They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and for OG Pokémon fans that seems to be ringing true right now. It’s Pokémon’s 30th anniversary and to mark the occasion for fans, The Pokémon Company have released the phenomenal 30th Celebration set for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Many of the set’s special cards are highly sought after, so let’s see which cards are the most valuable in Pokémon: 30th Celebration!
10. Greninja ex – Special Illustration Rare, 148/128
Introduced in sixth generation games, Pokémon X and Y, Greninja is the evolved form of Frogadier, which itself evolves from the starter Pokémon, Froakie. As a starter, it’s a hugely popular Pokémon, and it’s also appeared on dozens of highly sought after cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Which makes it an obvious choice for inclusion in 30th Celebration,
9. Jirachi ex – Special Illustration Rare, 155/128
Wish Pokémon Jirachi made its debut way back in third generation Pokémon games, Ruby and Sapphire. Its adorable looks and wish-based abilities have made it a perennially popular Pokémon ever since its 2002 debut, so it’s another obvious choice for 30th Celebration.
8. Sylveon ex – Special Illustration Rare, 153/128
Though it’s an evolved form of Eevee, commonly known as an “Eeveelution”, Sylveon didn’t appear for the first time until the sixth generation of Pokémon games. Eevee initially had just three evolved forms in the original Pokémon games, Red and Blue, but can now evolve into eight different Pokémon, with Sylveon being one of them.
7. Mewtwo ex – Futuristic Rare, 157/128
This Mewtwo ex card is a Futuristic Rare; it’s a new rarity type created for 30th Celebration. Artist YOSHIROTTEN has created somewhat retro-futuristic images for these cards, and unusual color schemes too. Despite the fanbase being split on whether or not they even like these cards, it seems that their rarity means they are still highly sought after. One key thing to bear in mind is that the layered, multi-textured treatment of these cards makes them look incredibly impressive in person, so it’s wise not to judge them based on their appearance on a screen!
6. Pikachu ex – Special Illustration Rare, 149/128
This adorable Pikachu card, a Special Illustration Rare, features an almost unbelievable number of different Pokémon. It’s a beautiful card, and one which brings in familiar faces from a variety of eras of Pokémon’s now three-decade history. They’re all attending a 30th anniversary parade, with the “30” being a big feature of the card’s art!
5. Mewtwo ex – Special Illustration Rare, 151/128
This truly striking Mewtwo ex card is another obvious choice for the most valuable 30th Celebration cards. It’s very clear to see why fans would want to get their hands on this one! Mewtwo has, of course, been a popular, antagonistic presence going way back to the very first Pokémon games on the monochrome Game Boy. So it’s another card that does a great job of diving back into the history of Pokémon, showcasing its appeal to generations of fans.
4. Pikachu ex – Special Illustration Rare, 150/128
If you haven’t noticed already, there’s a day/night theme running through the 30th Celebration cards, with this “night” card being a twist on the previous Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare. Another card with plenty of cameos, just like the earlier “day” version you can also see the parade of Pokémon walking across a “30”. Instead of a daytime parade, this one features fireworks!
3. Mew ex – Futuristic Rare, 158/128
Another somewhat ugly card when looked at digitally, this second Futuristic Rare features Mew in a day theme instead of Mewtwo’s night. It also looks really spectacular in person; if you can track down a video of this card, or even better see it for yourself, you’ll see exactly what we mean. The various textures and layering are incredibly impressive, which makes its value and placing on this list much clearer!
2. Gengar ex – Special Illustration Rare, 154/128
We love this cheeky, vibrantly colorful Gengar ex card. Gengar is another Pokémon who’s been around since the first generation, so it’s great to see them remain so popular over the thirty year lifespan (so far) of Pokémon!
1. Mew ex – Special Illustration Rare, 152/128
Finally, the most valuable, most highly sought after card in 30th Celebration is this gorgeous Mew ex. A Special Illustration Rare, it’s a beautifully peaceful, serene work of art that does a great job of showcasing this first generation Pokémon. We’re not surprised at all to see it at the very top of the list of the most valuable 30th Celebration cards!
Bonus Entry: RGB Mew Cards
Wait! There’s more. Though these don’t appear on TCGplayer’s rankings of most valuable cards at the time of writing, the “secret” RGB Mew cards are the scarcest cards in 30th Celebration, and were only revealed after the set’s launch. Their scarcity doesn’t provide enough sales data for them to make it to the current value ranking, but rest assured, these are likely to be the top of the list for most valuable cards as time goes on!
Check out our full list of Pokémon 30th Celebration cards. You can also take a look at the special Basic Energy cards in the Pokémon 30th Celebration set!
