Most valuable Pokemon Energy cards you can add to your TCG collection
PokemonLooking for the best and most valuable Pokemon energy cards you can add to your TCG collection? Here are the energy cards to look out for, including Hyper Rare Golden energies, World Attendees and Staff Energy cards, and Holofoil energies.
Given the introduction of new Golden Pokemon cards, also known as Hyper Rare Energy Cards and Rare Holofoil Energy Cards with printing differences, some fans will find loads of opportunities to add some beautiful and unique cards to their collection.
Pokemon energy cards historically don’t fluctuate much in price and tend to have low trade volume. This can make them a more stable investment, which is always worthwhile in a TCG which can be so up and down.
While you can simply check out the most expensive energy cards, there are some easier-to-collect ones and distinct categories to look out for too.
These categories, Staff, World Championship cards, Promos, and Secret Energies, then Holofoils, and finally misprints and Holo energies with extra swirls will take you from the most to the least valuable Pokemon TCG energy cards.
However, there are exceptions, as the most expensive cards won’t be listed on TCGplayer. Instead, you’ll have to look on auction sites. We’ve listed a couple of auction prices for Holofoil Rares from eBay in the last section – you might be shocked at the price tags, though!
Contents
- Top 10 most expensive Pokemon Energy Cards
- Staff
- World Championship Cards
- Play! Pokemon Reward Cards
- Call of Legends
- Secret and Hyper Rare Golden energy cards
- Golden Special Energy Cards
- Holofoil and Reverse Holofoil energy cards
- Misprint Energy cards and Extra Swirls
Top 10 most expensive Pokemon Energy Cards
The most expensive energy cards are typically the World Championship attendee cards, followed by secret energy cards, then the more recent golden Pokemon cards favored by players who don’t mind spending a bit extra on their decks, then other holo energy cards and other promo cards.
You can get more expensive rare and graded cards at auction, for example, this 1st edition 9-mint Grass Energy that would set you back $17,971. However, we’re sticking to cards that you can easily buy online.
| Card | Market Price | Where to buy it |
|---|---|---|
| 01. Double Colorless Energy – 90/108 – Staff – North America Championships | $148.95 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 02. Double Colourless Energy – 90/108 – Oceania Championships | $95.00 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 03. Basic Darkness Energy – Call of Legends | $92.44 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 04. Special Darkness Energy – 93/109 – Player Reward | $73.49 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 05. Psychic Energy – 92/95 – Play! Pokemon Promo Promo | $58.18 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 06. Psychic Energy – Call of Legends | $55.99 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 07. Darkness Energy – 94/95 – Play! Pokemon Promo | $51.29 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 08. Water Energy – Call of Legends | $50.66 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 09. Fairy Energy (Secret) – SM – Burning Shadows | $50.06 | TCGPlayer.com |
| 10. Water Energy – 90/95 – Play! Pokemon Promo | $38.02 | TCGPlayer.com |
Staff cards
Cards stamped with “Staff” are incredibly rare, and sometimes feature unique art. These cards used to be handed out to card shops that organized events, as well as to staff at bigger events and championships.
After being discontinued in 2020, collectors expect them to see a surge in price. They’re highly collectible, and many are undervalued. Here’s an example of a Staff card that is at the top of our price list.
Double Colorless Energy (Staff)
Pokemon- Name: Double Colorless Energy – 90/108 (North America Championships) [Staff]
- Year released: 2016
- Card Value: $148.95
These cards were gifted to players and staff between 2016-2017. Mainly, the staff versions of these cards are listed and they’re quite pricey. There are also top 8 and champion versions of the card which aren’t readily available except at auction.
World Championship Cards
Outside of auctions, it’s not easy to get ahold of world attendee and championship and player reward energy cards. However, fans can get ahold of these reprint sets that pay homage to the prize winners’ decks which are the next best things.
Double Rainbow Energy – 2005 (Michael Gonzalez)
Pokemon- Name: Double Rainbow Energy
- Year released: 2005
- Card Value: $10.22
This card belongs to one of the ‘King of the West Coast’ World Championship starter decks, named by Michael Gonzales and featuring his signature. The stunning cards feature a silver border and a special back but are not tournament legal.
Multi Energy
Pokemon- Name: Multi Energy
- Year released: 2004
- Card Value: $4.99
This card is from the runner-up Blaziken tech deck, an incredibly popular RAMBO deck archetype from the 2004 championships. It was used by Chris Fulop to great effect, and this signed card was one of four commemorative decks released to mark the event.
Note that the ‘Jumbo’ version of this card costs a lot more at $65.
Player Reward and Play! Pokemon Energy Cards:
Water Energy (2011 Player Reward)
Pokemon- Name: Water Energy
- Year released: 2011
- Card Value: $38.02
This Water Energy card was given as a Play! Pokemon reward to competitors in the 2011-2012 season. It features a beautiful design with a Lugia silhouette and a whirlpool spiral in the background.
The crosshatch pattern on the card surface makes it easy to distinguish Pokemon cards which were like this one, awarded at a Play! Pokemon event.
Multi Energy (Player Reward)
Pokemon1. Name: Multi Energy
2. Year released: 2003 3. Card value: $89.04
Multi Energy was released during the Advanced era of Pokemon as part of the second main expansion set called Ex Sandstorm. This valuable Energy card was given out as a reward to competitors at events during the Wizards of the West Coast era.
Call Energy (Player Reward)
Pokemon- Name: Call Energy
- Year released: 2008
- Card Value: $42.91
A Holo edition of this Call Energy was given as a Player Reward to competitors who made the Tier Two level of the 2011-2012 competitive season. It features the distinctive crosshatch pattern given to League Promos.
Darkness Energy, 2011 (Play! Pokemon reward)
Pokemon- Name: Darkness Energy (Special)
- Year released: 2003
- Card Value: $73.49
The EX Ruby and Sapphire era was the first set produced by Nintendo after it took over from the Wizards of the West Coast era. It’s a special set because it is believed to have ‘saved’ The Pokemon TCG.
This rare Darkness Energy was one of the first player rewards printed by Nintendo during this new era.
Psychic Energy (Play! Pokemon reward)
Pokemon- Name: Psychic Energy
- Year released: 2011
- Card Value: $13.95
This reverse holofoil Psychic Energy with a crosshatch pattern features a sunlit background and the silhouette of an Espeon. Already a beautiful and rare card, it was also given out as a Play! Pokemon reward too which increased its value to collectors.
Other notable League Championship cards:
PokemonThese Pokemon League and Championship energy cards feature a crosshatched foil design that sets them apart from others. They’re valuable Pokemon Energy cards which also look great.
Plus, collecting them comes with the added bonus of owning a part of the history of Play! Pokemon competitions.
| Card | Set | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fighting Energy (Sudowudo) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $11.97 |
| Metal Energy (Steelix) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $15.96 |
| Lightning Energy (Ampharos) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $24.71 |
| Grass Energy (Celebi) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $23.17 |
| Psychic Energy (Espeon) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $23.27 |
| Darkness Energy (Umbreon) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $51.29 |
| Water Energy (Lugia) | Play! Pokemon – Promo | $38.02 |
Call of Legends
The Call of Legends Energy cards are special. The set was released in 2011 and featured beautiful shiny legendary Pokemon. These Energy cards in particular are quite valuable because of the silhouettes in their backgrounds.
The cards are nearly identical to the league promo cards above in design, however they lack the distinguishable crosshatch pattern.
| Card | Set | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Darkness Energy | Call of Legends | $92.44 |
| Basic Psychic Energy | Call of Legends | $55.99 |
| Basic Water Energy | Call of Legends | $50.66 |
| Basic Lightning Energy | Call of Legends | $30.09 |
| Basic Grass Energy | Call of Legends | $26.57 |
| Basic Fire Energy | Call of Legends | $24.80 |
| Basic Metal Energy | Call of Legends | $17.55 |
| Basic Fighting Energy | Call of Legends | $16.00 |
| Special Darkness Energy | Call of Legends | $0.74 |
| Special Metal Energy | Call of Legends | $1.47 |
Secret and Hyper Rare Golden energy cards:
The rarest of the Golden Basic Energy cards is the Fairy-type energy which was released as part of the 2017 Burning Shadows expansion to the Sun & Moon set. It is so rare because it was only printed once. Although a lot of Burning Shadows packs were printed, it was the only set to feature the now discontinued Fairy-type Pokemon.
The card costs $50.06 and has been increasing in price since its release, more than recovering losses from a dip in July 2023.
PokemonThe above Pokemon cards are typically considered Hyper Rare cards, or Secret Rare cards and are easily distinguishable as they are Golden. Besides the Basic Fairy Energy card, these cards have mostly maintained stable prices since release and cost in the range of $4-20.
Not mentioned here is the Secret Rare Special Energy card, Counter Energy which has remained at a humble but consistent value of over $7 for most of 2023.
| Card | Set | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Energy (Secret Rare) | Burning Shadows | $19.95 |
| Fairy Energy (Secret Rare) | Burning Shadows | $50.06 |
| Lightning Energy (Secret Rare) | Guardians Rising | $16.80 |
| Darkness Energy (Secret Rare) | Burning Shadows | $25.95 |
| Psychic Energy (Secret Rare) | Scarlet & Violet base set | $18.76 |
| Grass Energy (Secret Rare) | Guardians Rising | $19.33 |
| Water Energy (Secret Rare) | Crimson Invasion | $24.19 |
| Japanese Metal Energy | Temporal Forces | Yet to be released. |
| Japanese Darkness Energy | Temporal Forces | Yet to be released. |
Golden Special Energy Cards:
These special energy cards have two additional benefits. One, they provide an added effect besides energy, ie. providing multiple kinds of energy or multiple energies in one card. Two, they are Golden and look amazing as part of your collection.
Pokemon| Card | Set | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Weakness Guard Energy | Unified Minds | $6.25 |
| Unit Energy Fighting, Fairy, Darkness | Forbidden Light | $12.56 |
| Unit Energy Fire, Water, Grass | Ultra Prism | $16.20 |
| Unit Energy Lightning, Psychic, Metal | Ultra Prism | $13.30 |
| Counter Energy | Crimson Invasion | $7.85 |
| Recycle Energy | Unified Minds | $7.10 |
| Triple Acceleration Energy | Unbroken Bonds | $4.49 |
| Double Turbo Energy | Astral Radiance | $16.14 |
| Reversal Energy | Crimson Invasion | $7.85 |
| Rainbow Energy | Celestial Storm | $34.26 |
| Double Colorless Energy | Guardians Rising | $21.83 |
| Double Rainbow Energy | Celestial Storm | $34.22 |
To learn more about Golden Pokemon Cards check out our Gold Pokemon Cards explained article.
Holofoil and Reverse Holofoil energy cards:
Rainbow Energy Holo Rare – Team Rocket
Pokemon- Name: Rainbow Energy (Special Energy Card)
- Year released: 2000
- Card Value: $30.34
The original Special Energy card: Rainbow Energy was released as part of the 5th expansion to The Pokemon TCG: the Team Rocket expansion. It’s so special because it was the very first ever Holofoil Energy card. The last time it was reprinted was in the 2018 Celestial Storm expansion.
This Rainbow Energy was also released as a League Promo in the last Wizards of the West Coast tournament of the season, as well as for top 3 competitors. Those are a lot tougher to track down.
This particular version is from the 2000 Team Rocket set, and features a beautiful atom-like energy icon and a holographic back. The card has a market value of around $30.34 at the time of writing and will make a stunning addition in a Team Rocket or Energy card collection.
Potion Energy: Reverse Holo – Legendary Collection
Pokemon- Name: Potion Energy – Legendary Collection
- Year released: 2002
- Card Value: $34.84
It was first introduced as part of the Legendary Collection expansion in 2002, which featured reprints from the Team Rocket expansion. The set was the first to feature Reverse Holofoil cards. Although the listed standard price is $34, Graded, Reverse Holofoil versions of the card can fetch over $1000 at auction.
Along with Full Heal energy, this card was the first to provide a secondary effect in addition to energy, making it a ‘Special Energy’ card. Full Heal energy fetches significantly lower prices.
Misprint Energy cards and Extra Swirls
Energy cards are stable investments, and despite the lack of attention they typically receive they can feature beautiful backgrounds and other artistic touches that set them apart from the rest. We haven’t covered the widespread attention that the newer sets, like Pokemon 151 have garnered for their misprints.
These misprint cards are numerous and varied and are easy to spot. Since a lot of collectors absolutely love them, it’s worth posting a photo of it in the Pokemon TCG Misprints Sub Reddit in case someone knows how much it will cost or wants to make you an offer.
It’s important to distinguish that the more swirls your Holo Energy cards have, the more rare they are. So, if you pull an Energy card with lots of swirls, or some well-placed swirls in the background, make sure to put it in a sleeve straight away and post it on Reddit. You might just find a collector out there who is willing to pay or trade you more than you’d expect for it.
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For more tips and tricks to become the very best, make sure you check out our other articles:
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