We've already seen hints that The Pokémon Company is going all in on nostalgia for the 30th anniversary of the franchise this year, with products based on the very first Pokémon games. and it seems like Pokémon TCG players are getting wistful too - at least based on their spending habits.
That's because cards from Pokémon 151, the special set from 2023 which focused on the first batch of Kanto Pokémon, are climbing in value again, after many of them dipped to new lows in December.
For instance, the set's biggest chase card Charizard ex has risen from $210 to $230 - according to TCGPlayer. It's still a far cry from the $260 this card cost in September last year, but it seems to be continuing to climb, with 'near mint' copies going for $280+.
The other SIR starters are performing well also, with Venusaur ex jumping from $72 to $88. Blastoise ex, surprisingly, now costs more than it did during all of last year. Smashing through the hundred dollar mark, its value currently lies at a whopping $103.
As you'd expect, sealed product price tags are on the rise too, with the ETB going up from $350 to $440, while the Pokémon Center version nears $900.
In actuality, these price fluctuations probably don't have that much to do with Pokémon celebrating its 30th birthday. The Pokémon market is always fluctuating, allowing content creators to cycle back and forth endlessly between doom mongering 'it's all over' videos and hyperactive 'we're so back' content.
In particular, hot cards like Charizard ex and Bubble Mew have bounced up and down over the months and years like a yo-yo in an elevator. Nonetheless, it does seem like anything that draws attention to a particular Pokémon or set can have a knock-on effect on prices, and we should expect the Kanto bunch to be in the spotlight for the next 10 months.
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