10 Pokémon Cards to Buy Right Now

Pokémon turns 30 in 2026 and there's a lot happening in the hobby this fall. The 30th Celebration set came out Sept. 16 with a foil Pikachu in every pack and a Classic Collection of 30 reprinted vintage cards, which is a fun nostalgia trip for anyone who grew up ripping packs. Collectors won't get much of a breather either, because Delta Reign arrives Nov. 6 as the next English set with Mega Rayquaza ex as its headliner.

Pokémon collectors come in every budget, from kids filling their first binder to adults finally buying the Base Set Charizard they wanted growing up. I picked cards for all of them, from cheap pickups to the high end. The prices are recent sales, not asking prices, through Oct. 12.¹

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026.

Budget picks

1. Jungle Pikachu, PSA 9

Thirteen PSA 9 copies sold for $50.40 USD to $100 USD between Sept. 12 and Oct. 11.

With a new foil Pikachu in every 30th Celebration pack, the hobby's mascot is everywhere this fall, but I'd rather own the 1999 Wizards of the Coast original Jungle Pikachu than chase the anniversary version.

I'd make offers under asking on this one, because one copy sold at a Fanatics Collect auction for $50.40 USD on Sept. 27 while another sold for $100 USD on Oct. 7. With 3,811 copies graded a PSA 9, another one will come along if a seller won't budge.

2. Gengar ex secret rare, 30th Celebration, raw

Raw copies sold for $55 USD to $80 USD on Oct. 12.

Card #154 is the anniversary set's Gengar chase and a fun raw pickup for any Gengar fan who wants a piece of the 30th Celebration without paying up for a slab.

There's no rush to buy. The market is about to be flooded with more 30th Celebration products and I don't think the price has found its floor yet. Battle decks are arriving Oct. 30, a figure collection and an Ultra-Premium Collection following on Nov. 6 and a tin landing Dec. 4.

3. Evolutions Charizard, raw

Raw copies sold on eBay for $49.99 USD to $115 USD between Oct. 8 and 12.

A raw copy is the cheapest way to own the iconic Base Set Charizard art from the 2016 Evolutions set reprint. If you're patient and wait for a card in great condition, it doubles as a lottery ticket when you send it in to grade. A PSA 10 copy sold for $9,600 USD on eBay on Sept. 27.

I'd watch the PSA 10 sales before buying raw, because that shot at a 10 is what props up the raw price and raw copies would follow the 10s down if mid-era Pokemon cools off.

Mid-range picks

4. Mega Rayquaza ex special art rare, Japanese Storm Emeralda, raw

Six raw copies sold for $194.99 USD to $299.99 USD from Oct. 9 to 12.

Of all the Mega Rayquaza ex versions headlining Japan's Storm Emeralda, this special art rare is the one I'd chase, simply because the art is epic. The set came out in Japan on July 31 and is expected to be on the Delta Reign set list launching Nov. 6, with prerelease events starting Oct. 24.

The Pokémon Company hadn't revealed the English card as of Oct. 12. If it shows up in Delta Reign as a Special Illustration Rare, English copies could keep the Japanese card's price in check.

5. Pikachu VMAX rainbow, Vivid Voltage, PSA 10

Eleven PSA 10 copies sold for $255 USD to $345 USD between Sept. 25 and Oct. 12.

As of Oct. 12, PSA had graded 12,123 PSA 10s and 5,587 PSA 9s. For a card with such a high gem rate, the 10 is the only grade I'd consider.

If you've been patient, now is a good time to look into this modern Pikachu at a discount. Even with a Pikachu in every 30th Celebration pack, the median PSA 10 copy sold for $352.50 USD in July and $295 USD so far in October. Find an auction or listing in the 200s and don't stretch into the 300s.

6. Mew VMAX alternate art, Fusion Strike, PSA 10

Nine PSA 10 copies sold for $417 USD to $499.99 USD between Sept. 24 and Oct. 9.

I absolutely love this illustration. The 30th Celebration's Classic Collection reprints include the regular Fusion Strike Mew VMAX but this one was not reprinted.

Mew is the face of the anniversary set, with two Mew ex cards, Nos. 152 and 158 among its English secret rares and three RGB Mews in red, green and blue that collectors pulled from early retail packs. The Pokémon Company has since added all three RGB Mews to the set's official gallery and Pokémon TCG Live but still hasn't published the odds of pulling one.

I'd still take the 2021 alternate art in a PSA 10 over a brand-new pull, even if some collectors spend their Mew money chasing the new 30th Celebration Mews instead.

7. Dark Charizard, Team Rocket, PSA 9

Seven PSA 9 copies sold for $965 USD to $1,300 USD between Sept. 30 and Oct. 7.

PSA 9 Base Set Charizards sold for $3,163 USD to $3,950 USD between Sept. 14 and Oct. 9. Dark Charizard gets you a vintage Zard in the same grade for a lot less. It's also the scarcer card. As of Oct. 12, PSA had graded 2,426 Dark Charizards a 9, against 8,476 Base Set Charizards.

With seven PSA 9 copies sold in eight days, another one is never far off. I'd wait for a copy near the low end of that range and not pay more than $1,000 USD.

High-end picks

8. Umbreon VMAX alternate art ("Moonbreon"), Evolving Skies, PSA 10

Ten PSA 10 copies sold for $3,550 USD to $4,099 USD from Oct. 9 to 11.

The ultimate chase, Moonbreon has sold more than 100 times in the past 90 days, it's the most liquid high-end card on this list and always a fan favorite at card shows.

With 21,805 PSA 10 copies and 6,563 PSA 9s in circulation based on PSA's population report, Moonbreon's price rests on cult following and Keiichiro Ito's iconic art rather than scarcity. Any way you slice it, the Moonbreon is the blue chip grail of modern Pokémon.

9. Rayquaza VMAX alternate art, Evolving Skies, PSA 10

Four PSA 10 copies sold for $2,125 USD to $2,348.50 USD between Sept. 10 and Oct. 1.

I like the timing on this one, because Rayquaza returns as Mega Rayquaza ex to headline Delta Reign on Nov. 6 and this card heads into Delta Reign's launch the cheapest it's been since the summer.

With only 12 PSA 10 sales in 90 days against more than 100 for Moonbreon, I'd be patient and wait for a fair auction instead of paying up for the first copy that comes along.

10. Base Set Charizard, PSA 9

No Pokémon list is complete without the king of the hobby. Nine PSA 9 copies sold for $3,163 USD to $3,950 USD between Sept. 14 and Oct. 9.

The 30th Celebration reprinted it as Classic Collection #4, but the 1999 original is still the card I'd build a Pokémon collection around. With 47 PSA 9 sales in 90 days, there's always a fresh comp and plenty of supply to find one.

As of Oct. 12, PSA had graded 8,476 copies of this card a 9 and only 489 a 10. If you have the funds to trade up to a 10 or buy it outright, do it, but if you're looking for a way to hold a vintage Charizard without throwing down the $27,000 USD a PSA 10 last sold for, the PSA 9 is the route to go.

With Delta Reign arriving Nov. 6, next month's list will have some fresh cardboard to study.

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