In recent memory, 2024 was one of the most eventful years for thePokemon TCG,with countless new cards and collectors joining the community. Mew ex and Pikachu ex lead the pack, with these two Pokemon from Kanto proving that nostalgia reigns supreme despite a host of new Pokemon and designs debuting in 2024.
Whilethe most valuable vintage setsremain the clear choice for sealed products, modern singles are beginning to find unexpected parity with some of the most iconic cards in Pokemon. Special Illustration Rares have taken the Pokemon TCG by storm, offering some of the most beautiful scenes ever depicted.
Cards are ordered according to theirTCGPlayerMarket Price,the average price you might pay for a copy of the cards below.
8Raging Bolt ex: Temporal Forces (Special Illustration Rare) – $107.37
Don’t Call It A Comeback
Temporal Forces' best cardexperienced a resurgence at the end of 2024 that saw it eclipse its previous high of about $100, which it hit in late May. However, based on presale prices, this car was never tipped to reach such incredible heights, as itdebuted at close to $50.
However, Raging Bolt quickly emerged as the most desirable Paradox Pokemon in the set, leaving its closest competitors, Walking Wake and Gouging Fire, in the dust.
7Milotic ex: Surging Sparks (Special Illustration Rare) – $140.08
Unparalleled Beauty
While Milotic ex still has plenty of time to experience the rises and falls that Raging Bolt did, this card shares a similar story thus far, debuting much lower than its current price. However, at roughly $80, this card’s presale price set a high bar, which apparently wasn’t high enough for such a stunning scene.
Although Milotic is hovering in the mid-100s, it’s beginning to see a pullback as it tries to land at a fair price that will be determined by the market in due time. For now, we can appreciate how beautiful this card is, as it’s arguablythe most visually appealing card released this year.
6Pikachu ex: Surging Sparks (Hyper Rare) – $151.99
Gold On Gold Perfection
Gold cards are typically divisive, but this incredible Pikachu ex Hyper Rare strikes the perfect balance between the gold background and Pikachu’s yellow color palette.
Shockingly, this card’s high was enough to see it rank amongPikachu’s most valuable cards,though it has dipped after hitting the $200 plateau.
As with the other Surging Sparks cards on this list, the Pikachu ex’s TCG career is still incredibly young, and it’s possible this card could soar well beyond its previous high in the future. In the short-term, expect it to meander around its current value until demand begins to exceed supply once again.
5Charizard ex: Paldean Fates (Special Illustration Rare) – $162.53
There’s Always A Charizard
From Pikachu to Charizard, some things never change in the Pokemon TCG, with these two frequently appearing among the top cards in any set they’re featured in. This shiny Charizard with a Terastal crown divided opinions upon release, asthe Scarlet & Violet era’ssignature mechanic took some time to grow on us.
This Charizard debuted at around $150 before sinking toward the $100 plateau, but held strong around that number for most of 2024. However, Charizard is beginning to catch fire once again, as its current market price seeks to leave previous highs behind for greener pastures.
4Latias ex: Surging Sparks (Special Illustration Rare) – $228.84
A Bright Future For Pokemon
Despite an incredibly short time since its debut, Latias has seen incredible price movement thus far, debuting above $200, dropping to $180, and now seems primed to keep its momentum going. Although the high for the year capped out at around $260, Latias has already pulled back from that value.
Of all the cards on this list,Latias seems like the most fairly priced,and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see it hold its value long-term. It’s almost guaranteed that there will be ebbs and flows that see this card’s price shift, but its value feels surprisingly fair even though the card hasn’t had much time on the market.
3Mew ex: Paldean Fates (Special Illustration Rare) – $266.01
Bubble Mew Is Soaring
Mew ex, better known as “Bubble Mew” had the most impressive 2024 of any card on this list, as it debuted around $85 and maintained a consistent price chart until late in the year, whenit jumped to highs around $300.Since hitting that incredible high that saw it more than triple in value, Mew has settled down a bit, but still maintains its incredible gains.
The days of the sub-$100 Bubble Mew seem well behind us, and it’s likely that this card will continue to command incredibly high prices for the foreseeable future.
2Greninja ex: Twilight Masquerade (Special Illustration Rare) – $330.48
More Than Just Hype
Speaking of cards that had impressive showings in 2024, the Greninja ex had a relatively modest debut around the $150 mark, but quickly jumped in value to make it one ofthe most expensive cards in Twilight Masquerade.While it seemed like this card was feeding off a small group of buyers hyping it up, its continued price rise proves that it’s here to stay.
Every new high this card hits seems like where it will settle, but after crossing the $250 and $300 marks, there’s no use in predicting where this card will eventually settle. Will it plummet back into the $200s, or will it jump to even more unbelievable heights? Only time will tell.
1Pikachu ex: Surging Sparks (Special Illustration Rare) – $455.76
Make Room For Another Crown
Pikachu ex is the undisputed most valuable Pokemon card released in 2024, as it adds yet another accolade to go along with beingSurging Sparks' most expensive card.As the mascot, it’s not surprising to see Pikachu at the top of the charts, but its unprecedented rise from its debut price is still worthy of praise.
Early sales of this card hovered around $300, but that price is long gone, as Pikachu seems intent on remaining above $400. However, time’s effect on this card has yet to be seen, so don’t expect the price to remain stagnant, as there’s certain to be major shifts for this card as we move further from Surging Sparks' release.
