These 8 TCG Cards Have Just Experienced Major Price Increases

17th December 2024 EDT FEATURES

These 8 TCG Cards Have Just Experienced Major Price Increases

These cards have just seen their respective prices climb rapidly.

The TCG market is in a perpetual state of flux. Every now and again, certain cards will experience a serious value spike for a variety of reasons.

As of the most recent price updates by the folks at PriceCharting, these are some Pokémon TCG and Yu-Gi-Oh TCG cards that have seen major price increases lately.

Umbreon ☆ (PLAY Promotional cards 026/PLAY) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$4,607)

Before the release of the Umbreon VMAX card from Eevee Heroes [S6a], colloquially known to the Pokémon TCG community as “Moonbreon”, Umbreon ☆ was not only the best-known and most iconic Umbreon card—it held that status among all Eeveelution cards. A promotional card from the Pokémon TCG’s third generation, Umbreon ☆, was the most difficult to obtain of all the promotional cards via the Pokémon Players’ Club.

From 2003 to 2006, the Pokémon Players’ Club allowed regulars to earn certain promotional cards by fulfilling certain criteria, such as accumulating a minimum amount of EXP. The maximum possible EXP total was 70,000; it was only with an EXP total of 70,000 that one could qualify to receive this Umbreon ☆ card. Unsurprisingly, in the years since then, this card has only gone on to further entrench itself in Pokémon TCG lore—and as its latest price spike proves, it’s as coveted today as it was when it was first out more than two decades ago.

Blastoise (Trainer Deck B 2/102) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$1,650)

On the surface, the Blastoise card from Trainer Deck B appears to be just an English version of the card from Expansion Pack, the first Pokémon TCG set ever released in 1996. An impressive pull without any question; however, the version from Trainer Deck B has additional characteristics that set it apart from the OG.

For one thing, cards from Trainer Deck B were released before the official international launch of the Pokémon TCG. These cards were only issued to certain participating stores and intended to serve as mechanisms to promote the then-upcoming international debut of the Pokémon TCG. They were only available for a limited time. In addition, all Trainer Deck B cards come with one-of-a-kind red borders as well as the words “Trainer Deck B” printed in red on their backs, making them truly the only ones of their like.

Pretend Team Skull Pikachu (SM-P Promotional Cards 013/SM-P) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$2,555)

In December 2016, the Pretend Grunt Pikachu Special Box was released. That box contained two seventh-generation promotional cards; one of them was Pretend Team Skull Pikachu. True to its name, the card’s Full Art illustration shows Pikachu dressed as a member of Team Skull. Understandably, this card’s price has risen sharply because, in recent times, general interest in promotional Pokémon TCG cards depicting Pikachu “cosplaying” has gradually climbed.

Like many other cards that feature Pikachu in costume, this card’s first attack alludes to this detail by including a question mark at the end of its name; the attack is named “Act Tough?”. Most cards with a costumed Pikachu carry that same question mark to denote that it’s just Pikachu dressed up. On top of that, the damage boost that the attack receives via Dark Energy cards alludes to Team Skull’s status as the villainous team of the Pokémon Sun and Moon video games.

Delinquent (The Best of XY [XY] 184/171) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$700)

Released in April 2017, The Best of XY [XY] was a subset filled with reprints of some of the biggest hits of the Pokémon TCG’s sixth generation, even though when it was launched, Gen 7 had already begun. Although the set was loaded with standout Pokémon-ex, Mega Pokémon-ex, and Pokémon BREAK cards—many of which featured Full Art illustrations—the pick of the bunch ended up being Supporter card Delinquent.

As is typical, this card received a notable value boost because it depicts a female character; this effect was enhanced by the fact that this card has a Full Art illustration. Its high rarity level further contributes to its value, as does its notoriety within the TCG players’ community. This is because Delinquent has been banned from use in the Expanded format of the Pokémon TCG due to a game-breaking combo with Red Card from Collection Y and Peeking Red Card from Awakened Heroes [SM4S].

Elemental HERO Bubbleman (Mattel Action Figure Promotional Cards: Series 3 MF03-EN007) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$581)

In 2006, Konami released 16 North America-exclusive Yu-Gi-Oh TCG cards as part of the Mattel Action Figure promotional card series. As implied by the name of the card series, these cards were distributed with Mattel action figures of characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh anime spin-off Yu-Gi-Oh GX. One of these cards has recently seen a rapid price rise: the Elemental HERO Bubbleman card from Series 3.

Since the Mattel Action Figure promotional cards were only ever released in North America and were available for just a short time many years ago, it’s not surprising that one of them has had its price increase steeply. In addition, the card is certain to appeal to those who got into the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG via Yu-Gi-Oh GX because Yu-Gi-Oh GX protagonist Jaden Yuki wielded the card.

Elemental HERO Flare Neos (Power of the Duelist POTD-JP032) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$291)

On the topic of Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Elemental HERO cards, another such card that has seen its value climb in a hurry is Elemental HERO Flare Neos. The entire Power of the Duelist set was based on Yu-Gi-Oh GX and the cards used by some of its characters. This 60-card set included 11 Ultimate Rares; one of the most coveted Ultimate Rares was the Ultimate Rare version of Elemental HERO Flare Neos.

This card’s popularity relates to its frequent appearances in the anime; out of all his Neos Fusion Monster cards, it was the card that Jaden used more than any other. The Ultimate Rare version from Power of the Duelist is the rarest iteration of a card which, despite depicting one of the most iconic characters in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, hasn’t had a reprint since Duelist Edition Volume 1 in 2012—yet another reason behind the high value of this card.

Exodia the Forbidden One (Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon LOB-124) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$750)

This card needs no introduction. Even people who have never held a Yu-Gi-Oh TCG card know about Exodia the Forbidden One, and understandably so. The first-ever Yu-Gi-Oh TCG card to have an alternate win condition, this card famously grants the player an auto-win if the player can assemble all five of the Forbidden One cards. Due to its status in Yu-Gi-Oh history, its first English card to ever be printed remains highly valuable to this day.

Exodia the Forbidden One’s English debut also came in the first-ever English Yu-Gi-Oh TCG set: Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, a set based on the original Yu-Gi-Oh anime series. As one of the standouts of the international introduction of the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG, this version of Exodia the Forbidden One holds an inherent prestige that none of its successors would ever.

Stardust Dragon (The Duelist Genesis TDGS-JP040) (PSA 10 Price: ~US$275)

Released in 2008 as the first Core Booster of Series 6, The Duelist Genesis included cards related to Yu-Gi-Oh anime spin-off Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s. Of all the cards in it, one was by far the rarest and most valuable. The only card in The Duelist Genesis that had a rarity of Holographic Rare (or Ghost Rare outside Japan and Asia-Pacific) was the cover card Stardust Dragon.

Stardust Dragon is best known as the signature card of Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s protagonist, Yusei Fudo—a factor certain to win over those who got into Yu-Gi-Oh through Yu-Gi-Oh 5D. It also appeals to completionists interested in collecting all seven signature cards of the Yu-Gi-Oh anime protagonists, including those of its spin-offs. Notably, it’s the only one of the septet with an attribute other than Light or Dark.

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