The standout Pokémon cards hit harder than any previous year on record. It was surprising enough when the top 10 priciest Pokémon cards of 2024 all passed the $100 mark. But this year? We’re buried in so many three-digit chases that most don’t even make the cut!
Besides inflation, a big part of that spike is tied to why booster packs were nearly impossible to find at MSRP this year. The debut of Pokémon TCG Pocket in late 2024 kicked off a surge in real-world card collecting that kept going strong through early 2025. This led to empty shelves, reckless (sometimes outright dangerous) behavior from buyers, and skyrocketing sealed product prices. Since there weren’t enough packs to go around, singles became hard to get too, helping push values through the roof.
On top of everything else, 2025’s sets were simply excellent. The Pokémon Company tends to pull no punches at the close of a TCG Series, like saving the biggest fireworks for the finale. So when the Scarlet & Violet Series wrapped up halfway through the year, we got a rapid-fire streak of incredible sets. All the Eeveelutions in one drop! Team Rocket’s Pokémon making a dramatic return! The first-ever English split release, stuffed with over a hundred Illustration Rares! And don’t forget Journey Together.
Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Pull Rates
They’re solid! Unless you were aiming for one of the fresh Mega Hyper Rares.
Black Bolt and White Flare brought something fresh to the TCG that carried the momentum into the Mega Evolution Series: ultra-rare capstone cards with grueling pull rates. While the names and styles vary, the Black White Rares from Black Bolt and White Flare, along with the Mega Hyper Rares from the Mega Evolution Series, stick to a similar blueprint. They spotlight a set’s headliner Pokémon, give it a grayscale card with a textured finish, and bury it deep in the print run—roughly 1 in 1260 packs, and you might not even get the one you want. These cards are pure collector gold. They’re like trophies for completing a master-level hunt.
The Most Expensive Modern Pokémon Cards So Far
#10 Mega Gardevoir ex 187/132 (Mega Hyper Rare)
Starting us off, we’ve got one of the first two Mega Hyper Rare cards ever printed. MHR Mega Gardevoir ex earns its spot almost entirely by virtue of its scarcity. Its base-rarity version languishes at under $1, reflecting low competitive demand. Meanwhile, the MHR version has dropped over $300 in just two months as more copies hit the market.
#9 Sylveon ex 156/131 (Special Illustration Rare)
When Prismatic Evolutions dropped in January, prices for SIR Eeveelutions soared. Sylveon ex stood out, holding value better than most even after multiple reprints. With fan-favorite status and beautiful artwork, it’s still one of the top chases of the year.
#8 Mega Lucario ex 188/132 (Mega Hyper Rare)
This Mega Hyper Rare just edges out Gardevoir’s version, partly due to Lucario’s rising popularity. With its SIR version receiving less attention, this card absorbed more of the set’s value.
#7 Mega Charizard X ex 130/094 (Mega Hyper Rare)
The rarest Charizard card to pull this year, but heavy supply has pushed its price down rapidly. It may not hold the throne for long, but its limited pull rate keeps it high on the list—for now.
#6 Reshiram ex 173/086 (Black White Rare)
Black White Rares were the prototype for Mega Hyper Rares. This Reshiram card stands out for its design and rarity, holding strong collector interest since release.
#5 Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex 231/182 (Special Illustration Rare)
Nostalgia drives this card. As the first Team Rocket Pokémon in decades, this SIR Mewtwo brought back memories and skyrocketed in value post-release.
#4 Victini 171/086 & 172/086 (Black White Rare)
Two versions of Victini share the spotlight, each from Black Bolt and White Flare sets. Scarce and previously Japan-only, these cards commanded enormous prices at launch and still sit near the top.
#3 Zekrom ex 172/086 (Black White Rare)
The best-selling and most valuable of the Black White Rares. Its sleek, monochromatic design with rainbow foiling captured collector attention all year.
#2 Mega Charizard X ex 125/094 (Special Illustration Rare)
This version dethroned its Mega Hyper Rare counterpart despite being more common. Its stunning artwork and Charizard appeal kept demand extremely high.
#1 Umbreon ex 161/131 (Special Illustration Rare)
No card came close to touching this SIR Umbreon. From a $1,600 debut to a $1,000 floor, it’s the standout story of 2025. Gorgeous art and Umbreon’s legacy sealed its place at the top.
