Though we know much more valuable cards can be found, selling for unbelievably large amounts, what are the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards currently on offer? We checked out TCGplayer to see what the current market prices are for Japanese Pokémon cards, and discovered some surprising results. So without any further ado, let’s check out the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards!
10. Lusamine – Super Rare, 120/114
Kicking off our list of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards is this Lusamine Trainer card. It’s a Super Rare card from the GX Battle Boost set, which released in Japan in 2017.
9. Sylveon VMAX – Hyper Rare, 093/069
This Hyper Rare Sylveon VMAX card hails from the Eevee Heroes set, released in Japan in 2021. Full art variants of VMAX cards are generally highly sought after, and this Sylveon is the most valuable example of them all, when it comes to Japanese cards at least!
8. Giratina V – Super Rare, 111/100
Now I know all art is subjective, but I’ve never personally been a fan of this Giratina V card, from the 2022 set, Lost Abyss. It’s too dark and busy for my liking, but it seems that Pokémon fans aren’t in agreement, given it’s placement on the list of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards!
7. Sightseer – Super Rare, 192/173
Another Trainer card (or, on the Japanese versions of Pokémon cards, “Trainer’s”) here, with Sightseer’s Super Rare variant, from the 2019 Tag All Stars set. Full art cards of Trainers always appear on the lists of the most valuable Pokémon cards. As they’re always beautifully illustrated cards, in a lush, anime style, it’s clear to see why they’re so popular!
6. Victini – Promo, 288/SV-P
A Promo card from dual 2025 set, Black Bolt and White Flare, this red Victini is part of a set of three monochromatic cards: the black Zekrom ex, Reshiram ex (which is white), and then this red Victini. To date, they’re the only cards with this type of color and foil treatment, and unless the Black and White sets make a reappearance, we may never see any more!
5. Psyduck – Promo, 286/SM-P
There’s a great subset of Pokémon cards which homage classic art; one of the most valuable in recent years was the Pikachu Van Gogh tribute card. So it’s fantastic to see another example of this type of card on the list of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards, with this Psyduck Promo card from the Sun & Moon era. A clear homage to the famous painting The Scream by Edvard Munch, this Psyduck card is one of my favorite Pokémon cards of all time!
4. Shining Mew – Promo
Despite being given away with the May 2001 issue of CoroCoro Comic in Japan, this unnumbered Shining Mew card is now one of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards ever! You can imagine that, despite so many having been produced and purchased, very few would have been kept in decent condition, if they were even kept at all.
3. Mega Charizard X ex – Mega Ultra Rare, 116/80
An even newer card than the red Victini, this Mega Charizard X ex is from the Inferno X set, released in September 2025. Perhaps it’s recency bias, but this card has rocketed up the list of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards. Will it still be here next year, once the dust has settled? We’ll find out, for sure!
2. Karen’s Umbreon – Holo Rare, 091/141
From the newest card to one of the oldest; this Holo Rare Karen’s Umbreon card is from 2001 set, VS. With Eeveelutions being so popular, it’s odd that we only have two of them on this list of the most valuable Pokémon cards; the other one being the VMAX Sylveon, of course.
1. Pikachu – Promo, 227/S-P
With a classical Japanese art style, this Pikachu card is another homage to a famous painting. As a Promo with a very limited print run, available only via a Pokémon Stamp Box from the Japan Postal Service, the only way to initially get hold of this card was by winning a chance to purchase it via a lottery. Naturally, given its scarcity, it’s incredibly desirable. So it’s no surprise to see it at the top of our list of the most valuable Japanese Pokémon cards!
Check out our lists of the most valuable cards in Japanese Pokémon sets, Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia!
