The Pokémon TCG has been growing in popularity, and that means that the cards hiding in that shoebox in your closet may be worth combing through. As the game continues to get attention from players and collectors alike, many cards rise in value. Whether they're particularly rare, feature beloved Pokémon and their Trainers, or highlight gorgeous art treatments, many cards are worth their weight in gold. But how do you check that value?

TCGplayer Pokémon Market Price

It may come as absolutely no surprise to you that the first place I recommend to check the value of your cards is our very own TCGplayer marketplace. TCGplayer gives you a wide range of search options, including ways to list cards based on their popularity, their current market value, or just alphabetically.

More importantly, however, you can search card-by-card and get a peek at some key metrics. Most cards have multiple listings, letting you get a great idea of the value range for a card (including the card's condition, which could be relevant for your more heavily played childhood cards), and a helpful graph that tracks the price history in the marketplace. That graph may tell you if your card has recently spiked in value, telling you if it's the time to sell!

Comparative Markets

While the TCGplayer market is essentially the unquestioned authority when it comes to determining value, there is a reason that people famously conduct in-person trades primarily based on the TCGplayer median price, it isn't the only option. A cursory look online will point you to a few other shops and market tracking websites.

eBay may be the first site that springs to mind. There you can find listings for particularly rare cards, including professionally graded (often called "slabbed") cards. Relatedly, you should keep in mind the difference in value between graded and raw, ungraded cards. Professionally graded cards are placed in protective slabs that are clearly labeled with the card quality, with these game pieces valued higher based on that score.

Several other websites aim to track market trends, with Price Charting being one that I will personally look to if I'm hunting for a second opinion after TCGplayer. Comparative prices are genuinely a Google search away, but the market is surprisingly stable so you'll likely find very little variation between different trackers.

Special Conditions

These resources are more than enough to help you determine the value of your cards, but I would be remiss if I didn't note at least a few special things you may need to consider when looking over your collection. Some cards may be worth more than they initially appear, and the market tracking can only do so much to help you there.

1st Edition: With the original Base Set in particular, you may notice a 1st Edition tag to the lower left of the art box. For some cards, this can substantially boost its value, and you should consider individually looking up prices for these.

Shadowless: Base Set cards printed immediately after the first print run don't have the 1st Edition symbol, but they have something else in common with 1st Edition cards: they don't have a "drop shadow" behind their art box. Because so few of these were ever printed, they're also worth notably more than Base Set cards printed in later runs, which do feature a drop shadow.

Promo: Many Pokémon cards are special promos for assorted events, though these at least are clearly labeled with special tags. While some (like Ancient Mew) were printed and distributed into the ground, others are much more rare, and it's worth double-checking their value.

Holoswirl: For several sets, the foiling process included a unique swirl that adds a lovely flourish to the art of the card. While it doesn't always add value to the card, the extra curiosity may make it a better collectors piece, especially if it has a rare double swirl effect.