Published March 3, 2026
The past 90 days have shown selective strength within the Pokémon market. While parts of modern product have softened, established vintage names continue to post measurable gains.
Data from Card Ladder’s Pokémon Index shows that recent movement is concentrated in vintage WOTC holos, early-era chase cards, and limited Japanese promos rather than broad-based appreciation across the hobby.
A January 2026 market analysis notes that some modern Pokémon sets have pulled back from earlier highs, while vintage has remained steadier. Retailers have been placing limits on purchases, restocks are reaching shelves more regularly, and prices on newer releases appear to be settling instead of continuing to climb across the board.
Methodology
Figures are drawn from Card Ladder’s Pokémon Index and individual card pages, using the three-month Rate of Growth metric to reflect 90-day performance. Relevant 2026 reporting was reviewed for broader market context.
Grade-Specific Tracking Note
Each entry in the Card Ladder Pokémon Index represents a specific card and grade. Results are not combined across grades.
A PSA 8, PSA 9, PSA 10, BGS 9, BGS 9.5, and Raw copy of the same card are tracked separately. The “Last Sold” price reflects the most recent recorded sale of that exact grade. The three-month growth figure reflects how that specific grade performed over the past 90 days.
This matters because percentage moves can look very different depending on grade. A $100 change on a lower-priced copy will show a larger percentage swing than the same dollar change on a five-figure PSA 10.
Strength Is Centered at the Top
Pokémon can feel “hot” even when parts of modern are cooling because collectors don’t move as one big group. Different segments behave differently.
At the very top of the pyramid, the Pikachu Illustrator changed hands again in February 2026 for $16.49 million through Goldin Auctions. The copy sold was the only PSA 10 example known to exist, originally awarded in 1998 to winners of a CoroCoro Comic illustration contest in Japan. Only a few dozen were ever distributed, and this particular card had already set a record when Logan Paul acquired it in 2021. Its resale this year, purchased by investor A.J. Scaramucci, set a new benchmark not just for Pokémon, but for trading cards overall.
Record-setting ultra-rarity does not translate uniformly across modern cards. But it keeps the spotlight on rarity and nostalgia, which is exactly where many of the index’s strongest movers live.
What’s actually moving on the Card Ladder Pokémon Index
On the index list itself, the visible names lean heavily toward:
- Vintage WOTC holos and early-era chase cards
- Japanese promos with real scarcity
- “Icon” characters (Charizard, Lugia, Umbreon, Pikachu)
A Few 90-Day Standouts (3-Month Growth)
Neo Genesis Lugia (Raw)
+104.74% over 3 months
Last recorded sale: ~$776.00 (Card Ladder Index)
Raw Neo Genesis Lugia more than doubled in percentage terms over the 90-day window. Raw Neo examples show higher percentage variability relative to graded copies.
2000 Pokémon Team Rocket Dark Charizard (1st Edition, PSA 10)
+15.76% over 3 months
Last recorded sale: $18,600 (Card Ladder Index)
PSA 10 Team Rocket Dark Charizard remains one of the more consistent high-grade vintage performers. The modest percentage increase reflects stronger base pricing rather than sharp swings.
2003 Skyridge Celebi Holo (PSA 10)
+36.34% over 3 months
Last recorded sale: ~$17,400 (Card Ladder Index)
PSA 10 Skyridge Celebi shows mid-tier growth within one of the scarcer late-era WOTC sets. While not as headline-grabbing as core icons, it remains elevated relative to broader vintage movement.
2016 Mario Pikachu / Luigi Pikachu Special Box (BGS 9)
+46.28% over 3 months
Last recorded sale: ~$18,450 (Card Ladder Index)
The Japanese crossover release occupies a distinct limited promo segment. Growth in BGS 9 copies indicates continued sustained premium demand in that lane.
2003 Aquapolis Lugia Holo (PSA 8)
+39.76% over 3 months
Last recorded sale: ~$8,700 (Card Ladder Index)
Aquapolis Lugia PSA 8 reflects the e-Reader era’s condition sensitivity. Growth is visible at mid-grade, though top-grade examples have a wider pricing gap.
Pokémon Index 90-Day Movers (Public Index Data)
Source: Card Ladder Pokémon Index, % Change is 3-month growth
| Card | Grade/Status | Last Sold | 90-Day % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legendary Collection Pidgeotto (Reverse Holo) | Raw | $162.50 | +318.60% |
| 1999 Pokémon Game Raichu (Shadowless Holo) | Raw | $120.50 | +170.79% |
| 2000 Pokémon Neo Genesis Typhlosion (1st Ed) | Raw | $776.00 | +126.24% |
| Legendary Collection Hypno (Reverse Holo) | Raw | $74.87 | +113.91% |
| 1999 Pokémon Game Charizard #4 (1st Ed Holo BGS 8) | BGS 8 | $30,000 | +87.50% |
| 1999 Pokémon Game Zapdos #16 (1st Ed Holo PSA 8) | PSA 8 | $1,200.00 | +56.25% |
| 2018 Japanese SM-P Pikachu (Full Art PSA 10) | PSA 10 | $11,000 | +23.60% |
| 2021 S&S Shining Fates Charizard VMAX (BGS 9.5) | BGS 9.5 | $200.00 | +21.21% |
| 1999 Pokémon Game Venusaur #15 (1st Ed Holo PSA 9) | PSA 9 | $6,200.00 | +4.97% |
| 2000 Team Rocket Dark Charizard (1st Ed PSA 10) | PSA 10 | $18,600 | +11.38% |
| 2006 EX Dragon Frontiers Mew (Gold Star PSA 9) | PSA 9 | $7,700.00 | +14.93% |
| 2019 Sun & Moon Cosmic Eclipse Blastoise & Piplup GX (Full Art Raw) | Raw | $375.00 | +65.00% |
| 2002 Legendary Collection Dodrio (Reverse Holo Raw) | Raw | $80.00 | +95.12% |
| 1999 Pokémon Fossil Kabutops (1st Ed PSA 9) | PSA 9 | $150.00 | +42.86% |
| 2018 Japanese SM-P Mimikyu (Full Art PSA 10) | PSA 10 | $15,000 | +16.25% |
| Scarlet & Violet Paldea Evolved Magikarp (Illustration Rare Raw) | Raw | $692.51 | +145.06% |
| Legendary Collection Charizard #3 (Reverse Holo PSA 10) | PSA 10 | $72,500 | +3.57% |
| 2005 EX Deoxys Rayquaza #107 (Gold Star PSA 3) | PSA 3 | $7,000.00 | +33.33% |
Market Structure Observations
The strongest 90-day percentage gains cluster around established vintage sets and early-era releases. Neo Genesis, Fossil, Team Rocket, Aquapolis, Skyridge, and Legendary Collection appear repeatedly across the highest growth entries.
Icon characters remain central. Charizard, Lugia, Pikachu, and related legacy names anchor both high nominal sales and consistent index visibility.
High-grade vintage continues to represent the largest capital concentration. PSA 9, PSA 10, and comparable BGS examples show steadier performance at materially higher price points than raw or lower-grade copies.
Reverse holos and raw entries show the largest percentage volatility. Many of these moves occur at sub-$1,000 price levels, where thin transaction volume can amplify percentage change.
Japanese limited promos operate in a parallel lane. Full-art SM-P promos and crossover releases such as the Mario and Luigi Pikachu boxes show independent demand behavior relative to mainstream English WOTC cards.
Modern strength is selective. Isolated illustration rares and promo cards show movement, but the data does not reflect broad-based appreciation across recent-era product.
Across the visible index data, the movement is concentrated rather than market-wide.
Sources
- Card Ladder Pokémon Index
Pokemon | Card Ladder - Goldin Auctions
Auction Details - Los Angeles Times
Logan Paul just sold a Pokémon card for $16.5 million, a record – Los Angeles Times