How much are my Pokémon cards worth?

The short version: most Pokémon cards are worth very little on their own, and a small number are worth a lot. The steps below help you find out which kind you have. If you would rather skip the homework, send us photos and we will tell you what we would offer, free.

1. Identify the exact card

The same Pokémon can appear on dozens of different cards, and their values can be miles apart. To pin down yours, you need three details:

• The card number. Look along the bottom edge for a number like 4/102. The first number is the card's place in its set, and the second is the size of the set. If the first number is larger than the second (say, 105/102), it is a secret rare.
• The set symbol. Most sets print a small symbol on the card, below the artwork on older cards and along the bottom on newer ones. Recent cards also print a short set code. The original Base Set is the famous exception: it has no set symbol at all.
• The language. Japanese and English versions of the same card are priced separately.

With the name, number, and set, you can search the official Pokémon card database or a price guide and find your exact card. Phone apps with card scanners can identify a card from a photo, and they are a handy starting point, but always double-check the set and version they pick. Scanners often mix up reprints and alternate versions.

2. Read the rarity symbol

Next to the card number you will find a small symbol that tells you how rare the card is in its set:

●Circle

Common

◆Diamond

Uncommon

★Star

Rare (holo or not)

Recent sets add more tiers on top of these: two black stars for a double rare, two shiny stars for an ultra rare, one gold star for an illustration rare, two gold stars for a special illustration rare, and three gold stars for a hyper rare. Japanese cards print a rarity code instead, such as R, RR, AR, SR, or SAR, and our guide to Japanese cards decodes the common ones. A higher rarity is a good sign, but it is not the whole story: demand for the Pokémon and the artwork matter just as much.

3. Holo, reverse holo, or neither

• Holo: the artwork itself shines, and the rest of the card is flat.
• Reverse holo: everything except the artwork shines.
• Non-holo: no shine anywhere.

The holo, reverse holo, and non-holo versions of a card are priced separately, so note which one you have before you look it up.

4. Look for 1st Edition and Shadowless (vintage cards)

In English, 1st Edition stamps only appear on cards from the Wizards of the Coast era, which began with Base Set in 1999. The stamp is a small black circle reading "Edition 1", printed near the bottom of the artwork. A 1st Edition card is usually worth far more than the same card without the stamp.

Base Set has one more variant to check. Look at the right-hand edge of the artwork box: most Base Set cards have a drop shadow there, but the earliest print run does not. Those "Shadowless" cards are worth more than the later Unlimited prints. Shadowless only applies to Base Set.

5. Judge the condition honestly

Condition can change a card's value more than anything except the card itself. Look at the card under a bright light, tilting it to catch surface scratches, and check the corners, the edges, and the back for white wear. Price guides use these grades:

Near Mint (NM)

Looks fresh from the pack. Sharp corners, clean edges, no scratches you can see at arm's length.

Lightly Played (LP)

Minor edge or corner wear, or a few light scratches. No bends or creases.

Moderately Played (MP)

Clear wear on corners and edges, scuffs on the surface, maybe light whitening on the back.

Heavily Played (HP)

Heavy wear all over, but no major damage like a crease or tear.

Damaged

Creases, bends, tears, water damage, writing, or missing pieces.

Be strict with yourself. Cards that were played with, stored loose, or kept in a rubber band are rarely Near Mint, and pricing them as if they were is the most common reason a seller is surprised by an offer.

Graded cards are different: the grading company has already judged the condition and printed it on the label. See selling graded cards for what matters there.

6. Check public price guides

Once you know the exact card, version, and condition, look it up in a few places and compare:

• TCGplayer: search the card, pick the right set and printing, and look at the market price for your condition.
• PriceCharting: sales history for raw and graded copies.
• eBay: search the card, then turn on the Sold items filter. What cards actually sold for matters; what sellers are asking does not.
• PSA auction prices: sales of PSA-graded copies, by grade.

Look at several recent sales rather than one, since a single sale can be a fluke. Price checker and scanner apps draw on the same kinds of sales data, so treat them as a shortcut to these sources rather than a separate opinion.

Found a whole binder or box and not sure where to start? Our guide for found and inherited cards walks you through it in plain words.

7. Why offers come in below the price guide

A price guide shows what a collector paid for one card. A buyer who purchases your cards to resell them takes on the work of listing, the marketplace fees, shipping, and the risk that prices drop. That is why every dealer, shop, and buyer, including us, offers less than the guide. What you should expect is a buyer who explains how they got to their number. Here is exactly how we work out ours.

8. Common value myths

• "It's from 1999, so it must be valuable." Millions of early cards were printed. Plenty of vintage commons and uncommons are worth little, while the right holo in good shape can be worth a lot.
• "The card says 1995, so it was printed in 1995." The years along the bottom are copyright dates, not print dates.
• "Every Charizard is worth a fortune." Charizard appears on a huge number of cards. The exact card, version, and condition decide the value, as with any other Pokémon.
• "Grading always adds value." Grading costs money and time, and a lower grade than hoped can leave a card worth about the same as it was raw.