Gyarados ex (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet ex Gyarados
As far as early frontrunners for pure punishment are concerned, Gyarados ex is one rude dude. ‘Tyrannical Tail’ sure costs a fair amount of Energy, but the chance to dish out 360 damage in one fell swoop without any drawbacks is already proving to be too appealing to ignore, with plenty of early Scarlet & Violet era decks online featuring this big shot Water-type.
Right now, Gyarados ex’s Illustration Rare variant is averaging around $25 on the open market.
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Dondozo (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Dondozo
Another Water Pokemon, Dondozo holds the distinguished virtue of being the only non-‘ex’ creature on the list. The allure of a mega-powerful ‘Release Rage’ fueled entirely by dead – sorry, discarded – Tatsugiri is clearly taking a toll on the market, as we’ve seen this guy sell for about as much as Gyarados ex.
Of course, there’s something else that rocks about Dondozo. While all of Scarlet & Violet’s most valuable cards are of the ‘Illustration Rare’ variety that covers the full piece, Dondozo’s is surely one of the most magnificent to behold. This talented splash of colors is confidently eye-catching.
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Koraidon ex (Secret Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Koraidon ex Gold
Gold-tinted Pokemon cards tend to be rather rare, as befits humanity’s endless fixation with the color and its portents. Koraidon ex’s Secret Rare is no exception, though it will be toppled further down our list. Pokemon Scarlet’s prehistoric mascot presently commands around $35.
On a personal note, we love the red-and-gold thing going on here. It’s just fierce.
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Penny (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet & Violet Penny
Sometimes, a card’s estimated worth is built almost entirely upon the brilliance of its artwork. The alternative-art Penny is one such specimen. Their quiet, almost stoic stare out the window of Paldea’s prestigious school is accentuated by the multihued golden rays of the setting sun.
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Penny’s Illustration Rare card hardly screams adventure, but then, it’s this more somber stature that makes the whole thing tick to the tune of about $30 and counting.
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Miraidon ex (Secret Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Miraidon
So, what makes Miraidon ex Secret Rare more expensive than Koraidon ex? Its average $45 price tag right now could be the byproduct of several things. Perhaps Miraidon is simply the more popular Pokemon.
It’s arguably the better card, regardless – decks are popping up that tap into Miraidon’s ability to summon a pair of Electric Pokemon to the bench every turn, once again proving that early sprints are a ticket to successful matches in the Pokemon TCG.
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Miriam (Full Art)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Miriam
With its poppy, vibrant visuals, the Miriam full art card delightfully showcases the gal’s quirky, perky, nature. Posing at the forefront of a path to who-knows-where, half-curious and half-contemplative, Sanosuke Sakuma’s artwork is raking in cash at $50 and more.
The card’s capabilities shouldn’t be disregarded, and doubtless the cost expenditure for its rarer forms ties in with its deck-boosting utility.
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Koraidon ex (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Koraidon ex Alt Art
The Illustration Rare variants trump the Secret Rares with Koraidon ex’s second appearance, this one a striking jungle-themed assortment with an incredibly cute Dedenne. Is the cute Dedenne key to why the card’s already fetching $65? Probably not, but still.
Artist Ryota Murayama captures the essence of what life might have been like for ol’ Korai in the Paldean distant past. It’s solid stuff.
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Miraidon ex (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Miraidon ex
The past may inform the future, but the future will always be more expensive. Not to be outdone in the second round of their back-to-back Scarlet & Violet valuable cards duel, Miraidon ex comes equipped with all the blues and purples one could possibly anticipate from a card celebrating Violet’s mascot, elegantly applied to a far more modern environment complete with cups, couches, and a city skyline.
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Expect to shell out about $70 if you seek this card on its own.
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Gardevoir ex (Illustration Rare)
Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Gardevoir ex
At this point, we have to imagine the only people who dislike Gardevoir… really dislike Gardevoir. She’s been an icon of the Pokemon franchise for over 20 years, handily the Hoenn region’s most beloved occupant.
Gardevoir ex is a terrific card; 310 HP for someone without ‘VMAX ‘in their name is frankly epic, ‘Psychic Embrace’ has a ton of potential, and ‘Miracle Force’ keeps our gal hale, healthy, and harrowing. This charmingly cozy alternative art rendition has been sold for upward of $80.
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Cerator (Illustration Rare)
Cerator Pokemon TCG Scarlet Violet Illustration
Who knows what tomorrow may bring, but as of this writing, the most valuable card in the Pokemon TCG’s Scarlet & Violet expansion is Cerator (Illustration Rare). The lass may be fumbling in full per Akira Korayama’s artwork, but there’s no mistaking his worth: this is the only Scarlet & Violet card already to crack the three-digit mark at around $300