Let’s get one thing straight: Pokémon cards are not dead. In fact, if you’ve got the right cardboard in your shoebox, you might be sitting on a mini retirement plan—or at least enough for a weekend getaway and some decent tacos. Whether you’re sitting on raw cards from your childhood or eyeing graded slabs with dollar signs in your pupils, here’s your guide to the top 10 Pokémon cards that still move like crazy on eBay in 2025.
1. Base Set Charizard (Unlimited & 1st Edition)
You knew this one was coming. The Base Set Charizard is the Beyoncé of Pokémon cards—always trending, always iconic. A raw unlimited Charizard in decent condition regularly sells for $200–$500. PSA 9s flirt with $1,000, while 1st Edition PSA 10s? You’ll need six figures and a dream.
Even beat-up Charizards sell. If yours looks like it survived a blender, someone on eBay will still probably bid $75 out of pure nostalgia.
2. 1999 Pokémon Game Pikachu Red Cheeks (1st Edition)
The “Red Cheeks” Pikachu was an early printing quirk that has become a collector favorite. Raw copies go for $40–$100 depending on condition. PSA 9s and 10s? Think $300–$1,000+.
It’s a perfect example of why little variations matter. If you want to go deeper into spotting value in old cards, check out our breakdown on how to tell if your old Pokémon cards are actually worth anything.
3. Gold Star Pokémon (2004–2007 EX Series)
Gold Stars are still the holy grail for serious collectors. Raw Gold Star cards like Rayquaza, Espeon, and Umbreon routinely sell for $400–$1,200. PSA 10s? Up to $20,000 or more, depending on the card.
These aren’t just expensive—they’re scarce. If you pull one raw and it looks clean, stop what you’re doing and send it off for grading yesterday.
4. Shadowless Cards (Base Set)
Shadowless Base Set cards—those missing the shadow on the right side of the Pokémon image box—are low-key gold. A raw Shadowless Blastoise or Venusaur can sell for $150–$400. PSA 9s push $800–$1,500.
Even commons like Shadowless Squirtle or Charmander can fetch $30–$100 raw. Don’t sleep on these.
5. 2019 SM Black Star Promo Charizard (Staff Prerelease)
This was the promo card given to staff during the prerelease of Cosmic Eclipse. A raw copy? $400–$700. A PSA 10? $2,000–$4,000 easy.
It’s modern, rare, and pure Charizard hype. The holy trinity.
6. Lugia (Neo Genesis 1st Edition)
Lugia was the silver-side rival to Charizard in Gen 2. Raw 1st Edition Lugia cards can sell for $400–$800 in LP/NM condition. PSA 10s? $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the day and the bidder’s caffeine level.
Even Unlimited versions do well if they’re clean—around $100–$300 raw.
We’ve got a Japanese one coming live soon – not first edition, but but on the lookout!
7. Japanese Promo Pikachu Illustrator
OK, let’s be real—this isn’t one you’re casually going to find in a binder. But it’s worth including because it sets the ceiling: $6 million. Yes, Logan Paul famously bought one for that much. If you somehow find one at a flea market, buy it, sell it, and immediately buy an island.
8. Shining Charizard (Neo Destiny)
The OG “shiny” card. This shiny black Charizard broke minds back in 2002. Raw? $400–$900. PSA 10s consistently break $5K and often trend toward $10K+.
If yours is scratched up? Still a few hundred bucks. It’s Charizard. The floor is high.
9. Full Art Trainer Cards (Modern Era)
Cards like Lillie (Full Art), Rosa, and Skyla from Sun & Moon and BW sets are sneaky valuable. Lillie’s Full Art from Ultra Prism goes for $150–$300 raw—and up to $2,000+ graded PSA 10. It’s insane. Blame waifu collectors. Or thank them, depending on which side of the deal you’re on.
10. Modern Alt Art Cards (Sword & Shield and Beyond)
Modern Alt Arts are keeping the hobby spicy. Think Moonbreon (Umbreon VMAX Alt Art), Giratina V Alt, and Lugia V Alt. These sell constantly on eBay, raw and graded. Moonbreon raw NM is around $800. PSA 10s? $2K–$3.5K like clockwork.
Don’t ignore modern. The print runs are large, but the chase is real—and prices haven’t slowed.
Bonus Tip: Raw vs Graded—Should You Bother?
If your card is worth over $100 raw and is near mint or better, you should strongly consider grading. PSA 10s often fetch 3–10x the raw price. The difference between a $400 raw Lugia and a $4,000 graded one? Centering and surface scratches. That’s it.
But don’t grade everything. If it’s chewed, creased, or looks like it went through the wash—just sell it raw. People will still buy it for nostalgia or binder sets. Sometimes “binder filler” really just means “cheap pickup for a collector who missed out as a kid.”
Final Thoughts: This Market Isn’t Slowing Down
Despite what the doom-posters on Reddit say, Pokémon still slaps. Sales are steady, nostalgia is real, and eBay is full of buyers hunting for raw and graded grails. The trick is knowing what actually moves—and not falling for every hyped-up TikTok flip that tells you to buy Fusion Strike bulk like it’s Bitcoin in 2010.
Start with the ten above. If you’ve got one in your old collection? Dust it off. If not, keep hunting—because the right find can still hit like a Charizard’s Flamethrower in 1999.
Shoutout to Earnology for the Header Image, even tho they’re fake images lol
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