Through numerous generations, kids have fallen in love with their own generation of Pokemon. It’s hard to overlook the importance of the original 151 creatures featured in the first generation. The Kanto native Pokemon hold a special place in the hearts of many fans as well as the franchise itself.
The series wouldn’t be what it is today without them. The trading cards of those Pokemon are skyrocketing in value, so it’s important to know which ones are worth protecting at all costs. It’s best to focus on the original collection of sets in order to fuel nostalgia and provide clarity.
Updated on September 25, 2024, by Ryan Hay: It has been a bit since we revisited this list, so we’re back with a ton of updated prices and a few new additions to the set. Gyarados’s Delta Species card, a fancy Dragonite, and Rocket’s Snorlax ex all join the list of most valuable Pokemon TCG cards from Gen 1.
The prices are taken from
tcgplayer.com
and are subject to change over time.
23 Rocket’s Mewtwo
Gym Challenge
Now, this is the kind of card that one can guess would be extremely valuable just by its name. Mewtwo is arguably as popular as the likes of Pikachu and Charizard, and thanks to its numerous movie appearances, the legendary is sought after whenever it’s printed on a card.
Rocket’s Mewtwo, in particular, is a very special card, as it references the early stages of Mewtwo, where it was actually working for Team Rocket in some capacity. This card was not only cool visually, but it was also strong in the TCG. Juxtapose is a great move that could swing the tide of battle, and you could drop it right away since Mewtwo is a basic Pokemon.
22 Charizard
Base Set 2
On average, the Base Set 2 version of Charizard goes for around half of what the normal Base Set version sells for. This means that fans of the fiery starter can obtain a card similar to the iconic and classic card for half the price if they simply don’t mind the Base Set 2 logo, which features the number 2 with a Poke Ball on it.
Charizard’s Base Set 2 card sells for a decent price even if the card happens not to be graded. It’s the cheapest way for Charizard fans to get their own dose of cardboard nostalgia, which is great as the card still has the iconic art of Charizard roaring.
21 Blaine’s Arcanine
Gym Challenge
Starting things off is Arcanine. This is no random Arcanine, though; it’s Blaine’s very own Arcanine. The Gym Challenge is the second set after Gym Heroes to gift us with Pokemon identified by the iconic trainers that own them, making them feel extra unique and special.
This card may not be rivaling the other cards on this list, but it’s still as iconic as them. Arcanine has always been a pseudo mascot for the earlier generations of the series, with prominent appearances in the anime and video games, and this card adds to that legacy for sure.
20 Gyarados Star
Holon Phantoms
Delta Species are a special type of Pokemon card, one that restricts you to having just one Delta Species Pokemon in your entire deck. This version of Gyarados takes the shiny red form, exceptionally rare under most circumstances, and turns it into a Basic Pokemon, much like an ex Pokemon.
As a Delta Species, Gyarados gives you two attacks, Spiral Growth and then All-Out Blast. Spiral Growth is a luck-based attack, relying on you flipping coins until you get tails and then attaching Energy cards from your discard pile to Gyarados Star for the number of heads. Then, All-Out Blast discards cards from the top of your deck until you have just one card left. For each Energy you discard, Gyarados deals 20 damage for each Energy you discard on top of the base 50 damage it deals. This a last resort attack, one that’s all but guaranteed to take out your opponent’s Active Pokemon.
19 Magneton
Base Set Shadowless
Magneton, while never reaching the popularity of Pikachu, Mewtwo, or the starters, has still managed to amass a sizable fanbase. This weird magnet trio is actually quite useful in the video games as well, which may have inflated its popularity.
The card was nowhere near useful, even back then, as the meta was fully filled with Haymaker decks which Magneton was unfortunately weak to. However, gorgeous art and the benefit of being shadowless make this piece of cardboard quite valuable.
18 Chansey
Base Set Shadowless
It’s a travesty that Chansey still has yet to be converted to Fairy-type despite its design being the poster child for the type. It isn’t the type of Pokemon fans rush to catch and train, and it certainly isn’t a powerhouse, but thanks to the anime, fans fell in love with it as it was always by Nurse Joy’s side.
Chansey is luckily respected in the TCG, at least when talking about the Base Set shadowless version. While not as useful in the TCG as it is in video games, Chansey still manages to be a top pick for any Pokemon card collection.
17 Clefairy
Base Set Shadowless
On the contrary, one wouldn’t expect to see a Clefairy card sell for such a high price. While Clefairy is beloved by many, and the card art is lovely, it’s not like this is an iconic Pokemon. Sometimes cuteness and nostalgia carry you to value, it seems.
The card is gorgeous, for sure, and you could pull off some hilarious turns with its unique attack Metronome. However, Clefairy is, if anything, an example of how any shadowless Base Set card can sell for surprising amounts, regardless of what’s printed on it.
16 Ninetales
Base Set Shadowless
Ninetales, unlike Clefairy, has all the claim to fame. It’s been a fan favorite for decades now, and its popularity only grew when it gained an amazing regional form Alolan Ninetales. This gorgeous Pokemon is also one of the most beloved card arts here, showcasing all its eloquence.
Ninetales isn’t just pretty, though. While it never was the biggest meta threat, both of its attacks can be useful in certain situations. It’s also only a Stage One, meaning you can get to it relatively quickly. This card justifies its price point for sure.
15 Dark Charizard
Team Rocket
Charizard is iconic; that’s a given. But when Charizard is printed with a stipulation, or when it’s given additional things to make it stand out, the value also skyrockets. That is exactly the case with Dark Charizard from the Team Rocket set, with its gorgeous Ken Sugimori art.
This card puts the beloved dragon wannabe in a badass pose and gives it an edgier look. For sure, Dark Charizard is what a ton of kids thought was the pinnacle of cool. Well, it still kind of is.
14 Raichu
Base Set Shadowless
Pikachu is the face of the Pokemon franchise, so having any attachment to it simply drives up popularity. For Raichu, that mostly didn’t happen due to the anime making it cool for trainers not to evolve their Pikachu.
Thankfully, that didn’t hurt its Base Set card, or more specifically, the Shadowless version, as it still holds a respectable value. Now, that isn’t close to what Charizard or some Pikachu cards sell for, but it’s more than honorable for a creature as disrespected as Raichu is.
13 Charizard
Base Set
It’s hard to name a Pokemon card more iconic and/or synonymous with the hobby of collecting Pokemon cards than the Base Set Charizard card. This is the one featured in almost every article pertaining to the hobby and the core evidence of Charizard cards being worth so much more than their contemporaries.
As previously mentioned, a graded version of this card is worth thousands, but those looking to feel the thrill of nostalgia can simply get one for themselves for a bit less if the logo of Base Set 2 bothers them and they’d rather have the original Charizard.
12 Alakazam
Base Set Shadowless
Alakazam is an iconic Psychic-type from Generation One that not every kid was able to acquire due to it only evolving via trade. As a card, it was unique because the Base Set itself didn’t feature many outstanding Psychic-Types outside of Mewtwo.
Being shadowless drives up the price for each card in the set for sure, but Alakazam has an allure beyond that. A hard-to-get Pokemon that is so badass is sure to draw attention, and its price tag proves that.
11 Dragonite
Fossil
Speaking of iconic Pokemon, Dragonite is a fan-favorite of many fans, being the first ever fully evolved Dragon-type, as well as the first pseudo-legendary Pokemon. Many older and newer players alike likely have memories of steamrolling through a whole team with their Dragonite.
While not as useful in the TCG at this point in time, Dragonite still looks incredible, with a colorful background and an extremely cute pose. The Fossil Set gave us many cool-looking cards, and Dragonite is one of the best, without a doubt.
10 Charizard
Base Set Shadowless
The original Charizard is the OG powerhouse in the Pokemon TCG. It should come as no surprise then that the Base Set Shadowless version of the card is among the most popular Gen 1 Pokemon in the game. It doesn’t even matter what deck you throw Charizard in since its Pokemon Power: Energy Burn turns all Energy attached to it into Fire Energy for the turn.
Sure, in order to use Fire Spin, you have to discard two Energy cards attached to Charizard, but for a solid 100 damage, being able to use one of the highest attack values among cards at the time is well worth it.
9 Sabrina’s Gengar
Gym Heroes
Yet another iconic Pokemon of an equally memorable gym leader is Sabrina’s Gengar. While Sabrina has never been known to use a Gengar in any of the video games, the TCG’s amalgamation of Ghost types into the overall Psychic type makes that sensible.
It could also be a nod to the anime, where Ash gifts Sabrina with a Haunter after one of the more disturbing episodes of the series. Regardless of the lore, though, this is a gorgeous card with a badass Pokemon on it, which justifies the high price tag in many ways.
8 Dragonite – 2/146
National Championships – Staff
Some of the rarest cards in the Pokemon TCG are ones given away not to players but to employees or staff of major events. The only way you could get this card was by being certain staff members of the 2008-2009 National Championships held in Orlando, Florida, in late 2008.
Dylan Lefavour was the World Champion of the event, but only Staff members working the event got access to this special Dragonite from Legends Awakened. While the card itself might not be much to write home about, its exclusivity has catapulted its price up over the years.
7 Rocket’s Snorlax ex
Team Rocket Returns
One of the more interesting Pokemon cards on this list, Rocket’s Snorlax ex comes from the Team Rocket Returns set, which saw evil Pokemon take over the game. This Snorlax might not have as much HP as you would expect from the normally tanky Normal-Type, with just 100 HP, and comes with the Darkness typing.
The lower HP isn’t too much of a problem, thanks to Snorlax ex’s Poke-BODY Dark Healer. In between turns, so long as Snorlax ex has a Darkness Energy attached to it, you heal ten damage from it, kind of like a reverse Poisoned effect. Speaking of Poison, Snorlax’s Poison Claws can deal a small amount of damage, and if you’re lucky, Poison your opponent’s Active Pokemon so you remain healthy, but your opponent’s Pokemon slowly gets Knocked Out.
6 Gyarados
Base Set Shadowless
Since its introduction in the Kanto region, Gyarados has existed as one of the coolest Pokemon designs ever. Whether it was its great Pokemon card designs or its shiny red form being catchable in Pokemon Gold & Silver, fans have grown attached to this leviathan.
The Shadowless version of its Base Set card shows off just how terrifyingly cool this Pokemon is. The art and nostalgia are truly what boosts this card’s price. However, if you’re planning on playing some old formats, its resistance to Hitmonchan’s Fighting-type can be a cool trick to utilize against Haymaker decks.
5 Mewtwo
Base Set Shadowless
If Pokemon fans were to list and rank the original 151 based on how iconic or notable they are, Mewtwo would easily be in the top ten and possibly the top five, only trailing the starters and Pikachu.
This means the Shadowless Base Set version of the Psychic-type selling for so much money shouldn’t be too shocking. It happened to be the primary villain and focus of the franchise’s first theatrical movie, which kept it culturally relevant and significant to the Pokemon franchise for the last 20-plus years.
4 Venusaur
Base Set Shadowless
It’s clear that Venusaur, though beloved in its own right, doesn’t hold a candle to Blastoise and Charizard in terms of popularity. Hilariously, that is a reason why it has the second most valuable card out of the original era of the Pokemon TCG.
A big reason why Shadowless Venusaur is so expensive is supply and demand. People revered their copies of Blastoise, Zapdos, and more. However, Venusaur was never as popular, and likely a lot more copies of it ended up in the trash can. Well, the plant frog gets the last laugh, as it’s now selling for incredible amounts, especially if the card is in good condition.
