare, look up what they're worth online through websites like Cards Online and eBay. You can also visit a local card-collector or hobby shop to have your rare cards appraised. To learn more about how the card's condition affects its price, keep reading!

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How can I tell how much my Pokémon cards are worth?

Every Pokémon card is stamped with a small symbol in the bottom right corner that identifies its rarity. As is the case with most collectibles, scarcity is a major factor in determining the item's value. So the rarer the card's marker, the higher value it'll likely command at auction.

What Pokémon card is worth $1000000?

The highlight of this collection is a rare card that was only sold in Japan and only one of four in existence: a Pokémon Illustrator card valued at more than $1 million. This isn't a fleeting passion of Martinez's as he's been an avid Pokémon card collector since he was six-years-old.

What Pokémon cards are worth money?

Rare and valuable Pokémon cards.
Gold Pikachu..
Prerelease Raichu..
Master's Key..
Gold Star Espeon and Umbreon..
2002 No. 1 Trainer..
No Rarity Venusaur..
Tropical Wind..
1999 No. 1 Trainer..

What is the 1 rarest Pokémon card?

1998 Pikachu Illustrator Card There's no better place to start than what many consider to be the rarest Pokemon card in existence, the Pikachu Illustrator card. This is the perfect example of a card with extremely limited supply and few graded copies in existence.