Most Valuable Pokémon Cards: Top Picks for Collectors and Meta Players

27th March 2025 EDT FEATURES

Power and Profit: Highly Valuable and Meta-Relevant Pokémon Cards for Collectors and Meta Players

In the Pokémon TCG, collector and player paths rarely cross, but these valuable cards are where the spheres intersect.

The new Pokémon TCG Standard rotation is almost here; it will take effect internationally on 11 April 2025 (except in Japan, where it’s been active since 24 January). With the new rotation, all cards with the “F” regulation mark will be “retired” from tournament play. This means that only cards from Scarlet ex [SV1S] and Violet ex [SV1V] and newer sets, i.e., only Gen 9 sets, will be permitted to be used in a tournament deck.

Although the Pokémon TCG fandom’s collector and player spheres don’t often intersect, this doesn’t always have to be the case. Many of the cards that serious players will be pursuing to build their ideal decks are also the same rare and valuable cards that collectors seek—albeit in different rarities and with different illustrations.

Thus, we’ve compiled a list of cards that will not only be prominently featured in decks at upcoming tournaments the world over; their Special Art Rare (SAR) and Ultra Rare (UR) would also be standouts in the collections of their proud owners.

We’ve included each card’s “ordinary” version as well as its SAR/UR version—the former for players, the latter for collectors.

Deck Centerpieces

Milotic ex (Super Electric Breaker [SV8] 026/106 / 131/106)

Most Valuable Pokémon Cards: Top Picks for Collectors and Meta Players

Milotic ex RR [SV8 026/106](Expansion Pack “Supercharged Breaker / Super Electric Breaker”)

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Milotic ex SAR [SV8 131/106](Expansion Pack “Supercharged Breaker / Super Electric Breaker”)

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Thanks in large part to—well, we won’t say which card yet, so keep reading for it—the Milotic ex/Farigiraf ex deck has emerged as one of the newest stars of the Pokémon TCG metagame. Sparkling Scales, Milotic ex’s Ability, makes the Water-type Pokémon a defensive powerhouse. It makes Milotic ex immune to all damage that it would’ve sustained by way of attacks from opposing Terastallized Pokémon. When used in combination with the multiple other defensive Pokémon in this deck, Milotic ex becomes one of the toughest Pokémon to bring down in the entire meta.

The SAR version of Milotic ex ranks among the standout pulls of Super Electric Breaker [SV8]—and for good reason. The Full Art illustration depicts Milotic ex emerging from the water as the sunlight streams down onto its body and multicolored tail. Adding to the card’s visual impact is the angle at which Milotic ex is shown—its serpentine body partially uncoiled and its head fins blowing back in the wind. Finally, the holofoil that covers the card takes the aesthetic element to another level by causing the sunlight and its reflection onto the surface of the water to look much more life-like.

Charizard ex (Ruler of the Black Flame [SV3] 066/108 / Shiny Treasure ex [SV4a] 349/190)

Charizard ex RR[SV3 066/108](Expansion Pack “Ruler of the Black Flame”)

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Charizard ex SAR [SV4a 349/190](High Class Pack “Shiny Treasure ex”)

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The release of Ruler of the Black Flame [SV3] marked a historic moment in competitive Pokémon TCG: for the very first time, a deck built around a Charizard card was on top of the metagame. Depicting Charizard ex after it had Terastallized into the Dark type, this card’s Burning Darkness attack is among the most powerful in the current meta. With an already massive base damage of 180, Burning Darkness dishes out an extra 30 damage per Prize card taken by the opponent up to that point. It’s just the thing to swing the balance of a game that might be starting to get out of hand—especially when paired with Pidgeot ex from the same set as well as Dusknoir from Night Wanderer [SV6a]; both are Charizard ex deck staples.

From the collector’s standpoint, a reprinted version of this card is the one which is most sought-after. The SAR Charizard ex card reprinted in Shiny Treasure ex [SV4a] depicts the original Fire-type starter’s final form as a Shiny Pokémon. The black Shiny Charizard is one of the most iconic Shinies of them all; on top of that, its Shiny color scheme matches its Terastallized type of Dark. As a final touch, the card’s background and art style, which resemble stained glass, truly makes the aesthetics pop. In short, although it is a factor, this card’s elite status among collectors goes so far beyond just “it’s Charizard” alone. It’s a true “instant classic” of today’s Pokémon TCG.

Sidekicks

Terapagos ex (Stellar Miracle [SV7] 088/102 / 130/102)

Terapagos ex RR [SV7 088/102](Expansion Pack “Stellar Miracle”)

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Terapagos ex SAR [SV7 130/102](Expansion Pack “Stellar Miracle”)

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Despite the upcoming (or recent, for those in Japan) removal of its signature Double Turbo Energy card from Star Birth [S9], Terapagos ex nonetheless remains a major force as the secondary attacker of the Klawf/Terapagos ex deck. Even without that card around, Terapagos ex can make use of two other Stellar Miracle [SV7] cards—Crispin and Sparkling Crystal—for the Energy ramping that it needs to unleash an enormous hit by way of its Unified Beatdown attack. To maximize damage output, Terapagos ex should (aptly enough) use this attack when yet another card from the same set—Stadium card Area Zero Underdepths—is in play and the player’s Bench and extra Bench is full.

The card’s SAR version, meanwhile, ranks as one of the standout pickups from its set. Surrounded by the Tera Jewels of the Stellar type, Terapagos ex is shown in its Stellar form—the unique form that the Legendary Pokémon takes on after it Terastallizes. The spectacular aesthetic of this card leans heavily on that of Terastallization and the Tera Jewels; this is fitting because in-universe, Terapagos is the Pokémon that created the phenomenon of Terastallization. The card’s holofoil adds a prism-like effect ,which makes it seem as though the jewels are gleaming in the light. Finally, the crown on Terapagos ex’s shell is in full view—it’s the feature that gave the English set its name of Stellar Crown [SCR].

Latias ex (Paradise Dragona [SV7a] 019/064 / 087/064)

Best Cards for Pokémon TCG Decks and Collections

Latias ex RR [SV7a 019/064](Enhanced Expansion Pack “Paradise Dragona”)

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Latias ex SAR [SV7a 087/064](Enhanced Expansion Pack “Paradise Dragona”)

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As far as pivoting support goes in today’s meta, there’s arguably no better Pokémon for that than the Latias ex card from Paradise Dragona [SV7a]. Skyliner, its Ability, negates the retreat cost of all of the player’s Basic Pokémon in play. This, therefore makes Latias ex a vital inclusion in various Basic-centric decks such as the Klawf/Terapagos ex, Miraidon ex, and Raging Bolt ex decks. It’s often the case that a deck’s heaviest hitters also have its highest retreat costs; however, so long as Latias ex is around, that’s no longer an issue at all.

In its SAR version, this card is as coveted for its collectability as it is gameplay-viable. The Full Art illustration of this Latias ex card makes up one part of a trio; the other two cards in it are the Latios card from Paradise Dragona [SV7a] and one of the most iconic cards in history: the Latias & Latios GX card from Tag Bolt [SM9]. When put together, the images are intended to show Latias ex and Latios flying over the sea at dusk towards each other before eventually meeting each other, craning their necks into a heart shape as the light of the sunset streams through the space in between. It’s this narrative element that’s this card’s primary value driver.

Supporter and Item Cards

Iono (Clay Burst [SV2D] 069/071 / 096/071)

Iono U[SV2D 069/071](Expansion Pack “Clay burst”)

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Iono SAR[SV2D 096/071](Expansion Pack “Clay burst”)

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Almost every tournament deck includes multiple copies of the Iono card from Clay Burst [SV2D]. There’s a valid case to be made that it’s the most splashable Supporter card in the current meta because of how it can be used to turn the tides of the game. When Iono is played, both players shuffle their hands, put them at the bottom of their respective decks, and then draw as many cards as they have Prize cards remaining. For that reason, it’s usually used by the player who’s behind—Iono thus often serves as just the card to kickstart a comeback by bringing out the cards that the player might need.

As for this card’s status among collectors, well, how many cards have ever single-handedly crashed the Pokémon Center’s online store? Not “sets”, but “cards”. The SAR Iono card was the entire reason why Clay Burst [SV2D] had a level of demand with which Creatures Inc. initially couldn’t even come close to keeping up with. This card’s popularity went well beyond the usual boost in value that most Full Art cards depicting a female character get—to this day, there’s just something about the imagery depicting the Levincia Gym Leader that’s made this card one of the most coveted of the entire ninth generation.

Buddy-Buddy Poffin (Wild Force [SV5K] 063/071 / Mask of Change [SV6] 133/101)

Buddy-Buddy Poffin U [SV5K 063/071](Expansion Pack “Wild Force”)

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Buddy-Buddy Poffin UR [SV6 133/101](Expansion Pack “Mask of Change”)

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One of the best setup cards in the meta today, Buddy-Buddy Poffin enables the player to add two Basic Pokémon with 70 HP to the Bench from the deck before shuffling the deck. Once again, this card sees use in countless different decks because with its help, the player can get their desired Pokémon into play sooner. It’s a card that’s often used to tip the balance of the early game in the player’s favor and, at this point, is essentially a must-include in any deck with any low-HP Basics at all.

Collectors, meanwhile, will surely be taken by the iteration of this card from Mask of Change [SV6]. That card comes in the rarity of Ultra Rare (UR) and, like all other cards of the UR rarity, features a gold holofoil background; the Buddy-Buddy Poffins themselves are also outlined in gold—apt for an Item card with rarity, value, and utility all at the level that this one has.

Last But Not Least…

Budew (Terastal Festival ex [SV8a] 001/187)

Budew [SV8a 001/187](High Class Pack “Terastal Festival ex”)

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Budew :Master Ball Mirror [SV8a 001/187](High Class Pack “Terastal Festival ex”)

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Did you really think we’d end this without mentioning the one card that’s entirely warped the meta since its introduction?

While even this card’s Master Ball Mirror version might not even be close to the most valuable card of Terastal Festival ex [SV8a], there’s a case to be made that gameplay-wise, this is the most impactful card in years.

After all, very few other cards have so defined the meta to the extent that because of one single card, some decks completely disappeared from the top of the game while others climbed to the peak of the game. Budew has fundamentally altered how all serious Pokémon TCG players approach the game solely because of the Item-locking threat it poses through its Itchy Pollen attack. Budew is also far and away the main reason why the pace of the game has now slowed down dramatically, leading to a shift in favor of defensive decks.

And who knows? Perhaps its Master Ball Mirror version will see its value escalate in the months and years to come because of its gameplay impact.

In any case, whether you’re a player, collector, or both, every card we’ve listed is a great addition to whatever you’ve been building. Whether you’re chasing W’s at tournaments or your card collection’s centerpiece, you can always look for and buy these cards or any others you’re after on the SNKRDUNK App.

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