Did you know: some playing cards from our childhood are now worth several thousand dollars! Pokémon, Magic or Yu-Gi-Oh, we were able to observe some of the most expensive cards in the world during a show dedicated to this growing phenomenon.
Your attic may hold priceless treasures. Many of the playing cards from our childhood are now worth far more than when you traded them in the playground! Whether it’s Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Magic cards, those little bits of cardboard can become enormously valuable over the years. The Charizard, Pikachu and Mewtwo that we enjoyed collecting as children are now snapping up hundreds or even thousands of euros.
On the occasion of the TCG gala on the weekend of April 22-23, 2023, eBay invited several major players in playing cards to Paris. The opportunity for fans and collectors to admire some of the rarest and most expensive playing cards currently available on the online site and at auction. The special mention, however, goes to a certain Pikachu which is currently on sale at 1 million euros on the eBay France site.
Although the TCG gala held this weekend includes all kinds of licenses (Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, Disney Lorcana …), the real star of the event remains the Pokémon license. This storm, which arrived here at the end of 1999, never ceased to trigger crowds and passions through various media such as video games, animated series, and of course, collectible cards.
Pokémon cards have experienced a real resurgence in popularity in recent years, especially with COVID-19 and the various confinements which have accentuated the desire to collect these creatures from our childhood.
Some Pokémon cards have become very rare to find! This is particularly the case of the first editions published in France in the first extensions called “Wizard Block”. The most nostalgic among you will certainly recognize some of these cards featuring Tortank, Feunard, Nidoking, and many others. Their prices vary greatly depending on their condition. This is why more and more collectors decide to appraise their cards and protect them with a special case.
One of the stars of the TCG gala exhibition was a well-known Pokémon among fans: the famous Pikachu, but not just any! The “Pikachu Illustrator” card is, as the organizers have well reminded, considered “the Mona Lisa of the Pokémon trading and trading card game”. This special version of the famous yellow mouse was distributed in only 39 copies worldwide following a drawing contest organized by the Japanese magazine Corocoro Comics in 1997.
A copy of the “Pikachu Illustrator” is notably on sale on the eBay site, and exhibited during the exhibition. Its current value is set at one million euros! However, this is not the record for a Pokémon card since another copy of this same card has already been sold for 5 million dollars in absolutely perfect condition.
Pokémon isn’t the only playing card license that can pay off big. Some Magic The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh playing cards can also take on a lot of value over the years. This is the case of the very famous “Black Lotus” card. In addition to being considered extremely powerful, it is a reference in the world of collectible cards as its illustration is now well known and synonymous with rarity.
Other products like booster boxes and small card bags can also increase in value over time. These small objects that you could (and still find) at your tobacconists now cost several hundred euros depending on the time of their release and the potential rare cards they may contain.
The TCG gala is organized this weekend of April 22 and 23 at the Espace Champeret in Paris. The ticket office is still open and provides access to the event in order to meet up with collectors and card game fans. Whether it’s Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, or the future Disney game Lorcana, there should be many visitors to come.
