Top #5 Most Valuable Cards from the 1999 Pokemon 1st Edition Base Set
**Check out of 2021 Pricing Update Here
So you started collecting Pokemon Cards 20 years ago and kept them in mint condition because you knew they could pay off your student loans one day right???
Well, don't we all wish that was the case! Even if you didn't here's our TOP #5 Most Valuable Cards from the 1st Edition Base Set. Don't know what cards you have or which set they are from? Check out our guides to figure it out (Pokemon 1st Edition Base Set, Shadowless Base Set, Unlimited Base Set).
First things first; a Top #5 list would be boring if we just listed all the holographic cards 1 by 1. Instead, we thought it would be interesting to pick the best in each class. So, our list ranks the Most Valuable Holographic Card, Non-holo Rare, Uncommon, Common, and Trainer. Everyone knows if they find a long-lost Charizard Holo in their closet to quickly sleeve the card and cash in, but doing the ranking this way might show you some sleeper cards out there you were unaware of, so check out below if you have any of these in your collection!
Most Valuable Holographic Card
Charizard 1st Edition Base Set
No surprises here, the 1st Edition Base Set Charizard is one of the most iconic cards in the hobby. Collectors everywhere seek this one out for their collections. Have one is mint condition from your childhood??? You may have stumbled upon $20,000+ which can put a dent in those student loans.
PSA 10 Graded Value = $20,000-$25,000
Most Valuable Non-Holo Rare Card
Dragonair 1st Edition Base Set
Moving to the rares, Dragonair remains one of the highest earners in the set, typically selling for 1.5-2x what many other rares sell for.
PSA 10 Graded Value = $800-$1,000
Most Valuable Uncommon Card
Wartortle 1st Edition Base Set
Wartortle is a bit of a sleeper in the set. Despite being an uncommon, Wartortle is historically very tough to find in Gem Mint Condition. Some people believe this is due to the uncommon card slot in the original packs being in the front or back, leaving it open to frequent damage.
PSA 10 Graded Value = $600-$800
Most Valuable Common Card
Pikachu Red Cheeks Version 1st Edition Base Set
Pikachu remains one of the most popular Pokemon worldwide and despite this card being a Common it can typically sell for 100's of dollars in Gem Mint Condition. Interesting to note about this card is the 'Red Cheeks' on Pikachu which was later changed to the color yellow in the Unlimited Set. You can only find the 'Red Cheeks' Variant in the 1st Edition Base Set and Shadowless Base Set and they typically sell for 2x the price of the Yellow Cheeks version and are considered more rare.
PSA 10 Graded Value = $300-$400
Most Valuable Trainer Card
Devolution Spray 1st Edition Base Set
Another Sleeper Card in the set, Devolution Spray remains one of the toughest cards to find and grade in Gem Mint Condition and due to that it will consistently fetch high 100's or $1,000 in auctions. While lower grades will garner lower prices (PSA 9 $50-100), this is still a card to hold onto or dust off if you find it lying around your parents place.
PSA 10 Graded Value = $800-$1,000
