What drives a card's value
- 1Rarity & print runHow many were made. Modern Special Illustration Rares and gold Hyper Rares are pulled once every 30–80 packs; a bulk common is in every pack. Older sets were printed in far smaller quantities than modern ones.
- 2ConditionThe single biggest lever on the same card. A heavily played copy can be worth a tenth of a near-mint one. Whitening on the back edges, surface scratches and soft corners all cost money.
- 3GradeA PSA/BGS/CGC slab removes condition uncertainty for a buyer. A PSA 10 of a scarce card routinely sells for 5–15× the raw price; a PSA 8 might sell for barely more than raw.
- 4The PokémonCharizard, Pikachu, Mewtwo, Umbreon, Rayquaza and Lugia carry a premium on almost any card they appear on. Fan-favourite artists (Arita, 5ban, so-called “alt arts”) do too.
- 5Era & nostalgiaBase Set, Neo, and the e-Card era (1999–2003) command collector premiums. WOTC-era holos, 1st Edition and Shadowless printings sit at the top.
- 6Demand right nowSets spike around release, tournament results and anniversary reprints. Prices are not fixed — check recent sales, not old listings.
How to check what a card is worth
- 1Identify it exactlyNote the set symbol, the collector number (e.g. 4/102) and any 1st Edition stamp. Two cards with the same art can differ 10× in value by printing.
- 2Look up the raw priceOn PokeHive every card page shows a live market price in your currency, plus 7- and 30-day sold averages and a price-history chart.
- 3Check the graded premiumThe card page also shows modelled PSA 9 and PSA 10 values and links straight to completed eBay sales so you can sanity-check them.
- 4Match your card's conditionBe honest. If it isn't a clean near-mint, use the raw price as a ceiling, not a target.
PokeHive's PSA 9/10 figures are modelled estimates (labelled “est.”). Always confirm against the linked recent sales before buying or selling.
Raw or graded — which sells for more?
Grading only pays off when the graded price minus the fee, shipping and the risk of a low grade still leaves you ahead. For most cards under about £50 raw it doesn't. For genuine chase cards in Mint-or-better condition it usually does. See “Is it worth grading?” for the full method.
Where to sell
| Venue | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| eBay | Single valuable cards, graded slabs | Widest audience; ~13% fees; use completed-sold prices to set yours |
| TCGplayer (US) / Cardmarket (EU) | Bulk and mid-value singles | Lower fees, buyer expectations set by the marketplace price |
| Facebook groups / Discord | Fast local trades | No fees, but higher scam risk — use tracked, insured post |
| Card shops | Bulk you don't want to list | Instant cash, but expect 50–70% of market |
- My card isn't listed anywhere — is it worthless?
- Usually it's a bulk common or a non-English printing without a tracked market. It still has value in bulk (roughly 1–5p a card) and to set collectors.
- Is a card with a holo pattern always valuable?
- No. Every modern set has a cheap “reverse holo” version of nearly every card. Value comes from the card being a true holo rare or higher, not from foil alone.
- Do sealed booster packs beat singles as an investment?
- Sealed product from out-of-print sets tends to appreciate as supply is opened, but it's slower and less liquid than chase singles. See the Sealed section.