Are Old Pokémon Cards Worth Anything? How to Tell If Yours Are Valuable

Millions of people collected Pokémon cards when the game first came out, and many of those binders are still sitting in attics and closets. The honest answer: most old cards are worth a little, but a handful can be worth a lot. The trick is knowing which ones to look for.

Which old Pokémon cards are worth money?

• Holographic rares from the first sets. Holo cards have shiny artwork and a star in the bottom corner. The early sets Base Set, Jungle, Fossil and Team Rocket are the most sought after.
• 1st Edition cards. A small black "Edition 1" stamp on the left, just under the artwork, can multiply the value of a card. See our guide on 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited.
• Popular Pokémon. Charizard is the most famous example, but Blastoise, Venusaur, Mewtwo, the legendary birds and many Pikachu cards are also in demand. Browse all Charizard card prices.
• Cards in great condition. Old cards with sharp corners, clean edges and no scratches are rare, because most were played with. Condition often matters as much as the card itself.

Which old cards are usually not worth much?

• Common and uncommon cards (a circle or diamond in the corner), especially with visible wear.
• Basic Energy cards and trainer cards that were printed in huge numbers.
• Reprints, such as the cards from Base Set 2. They still have collectors, but they sell for much less than the originals.
• Cards with creases, bends, water damage, writing or stickers.

Check your old cards in five minutes

1. Pull out the holo cards first. They are the most likely to be valuable.
2. Look at the rarity symbol next to the card number: a circle is common, a diamond is uncommon and a star is rare. Our guide on rarity symbols explains all of them.
3. Check for the 1st Edition stamp on the left side under the artwork.
4. Look up the exact card. Scan a photo of your cards (you can scan a whole pile at once) or search by name and number, like "Blastoise 2/102".
5. Be honest about condition. Market prices assume a card in very good shape. Use our condition guide to see where your cards fit.

Famous old cards to look out for

The Base Set holos are the classics every collector knows, like Charizard 4/102, Blastoise 2/102 and Venusaur 15/102. Even the common Base Set Pikachu has fans. Check the live prices on each card page, and see the most valuable Pokémon cards right now.

Charizard

4/102 · Base Set

$944.53

Blastoise

2/102 · Base Set

$222.34

Venusaur

15/102 · Base Set

$173.95

Mewtwo

10/102 · Base Set

$93.47

Dark Charizard

4/82 · Team Rocket

$381.69

Lugia

9/111 · Neo Genesis

$531.39

Alakazam

1/102 · Base Set

$69.72

Pikachu

58/102 · Base Set

$12.88

Live market prices, updated daily. Tap a card for all versions and its price history.

Should you get your old cards graded?

Grading can add a lot of value to a rare card in excellent condition, but it costs money and takes time. For a quick estimate, upload photos to our free AI grading tool first, and read the grading scale explained.

What to do next

Put your best cards in sleeves right away (see how to store Pokémon cards), add them to your free collection tracker to follow their value, and read how to sell Pokémon cards if you decide to sell.