What's The Rarest Shiny In Pokemon Go

If you collected Pokemon cards in your youth, chances are yous have an one-time shoe box storing your collection somewhere in mom's basement. Rare Pokemon cards have been known to sell for hundreds if not thousands of dollars, just how tin can you tell if your cards are actually worth money? Here's how to determine if your Pokemon cards are valuable collector's items or just a pile of cardboard nostalgia.

We're going to cover the two main factors that go into determining Pokemon card value (rarity and status) and then explain how to learn a menu's worth and where you can commutation it for money.

How to Determine Pokemon Card Value

Pokemon Card Rarity

Anyone who has ripped open a Pokemon booster pack knows the thrill of flipping through the stack to see if a much sought-after rare card awaits them inside. Rare cards are the near valuable cards printed by Pokemon, and there have been quite a few different kinds released over the years. There are numerous factors that go into determining just how rare a bill of fare is.

The blackness symbol in the bottom corner of a Pokemon carte denotes its rarity: a circumvolve is mutual, a diamond is uncommon, and a star is rare. Traditionally the star is black, simply a card with a star of an alternate colour such as white or gold means it'southward ultra rare.

Carte du jour image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

A card begetting a first edition mark on the side ways it'southward from the outset print run of a carte du jour prepare, which gives it actress value.

Card image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

If a carte du jour is holographic, information technology's worth fifty-fifty more than.

Bill of fare image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

Over the years, new carte du jour types have been introduced that wait quite a bit different than your standard Pokemon card. These rare cards accept names like Pokemon EX, Pokemon GX and Pokemon Five/MAX and are unmistakable thanks to the holographic art taking upwardly the unabridged card.

Card image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

There are standard versions of these cards, full arts, rainbow-colored secret rares, and shiny versions, all of which have their own ready value.

Card paradigm courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

All of these unlike menu types tin exist a lot to process for the uninitiated, so you lot can easily figure out which card you have past searching for information technology online using the prepare number found in the lesser corner.

Menu image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

There are other factors that can make a menu valuable bated from what symbol is printed on information technology. Cards featuring pop Pokemon are eagerly sought after by fans, creating a high demand that increases value. Some pop Pokemon include:

Charizard
Blastoise
Rayquaza
Pikachu
Mewtwo
Umbreon
Lugia

Cards that are especially good in the game are frequently worth more, as well.

Card prototype courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

Then there are limited-edition cards simply obtainable by attending special events, entering contests, and competing in tournaments -- these are some of the most valuable cards a Pokemon collector tin obtain. Nosotros'll cover these in more than detail below.

Sorting your collection by these rarity types is a proficient starting point to place the foam of the crop. These cards tin so be appraised further to notice their truthful worth.

Don't worry if about of your cards aren't rares that are worth big coin, that's completely normal. If you find yourself with many cards not worth selling as singles, they tin can however exist sold in bulk.

Pokemon Card Condition

Once y'all've figured out which cards in your drove are rare plenty to consider selling, the next step is to assess their condition. Any card you think may accept value should exist stored in a protective sleeve and kept out of direct sunlight to preserve its condition.

A perfect mint or near-mint condition card will ordinarily sell for full price, while whatsoever flaws will crusade it to lose value.

At that place are obvious flaws such as scratches, bends, and tears, usually caused by playing with the cards or non storing them properly. This kind of damage can severely lower the value of a card.

Then there are pocket-sized imperfections, such equally centering and chipping, that are a result of how well the card was printed. These flaws are less impactful on value and are commonly merely factored in when having the menu professionally graded.

Special Cards to Keep an Centre Out For

Aside from the diverse rares mentioned above, there are a few unique traits worth looking out for that tin can hateful a Pokemon carte du jour has loftier value. These are oftentimes press errors or express distribution that led to a card becoming extremely precious to collectors. Sometimes these cards await no unlike than others of the same kind at commencement glance and require special attention to place, then look carefully!

Shadowless

You may take heard the term "Shadowless" tossed around when referring to extremely valuable Pokemon cards. For example, a Shadowless Base Prepare Charizard card typically sells for a few thou dollars on eBay. But what does this term mean and how can you tell if your card is Shadowless?

Afterward the first impress run of Base Ready Pokemon cards, a drib shadow was added to the art box to spruce up the design a bit. Therefore, all of the cards from the original print run are referred to every bit Shadowless. Shadowless cards have become collector's items because but a small amount of them exist.

Look closely at the border of your Base Set cards. If there'south no shadow visible along the edge, and so you take a Shadowless menu.

Card paradigm courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

Tournament and Promo Cards

Not all Pokemon cards come from booster packs. Some of the rarest Pokemon cards were only given out as tournament prizes or promotional giveaways. These cards usually deport a stamp on the art to identify where they came from or accept a special promo star in the lesser corner, and then brand sure to keep your eyes peeled for these sorts of markings on your cards.

Some of these special cards were quite commonplace back in the twenty-four hours--such as the promotional Mew menu given out in 1999 to those who bought tickets for Pokemon: The First Movie-- then they're not worth more than a few dollars now.

Card image courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

Simply some, similar the 2011 and 2012 Tropical Beach bill of fare from the Pokemon World Championships, tin easily fetch hundreds of dollars.

Carte du jour paradigm courtesy of PKMNcards.com.

Error Cards

Certain cards accept spelling errors, formatting issues, misprints, or other mistakes that turn an otherwise unremarkable menu into a rare collector's item.

For example, an unlimited 1999 Pokemon Base Blastoise with "Stage" missing in the top right corner is referred to as "Stage Error Blastoise" and can go for thousands.

There are dozens and dozens of various fault cards that take popped upward over the years, so it may take you a while to check your collection for them, but it may be worth it if you air current upwardly finding one. While some errors are common and not worth much, certain ones are extremely valuable to collectors.

Check out this list to meet if you have a particularly rare error carte.

How to Cash in On Your Pokemon Cards

At present that you've gone through your cards and identified which may have value, it'due south time to see how much they're really worth and put them up for sale.

Equally you might look, 1 of the easiest means to check the value of a card is to await information technology up on an auction site like eBay. Make certain to look at completed listings to see how much the card really sold for.

Other useful sites are ones similar TCGPlayer and TrollAndToad, which act as digital storefronts for game shops and individuals selling cards. Once you lot look up a bill of fare, you can check the Market Price for an idea of how much it's currently worth. Similar eBay, these sites permit you to sell your cards for a fee.

A snapshot of Charizard cards on TCGPlayer.

Once you know how much your cards are worth, you tin can either make a listing on 1 of these sites to sell them, or you could visit a carte du jour shop or flea market to haggle in person, whatever it takes to become the very all-time price for your Pokemon cards.

Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are often used words in your vocabulary, you'll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN .