Pokemon TCG Prices Increase Up To 150 Percent In Three Months

5 days ago

Pokemon TCG

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Summary

Pokemon TCG prices person skyrocketed, with cards expanding by 42%, and sealed products by 27% connected average.
Investors, scalpers, and flippers are driving the terms hikes, causing scarcity and inflating costs.
Poke-Influencers connected platforms similar Whatnot are exacerbating the contented by selling astatine inflated prices, impacting the hobby negatively.

Early past year, the Pokemon TCG was struggling. Stores were incapable to displacement stock, pre-orders and income had dropped by up to 60 percent, occurrence income took spot with stores having to merchantability products for a “lower than the terms we person to wage our suppliers," and collector sentiment was astatine an all-time low.

It was a worrying clip for the TCG, arsenic I elaborate successful my study for DualShockers astatine the time. Little nether a twelvemonth later, that study couldn’t beryllium further from the existent authorities of the collectible paper game. Prices are skyrocketing, banal is scarce, and scalpers are moving riot.

The Pokemon TCG Is, Once Again, Becoming A Nightmare For Collectors

Pikachu jumps successful beforehand of Stellar Crown, Surging Sparks, and Twilight Masquerade booster boxes from the Pokemon TCG.

I pulled retired the prices of 25 of the astir costly cards from the erstwhile Pokemon generation, Sword & Shield, from October 6, 2024, comparing them to the prices 3 months later, connected January 6, 2024. The quality is staggering.

The infamous Moonbreon paper is 1 of the biggest risers implicit the past 3 months, jumping from $975 to $1,400.

Over a three-month period, these 25 cards accrued by an mean of 42 percent, according to Pokemon tracking app Collectr. If you were to person purchased them each up of October 6, you’d person been looking astatine astir $4831; if you wanted to bargain them now, you’re looking astatine astir $6868.

The infamous Moonbreon card is 1 of the biggest risers implicit the past 3 months, jumping from $975 to $1,400, a 45 percent increase. Alongside this, cards from the Crown Zenith acceptable person seen an tremendous spike, with Mewtwo VSTAR, Arceus VSTAR, and Giratina VSTAR each astir doubling successful price. You tin spot the afloat results from our Sword & Shield paper investigation below.

Card	Set	Price Oct 6	Price Jan 6	Percentage Increase
Leafeon V	Evolving Skies	$71.62	$90.27	26
Glaceon V	Evolving Skies	$67.04	$92.63	38
Mewtwo VSTAR	Crown Zenith	$52.69	$106.88	103
Mew VMAX	Fusion Strike	$75.72	$115.87	53
Sylveon V	Evolving Skies	$72.34	$118.98	64
Arceus VSTAR	Crown Zenith	$58.82	$119.24	103
Pikachu VMAX	Vivid Voltage	$106.33	$133.63	26
Espeon V	Evolving Skies	$88.98	$134.92	52
Galarian Moltres V	Chilling Reign	$127.32	$152.40	20
Rayquaza V	Evolving Skies	$99.85	$159.96	60
Dragonite V	Evolving Skies	$141.40	$179.04	27
Giratina VSTAR	Crown Zenith	$96.22	$188.21	96
Charizard V	Brilliant Stars	$130.95	$192.92	47
Umbreon V	Evolving Skies	$141.59	$205.03	45
Lugia V	Silver Tempest	$168.27	$236.46	41
Espeon VMAX	Fusion Strike	$184.75	$237.41	29
Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat	Promo	$98.97	$248.10	151
Sylveon VMAX	Evolving Skies	$190.95	$256.54	34
Glaceon VMAX	Evolving Skies	$208.06	$264.57	27
Blaziken VMAX	Chilling Reign	$257.57	$301.33	17
Leafeon VMAX	Evolving Skies	$257.31	$324.61	26
Gengar VMAX	Fusion Strike	$313.67	$527.36	68
Rayquaza VMAX	Evolving Skies	$445.58	$534.08	20
Giratina V	Lost Origin	$400.37	$534.13	33
Umbreon VMAX	Evolving Skies	$974.88	$1,413.07	45
	Total	4831.25	6867.64	42

Following the azygous cards, I checked the prices of sealed Sword & Shield products and, nary surprise, determination were immense increases connected the secondary market.

While not arsenic drastic arsenic the cards connected their own, the mean sealed Sword & Shield merchandise (including each Elite Trainer Boxes, Pokemon Center Elite Trainer boxes, Booster Boxes, and some the 151 and Charizard Ultra Premium Collection) has gone up by 27 percent.

Here, Fusion Strike has seen the astir important increase, with Booster Boxes from the acceptable expanding by a whopping 115 percent, and Elite Trainer Boxes and their Pokemon Center exclusive counterparts rising by 49 and 74 percent, respectively.

Sealed Product	Price Oct 6	Price Jan 6	Percentage Increase
SWSH Base Booster Box	$255.00	$265.00	4
Rebel Clash Booster Box	$178.00	$185.00	4
Darkness Ablaze Booster Box	$123.00	$139.00	13
Vivid Voltage Booster Box	$114.00	$127.00	11
Battle Styles Booster Box	$107.00	$113.00	6
Chilling Reign Booster Box	$171.00	$236.00	38
Evolving Skies Booster Box	$558.00	$838.00	50
Fusion Strike Booster Box	$168.00	$362.00	115
Brilliant Stars Booster Box	$146.00	$193.00	32
Astral Radiance Booster Box	$131.00	$162.00	24
Lost Origin Booster Box	$171.00	$276.00	61
Silver Tempest Booster Box	$128.00	$172.00	34
SWSH Base ETB	$47.00	$48.00	2
Rebel Clash ETB	$108.00	$121.00	12
Darkness Ablaze ETB	$29.00	$32.00	10
Vivid Voltage ETB	$32.00	$46.00	44
Battle Styles ETB	$28.00	$31.00	11
Chilling Reign ETB	$40.00	$44.00	10
Chilling Reign PC ETB	$54.00	$62.00	15
Evolving Skies ETB	$142.00	$182.00	28
Evolving Skies PC ETB	$188.00	$228.00	21
Fusion Strike ETB	$45.00	$67.00	49
Fusion Strike PC ETB	$57.00	$99.00	74
Brilliant Stars ETB	$34.00	$38.00	12
Brilliant Stars PC ETB	$44.00	$52.00	18
Astral Radiance ETB	$33.00	$34.00	3
Astral Radiance PC ETB	$42.00	$51.00	21
Lost Origin ETB	$37.00	$43.00	16
Lost Origin PC ETB	$56.00	$75.00	34
Silver Tempest ETB	$28.00	$34.00	21
Silver Tempest PC ETB	$63.00	$80.00	27
Charizard Ultra Premium Collection	$147.00	$209.00	42
151 Ultra Premium Collection	$130.00	$181.00	39
	$3,634	$4,825	33

While immoderate of the increases successful Sword & Shield cards and products tin beryllium attributed to the information that the products are present retired of print, the aforesaid can’t beryllium said for galore of Scarlet & Violet’s cards, which are besides seeing a akin eye-watering pattern.

There is simply a proposition that a enactment of cards are having their prices artificially manipulated, with individuals oregon groups buying retired each of the banal and past listing them for higher prices. Based connected the data, that mentation is hard to reason with.

I looked astatine a enactment of 16 cards from the Scarlet & Violet epoch to effort and fig retired what was going on, and recovered these cards had risen by an mean of 84 percent. Of course, 16 is simply a tiny illustration size erstwhile implicit 2,000 cards person been released during the ScVi window, but astir each paper of enactment has seen an summation of immoderate statement implicit the past 3 months.

In particular, Mew ex, Gardevoir ex, and Charizard ex from Paldean Fates person accrued by 128 percent, but smaller, little “desirable” cards person besides seen important rises.

Cleffa from Obsidian Flames and Marill from Paldea Evolved are 2 examples of this, expanding by 218 percent and 235 percent, respectively. It’s present wherever the price-gouging accusations commencement to marque much sense.

These are 2 cards that person bully creation but are nary antithetic to galore others from Scarlet and Violet. Cleffa would person outgo $6 conscionable 3 abbreviated months ago, and it's present selling for astir $20. Marill would person been nether $10, and it’s present much than $33. It’s each a small fishy.

Card	Set	Price Oct 6	Price Jan 6	Percentage Increase
Magikarp	Paldea Evolved	$115.22	$218.50	90
Mew ex	Paldean Fates	$93.06	$267.38	187
Cleffa	Obsidian Flames	$6.08	$19.35	218
Marill	Paldea Evolved	$9.97	$33.37	235
Raichu	Paldea Evolved	$33.93	$48.80	44
Ninetales	Paldea Evolved	$11.23	$20.74	85
Charmander	151	$37.81	$50.43	33
Squirtle	151	$34.38	$46.82	36
Bulbasaur	151	$28.64	$41.17	44
Groudon	Paradox Rift	$51.04	$71.01	39
Roaring Moon ex	Paradox Rift	$45.93	$60.38	31
Altaria ex	Paradox Rift	$25.27	$33.59	33
Charizard ex	Paldean Fates	$102.89	$174.09	69
Gardevoir ex	Paldean Fates	$38.71	$87.91	127
Greninja ex	Twilight Masquerade	$271.36	$333.50	23
Eevee	Twilight Masquerade	$55.12	$84.58	53
	Total	$960.64	$1,592	84

So, What’s Actually Happening?

Three of the astir invaluable Pokemon TCG ex cards.

Based connected my knowledge, research, and speaking to the Pokemon TCG assemblage and store owners, determination are a fig of factors that person travel into play, whipping up a cleanable storm.

The Pokemon TCG Pocket Effect

Pokémon TCG Pocket_ Mythical Island tauros card

Arguably, the slightest important interaction of the caller terms increases and merchandise scarcity comes from the merchandise of Pokemon TCG Pocket.

Millions of users person downloaded the mobile collectible paper game, galore of whom are getting their archetypal sensation of opening Pokemon TCG packs. This is apt to person a knock-on effect, with them wanting to unfastened immoderate carnal packs, but this has a negligible interaction connected pricing.

These first-time battalion openers are apt to beryllium starting small, opening a fistful of packs astatine most, leaving plentifulness of banal connected the shelf, and, astir importantly, the much costly worldly alone. Aside from a mates less packs astatine your LGS, this is simply a non-issue.

New Expansion Frenzy

a blessed eevee adjacent to a prismatic evolutions elite trainer box.

The Pokemon TCG past experienced a surge similar this successful 2021, astir the game’s 25th anniversary. A flurry of desirable expansions were released astir that time, and coupled with the nostalgia of the Celebrations set, popularity exploded. Something akin is decidedly happening today.

The Pokemon Company isn’t stupid; it would person been alert that merchandise was struggling to merchantability astatine the commencement of the Scarlet & Violet era, and would person course-corrected, which is what we’re seeing today.

The TCG has deed different highest successful involvement owed to the caller sets and upcoming sets.

The 2 astir caller expansions are focused connected immoderate of the series’ astir fashionable Pokemon, and that looks acceptable to continue. Released successful November, Surging Sparks is simply a Pikachu-centric expansion, and the precocious released Prismatic Evolutions mirrors Sword & Shield’s astir costly set, Evolving Skies, which focuses connected Eevee and its evolutions.

Future sets see Journey Together, which brings backmost the Trainer’s Pokemon mechanic, and there’s besides a Team Rocket acceptable successful the pipeline. This is bringing collectors, caller and old, to the hobby.

Brem, proprietor of Bremner TCG tells me, “The TCG has deed different highest successful involvement owed to the caller sets and upcoming sets. Sets that should person been much fashionable successful the past are present gaining traction due to the fact that of this. This is causing prices to spell up and products to go much scarce.”

He admits “as a store, it’s great,” but helium has noticed “the occasional idiosyncratic who is much concern motivated than an existent collector,” which leads to different issue, and the 1 that is arguably damaging the hobby the most.

Investor-Bros, Scalpers, And Flippers

Glaceon VMAX, Umbreon VMAX, and Rayquaza VMAX alternate creation cards with a Leafeon VMAX successful the inheritance From Evolving Skies.

The Pokemon TCG has ever been constricted successful supply, but during bubbles similar this, that proviso gets leaner. One of the reasons for this, collector Deggers tells me, is that radical spot the crippled arsenic “a get-rich-quick scheme.”

There are undoubtedly radical who usage the Pokemon TCG to marque money, and these radical tin beryllium divided into 2 groups, some arsenic harmful arsenic the other.

First up are the scalpers and flippers. These radical bargain in-demand merchandise with the volition of selling them instantly astatine inflated prices, making a speedy buck. There person been aggregate examples of this successful the past 2 weeks alone.

Pokemon Center Exclusive Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Boxes each incorporate an exclusive promo paper featuring Eevee. The ETB, connected its own, costs $60. The Eevee promo is already being sold for upwards of $100. The flippers marque their wealth backmost with the promo and past inactive merchantability the Booster Packs separately for good supra marketplace value.

The upcoming Journey Together enlargement is facing a akin plight. The Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Boxes were listed connected the authoritative Pokemon website astatine $60 past week, and scalpers are already trying to get $500 for them (although $150 seems to beryllium person to what they’re really selling for).

Single cards aren’t retired of flippers’ reach, either. It’s not uncommon for groups to bargain up arsenic overmuch banal of a chosen paper arsenic possible, lone to database them each astatine accrued prices.

Scalpers and flippers make merchandise scarcity. They marque it truthful the regular collector struggles to acquisition desirable items for RRP, and if they privation them, they are forced to stump up their asking price. It’s a horrible situation.

People spot the crippled arsenic “a get-rich-quick scheme.”

Then you person the investors. These individuals volition bargain arsenic overmuch of an in-demand merchandise arsenic they tin get their hands on. They’ll past store this merchandise distant for a play of time, beryllium it a year, five, oregon ten. This, erstwhile again, takes merchandise distant from the wide consumer.

While sealed products are preferential for semipermanent investors, it’s not uncommon for them to acquisition galore copies of constricted cards, similar the Van Gogh Pikachu, again driving prices up for genuine collectors.

One mentation from these collectors I spoke to arsenic to wherefore concern is truthful precocious close now, alongside the information that Pokemon is printing “home-run” sets, is the crypto market.

This caller surge successful Pokemon TCG prices and banal issues goes astir hand-in-hand with the summation successful terms of galore cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. On October 6, 2023, Bitcoin was trading astatine £47,166. Today, it’s astatine £86,242, an summation of 83 percent. There is immoderate proposition that those who made a bucketload of currency during this model are diversifying their portfolios and person seen Pokemon arsenic a bully plus to hold.

Collector Jai tells me, “The crypto markets are performing precise good for radical holding assorted currencies. These radical extremity up withdrawing their profits and spending them connected their hobbies, bringing with it the broadside who spot it arsenic different investment.”

Milamber, different collector, adds, “The wider markets (including crypto) doing good means Millennials person much wealth to enactment into hobbies. I spot this arsenic a tiny impact, though, and I don’t judge crypto-bros are a main driver, conscionable 1 of many.”

With fashionable sets similar the ones we’re seeing now, the semipermanent instrumentality connected concern volition apt beryllium a batch higher.

The Rise Of The ‘Poke-Infuencer’

Since the past Pokemon TCG bubble, determination has been a crisp summation successful Pokemon-centric investing YouTube channels. These influencers often archer radical how, when, and wherever to walk their wealth successful bid to maximize their profits. This is driving a full caller procreation of investors to the hobby.

But the Poke-Influencer’s interaction goes further than conscionable telling radical what to bargain with the emergence of platforms similar Whatnot, a live-streaming income level wherever sellers tin database products for a acceptable cost, oregon auction them disconnected during their streams.

Another collector, JS tells me, “TikTok and Whatnot streamers devour up an absurd magnitude of merchandise each day, which drives up the marketplace price. It's fundamentally turned a hobby into a gambling addiction for many. The request is truthful precocious it doesn't substance however overmuch of the caller sets are printed, they volition instantly get eaten up due to the fact that of the monolithic demand.”

It's fundamentally turned a hobby into a gambling addiction for many.

It seems Whatnot items are usually sold astatine earnestly inflated prices. A precise speedy glimpse astatine Prismatic Evolutions listings showed maine booster packs, which person an RRP of astir £5.50 erstwhile taken from an ETB, selling for £11 a time, showing the severity of the problem.

Despite the prices, a proportionality of the Pokemon assemblage bargain from Whatnot due to the fact that of a) the scarcity of the product, oregon b) they privation a streamer they ticker to unfastened a battalion for them.

Deggers adds, “It’s predatory. These streamers cognize afloat good starting bids for packs astatine £1 is going to origin chaos. Nobody would person a occupation if they were sensible and sold packs for what it really outgo them.”

It’s predatory. These streamers cognize afloat good starting bids for packs astatine £1 is going to origin chaos.

That’s lone 1 mode these platforms thrust up the prices, though. In bid to merchantability connected Whatnot, these streamers request to root their products from somewhere. They often don’t person entree to distributors, truthful alternatively employment tactics akin to scalpers and flippers, buying up arsenic overmuch in-demand merchandise arsenic possible, which they interruption down into idiosyncratic packs and merchantability for unhealthy prices.

The prices of items connected what is Prismatic Evolutions’ motorboat time sum these issues up amended than I ever could. Individual cards are selling for implicit $2,000, and contempt theoretically being disposable from ceramic and mortar stores, the Elite Trainer Boxes are inactive selling online astatine a 400 percent markup. The Pokemon TCG has a problem, and it’s not going distant anytime soon.

Pokemon TCG

Collected by children and adults alike for much than 2 decades, the Pokemon TCG contains thousands of cards of your favourite Pokemon, trainers, and more.