Japanese fans of Pokémon and fast food have been able to get their hands on promotional cards at McDonald’s from 2002 onwards. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that the first McDonald’s and Pokémon promotion appeared outside Japan. Since then, English McDonald’s Pokémon card sets have been a mostly annual tradition. Which got us wondering: what are the most valuable English Pokémon cards from McDonald’s promotions? Let’s find out!
10. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2016, 6/12
The McDonald’s set released in the US in 2016 was actually released a year earlier in Europe, but the cards are identical. Here’s the first of several Pikachu cards that you’ll see on this list!
9. Eevee – McDonald’s 2019, 12/12
Always a popular Pokémon, it’s no surprise to see the cute Eevee on this list. This one is from the 2019 McDonald’s promotion, which saw players getting a single card alongside plastic, Pokémon-related collectibles.
8. Cubone – McDonald’s 2018, 7/12
The 2018 McDonald’s promotion featured a nicely nostalgic set of 12 cards; each of the Pokémon in the set hailed from the very first Pokémon video games. As that’s the case, with these all being part of the original 151 Pokémon, it’s not the last 2018 card you’ll see on this list!
7. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2018, 4/12
See? That didn’t take long, did it? Of course, it’d be Pikachu who’s the next card from the highly regarded 2018 McDonald’s set!
6. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2017, 5/12
Taking a step back in time one year to 2017, the cards were a much more eclectic mix of Pokémon, including Alolan variants for the first time. Special Alolan variants of Pokémon debuted in the Pokémon Sun & Moon video games, which launched in 2016.
5. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2014, 5/12
The 2014 McDonald’s Pokémon cards featured numerous Pokémon from the X and Y video games, which launched in 2013. Despite featuring an eclectic mix of Pokémon, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Pikachu is the most valuable card from that year’s promotion!
4. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2019, 6/12
We’re back to 2019, and this time it’s yet another Pikachu. It seems that Happy Meal-loving Pokémon fans simply can’t get enough of the electric mouse Pokémon. This isn’t even the last time you’ll see Pikachu on this list!
3. Scraggy – McDonald’s 2016, 7/12
As a fan of the Pokémon video games and trading card game since the very beginning (yes, I am that old), I like to think that I recognize most Pokémon, even if I’ve never actually used them in a game myself. Scraggy was a new one on me though, despite having been around since the Black and White games, which released back in 2010.
2. Pikachu – McDonald’s 2015, 6/12
Finally, here’s the last Pikachu on the most valuable McDonald’s Pokémon cards list. Honestly, after seeing so many of them on this list, it was quite a relief that there isn’t a Pikachu in the number one spot!
1. Psyduck – McDonald’s 2018, 2/12
Lastly, it’s poor, headache-stricken Psyduck who takes the prize as the most valuable McDonald’s Pokémon card. Another classic Pokémon from the original 151, Psyduck has remained popular ever since being introduced in the first Pokémon Game Boy games.
So there you have it; the most valuable cards to have been released in the McDonald’s Pokémon sets. Why not check out our list of the most valuable Pokémon cards featuring Yuka Morii’s iconic clay models? Or our list of the most valuable Pokémon Trainer Gallery cards?
