First Edition Pokemon cards in gem-mint condition sell for staggering price at auction

Luke Edwards

A complete set of First Edition Pokemon trading cards has sold at auction for a staggering $666,000, in yet another instance of Pokemon cards fetching crazy money.

Pokemon trading cards saw a huge resurgence during 2020, and it looks like it will continue through 2021. We’ve seen one ultra-rare Pokemon card sell for $350,000 on auction, and another flogged for $300,000.

For this latest listing, put on Goldin Auctions, bidders had plenty of time to scrape some cash together, as it was first advertised in mid-January. The bidding started at $125,000, and it didn’t take long for that to be matched.

Ultimately, the bid eclipsed well over half a million dollars in the latest example of the insane value some Pokemon cards now hold.

Rare PSA10 Pokemon cards
This set of First Edition cards was sold at auction on February 6.

After 15 bids, a complete set of 103 1st edition Pokemon cards sold for exactly $666,000. Originally released in 1999, the set was kept in gem-mint condition – the highest grade – for over 21 years.

The set included four Charizard cards, which are alone worth a combined six figures, as well as highly sought-after Alakazam and Blastoise cards.

Who bought the cards remains a mystery, as does whether they plan to keep the cards as a collectible or sell them at a higher price in the future. We’re yet to see a single set of Pokemon TCG products reach $1 million in value, but at this rate, we wouldn’t bank against it.

logan paul with pokemon trading card 200k base set
Logan Paul spent $2 million on Pokemon trading cards.

The value of Pokemon cards is so high, we’ve seen a bunch of Influencers get in on the act. Logan Paul, for example, revealed he has spent over $2 million on First Edition boxes, which don’t even necessarily guarantee they will contain a top-tier card.

Some collectors have even cashed in on their collections to fund their ambition, with one YouTuber swapping his collection for a brand-new Audi R8. Another fan-funded his college tuition by selling $80,000 of collectibles.

This just shows the transformative power held by these Pokemon cards. It’ll be interesting to see how much some cards will be worth in the future.

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About The Author

Luke is a former Dexerto writer based in Oxford, who has a BA in English Literature from the University of Warwick. He now works with Dexerto's video department. You can contact Luke at luke.edwards@dexerto.com