Say what you want about the Pokémon Sword and Shield videogames, the era of the TCG was pretty… well, it was fairly forgettable too. Most of the expansions were underwhelming, had poor pull rates, or mediocre competitive play, but I can't lie: it really ended with a bang. Pokémon Crown Zenith was a fantastic expansion that is, unfortunately, hard to come by - but my favorite card remains fairly cheap, all things considered.
If you ask me (and you clearly are, considering you're on this article reading my silly little Pokémon TCG thoughts), Crown Zenith represents some of the best Pokémon packs the company has ever released. Brilliant artwork? Got that. Amazing pull rates? Sure thing. Somehow easy to find until the hype bubble exploded? Yes, it was. And it was a beautiful time.
Like all good things, it must come to an end. As a fairly old set now, it's no longer readily available, with booster bundles reaching $120 market price according to TCGPlayer. That's nothing compared to the extortionate prices that Evolving Skies goes for, but that's mainly due to that set holding one of the most expensive Pokémon cards of the modern era. So, I think that's cheating a little.
However, despite individual products reaching way above the retail price, some of the best Pokémon cards of the expansion are relatively unscathed by the hype. The gorgeous Arceus VSTAR #GG70 shines across the entire world of 'mon, but it is currently a steady $120, and you can actually get it cheaper if you want to opt for a PSA 8 or below.
The flurry of colors found in the Mewtwo VSTAR #GG44 chase card didn't fare so well. Before Destined Rivals, it was sitting around the $100 mark, according to Pricecharting, but considering how poor the Mewtwo SIR of the Scarlet & Violet set is, I'm not surprised to see people opting for the superior chase. Sorry, Destined Rivals.
However, neither card holds a candle to Giratina VSTAR #GG69. Not only is it my favorite legendary Pokémon, but the 'mon is my favorite character from the entire franchise, and I have always had a soft spot for it since my days of youthfulness, playing Platinum endlessly.
Surprisingly, despite Lost Origin's popularity in the Sword & Shield era and Giratina's beauty, this VSTAR card remains pretty steady in price. Sure, it's a lot higher than its $90 price tag in July 2024, but Pricecharting has had it at around $190 for the last few months, during the hype bubble, and it's stuck at that.
The entire collection of the Arceus, Giratina, Dialga, and Palkia VSTAR chases from the set makes for a beautiful picture when put together, all with similar art styles depicting some of the most powerful Pokémon in the universe. I can't help but smile when I see Giratina VSTAR, though. It's just a beautiful piece of art. I'd even say it's one of the greatest-looking cards, even when you compare it to all of the best trading card games. Sorry, Yu-Gi-Oh and MTG. You can find plenty of listings on eBay, if you think as I do, and want one in your life.
Is Giratina one of the cutest Pokémon ever? My editor says no, a thousand times no, but I say yes! And if you agree or disagree with me, join our nerdalicious conversations about the TCG in our Wargamer Discord community.
As the newest Pokémon set fast approaches, we'll also be sharing deals that you can't miss, and it's important to get a discount with how expensive packs can be now.