First edition Pokémon cards are some of the most highly sought after collectables, due to their limited print run and the fact that only a small number of people will ever get the chance to own them.
Despite this, many people unknowingly have copies of these cards stashed away, without realising they could be sitting on a small fortune.
Online card game site Hearts Land analysed pricing data from PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) to reveal the most valuable first edition Pokémon cards and how much you can expect to make, if you are fortunate enough to own one.
They considered versions of the cards that are in both perfect condition (GEM – MT10), which is a visually flawless copy of the card, as well as near mint cards (NM 7), which might have some slight surface wear.
How To Tell If You Own A First Edition Pokémon Card
To check whether you own a First Edition card Pokémon you want to first look to see if there is a black ‘Edition 1’ logo printed on the card. For most character cards, this will be printed halfway up the left side of the card.
For trainer cards, this logo is at the bottom left corner, while for energy cards it can be found in the top right corner. For character cards there should also be no shadowing around the border of the image displaying the Pokémon.
The Ten Most Valuable First Edition Pokémon Cards
1. Charizard (Holo) – £141,882
Perhaps unsurprisingly taking the top spot is the infamous holographic Charizard, with an estimated resale value of £141,882 for a gem mint condition copy of the card. Considered one of the most sought-after cards ever, PSA reports one was last sold at collectables marketplace Goldins in January 2022 for $252,000 (£196,560).
A near mint condition (NM 7) copy of the card could still net you a cool a £5,850 if you happen to have one collecting dust in your cupboard.
2. Blastoise (Holo) – £30,108
Taking second place is the holographic Blastoise with an estimated resale value of £30,108. A gem mint copy of this water type Pokémon card sold for $23,433 (£18,278) on Ebay in January this year, according to PSA. A NM 7 holographic Blastoise is one to hold on to, valued at around £1,092.
3. Chansey (Holo) – £25,740
A holographic Chansey in gem mint condition has a value of £25,740, making it the third most valuable first edition card. While a perfect copy of this card last sold for $27,412 (£21,381) on eBay, a NM 7 grade copy is likely to only make you around £273 according to PSA price estimates.
4. Mewtwo (Holo) – £16,068
The psychic-type holographic Mewtwo is the only legendary Pokémon on this list and ranked as the fourth most valuable card with an estimated value of £16,068 for a gem mint copy of the card.
However, if you own a copy that is less than perfect there is a huge price drop off, with NM 7 Mewtwo (Holo) valued at around £390.
5. Venusaur (Holo) – £15,600
Ranking fifth is the holographic Venusaur, with a gem mint copy of the card valued at £15,600. This card manages to retain much more of its value even if not in perfect condition, with a near mint copy of the card netting £780. This makes it the third most valuable near mint condition card on the list, behind the holographic Charizard (£5,850) and Blastoise (£1,092).
6. Clefairy (Holo) – £11,700
Taking the sixth spot with a value of £11,700 is the holographic Clefairy card. Despite a gem mint copy of this card being less valuable than the aforementioned cards, a near mint holographic Clefairy is likely to resell for a respectable £390.
7. Gyrados (Holo) – £9,360
The holographic Gyarados is the seventh most valuable, with an estimated resale price of £9,360 for a copy in perfect condition. A GEM – MT10 copy of the card sold for $10,101 (£7,879) on Ebay in January early this year and a NM 7 graded copy of the card will earn you a fraction of this amount, at £293.
8. Ninetailes (Holo) – £7,566
In eight is the holographic Ninetales, which can see collectors taking home £7,566 if they own a flawless copy of the card. As is the case with all of these cards, imperfections depreciate the card’s value, and a NM 7 holographic Ninetales will sell for around £312.
9. Alakazam (Holo) – £6,396
The ninth most valuable is the holographic Alakazam, which could make a profitable £6,396 for those who happen to own a perfect copy, while a near mint copy is likely to retail for around £312. Alakazam is actually the first in the original deck, identified by the ‘1/102’ text in the bottom right corner of the card.
10. Hitmonchan (Holo) – £6,084
Rounding off the top ten, a holographic Hitmonchan in perfect condition could earn you around £6,084 according to PSA. When sales are realized, the card seems to command much more than that however, with a copy recently selling for $10,200 (£7,956) at Goldin’s auction house. A NM 7 graded copy of this card is valued at a much lower £273.
