Pokémon Cards PSA 10 Investing: Wizards of the Coast Sets

Investing in Pokémon cards: the Wizards of the Coast sets (1999–2003) in PSA 10 — real sale prices, annual returns and a comparison with Bitcoin and gold.

How much does a Pokémon card return as an investment — and does it beat Bitcoin, stocks or gold? These pages cover 420 cards from 18 sets, based on 4359 real sales. Every set has its own page with the price history, the yearly return and a comparison with the major asset classes.

For investors, not collectors. Only the top grade PSA 10 is covered — the one condition in which trading cards trade like an asset class. Print runs are kept apart as well: 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited are separate markets and never appear in the same series.

Price index for this asset class

Computed from 2,231 price pairs of the same item across 420 positions. Not from medians — a median consists of different items each quarter and therefore also measures what happened to be offered.

Level605
Since inception+504.5 %
Quarters19
Period2022-03-28 – 2026-09-21

Base 100 at the first quarter. Method after Bailey/Muth/Nourse — the same one behind official property indices. It evaluates only price changes of the same standardized good; positions never sold a second time do not enter, frequently traded ones are overweighted.

Data note 1

Ranked by return per year

166 positions with at least 10 documented sales. Return p.a. from the first to the most recent period value; real = after inflation over the same period.

Positions by return per year
#Positionp.a.realYearsRecordsSales/yrGap
1Espeon #1 · Neo Discovery 1st Edition (2001)+670.5 %+640.2 %4.4112.573 d
2Sabrina's Alakazam #16 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+471.4 %+455.0 %2.7103.728 d
3Typhlosion #18 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+453.8 %+435.4 %4.0102.563 d
4Lt. Surge's Fearow #7 · Gym Heroes 1st Edition (2000)+429.0 %+410.5 %4.1102.484 d
5Celebi #3 · Neo Revelation 1st Edition (2001)+409.8 %+391.9 %4.1194.721 d
6Azumarill #2 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+326.1 %+310.0 %4.3102.370 d
7Mewtwo #3 · Wizards Black Star Promos (1999)+268.2 %+254.3 %4.4112.5108 d
8Poliwrath #H24 · Skyridge (2003)+244.3 %+232.2 %4.0102.5126 d
9Blissey #H6 · Aquapolis (2003)+207.8 %+195.7 %4.5102.277 d
10Crystal Lugia #149 · Aquapolis (2003)+202.8 %+191.4 %4.3112.698 d
11Jolteon #H12 · Skyridge (2003)+191.9 %+180.6 %4.3122.870 d
12Dark Espeon #4 · Neo Destiny 1st Edition (2002)+191.4 %+182.9 %3.3103.184 d
13Arcanine #H2 · Skyridge (2003)+190.2 %+181.7 %3.1113.6122 d
14Misty's Gyarados #13 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+183.5 %+174.1 %3.9143.556 d
15Zapdos #16 · Base Set Shadowless (1999)+182.8 %+172.1 %4.3133.084 d
16Giovanni's Persian #8 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+181.2 %+171.3 %4.1102.563 d
17Lt. Surge #17 · Gym Heroes 1st Edition (2000)+175.9 %+165.5 %4.2102.4161 d
18Steelix #H29 · Skyridge (2003)+175.8 %+167.5 %3.5113.2105 d
19Rocket's Mewtwo #14 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+170.1 %+160.6 %4.1133.280 d
20Venusaur #30 · Expedition (2002)+159.2 %+149.4 %4.4112.598 d
21Ampharos #1 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+155.3 %+146.1 %4.2112.663 d
22Giovanni's Gyarados #5 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+155.1 %+145.3 %4.3102.3119 d
23Scizor #H21 · Aquapolis (2003)+153.3 %+144.4 %4.1133.263 d
24Lt. Surge's Raichu #11 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+150.0 %+141.8 %3.5133.763 d
25Wigglytuff #16 · Jungle 1st Edition (1999)+148.4 %+139.0 %4.2153.645 d
26Rocket's Moltres #12 · Gym Heroes 1st Edition (2000)+146.6 %+137.3 %4.4112.587 d
27Hitmonlee #7 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+146.5 %+137.9 %4.0153.859 d
28Ditto #3 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+143.0 %+133.5 %4.5184.042 d
29Brock's Ninetales #3 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+139.0 %+130.4 %4.2153.663 d
30Lapras #10 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+133.5 %+124.7 %4.3163.742 d
31Pichu #12 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+132.6 %+125.9 %3.0113.7105 d
32Kabutops #9 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+132.1 %+124.0 %4.0174.266 d
33Shining Mewtwo #109 · Neo Destiny Unlimited (2002)+131.7 %+122.6 %4.4143.277 d
34Haunter #6 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+126.1 %+117.4 %4.4265.914 d
35Rhydon #H27 · Skyridge (2003)+125.2 %+118.4 %3.5113.2115 d
36Psyduck #20 · Wizards Black Star Promos (2000)+121.6 %+113.2 %4.4173.963 d
37Shining Mewtwo #109 · Neo Destiny 1st Edition (2002)+120.1 %+111.6 %4.2266.327 d
38Giovanni's Machamp #6 · Gym Challenge 1st Edition (2000)+119.1 %+111.8 %4.0184.542 d
39Hypno #8 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+117.6 %+109.2 %4.4122.770 d
40Meganium #11 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+115.5 %+107.6 %4.2122.870 d
41Sabrina's Gengar #94 · Japanese Gym 2 (1999)+115.4 %+106.9 %4.55512.221 d
42Raichu #14 · Fossil 1st Edition (1999)+112.1 %+104.3 %4.2102.470 d
43Bellossom #3 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+108.0 %+100.0 %4.4112.598 d
44Steelix #15 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+99.7 %+92.7 %3.9102.684 d
45Gyarados #6 · Base Set Shadowless (1999)+97.3 %+89.6 %3.5113.263 d
46Pikachu #27 · Wizards Black Star Promos (2001)+96.1 %+88.7 %4.49722.20 d
47Dark Dragonite #5 · Team Rocket 1st Edition (2000)+95.4 %+87.9 %4.4132.9112 d
48Feraligatr #4 · Neo Genesis 1st Edition (2000)+94.5 %+87.7 %4.1133.2112 d
49Machamp #8 · Base Set 1st Edition (1999)+94.0 %+86.7 %4.44710.814 d
50Mew #9 · Wizards Black Star Promos (2000)+93.0 %+85.4 %4.4204.556 d

For context: the median across all 166 covered positions is +62.3 % p.a. “Gap” is the typical time between two sales — it tells you how long you may wait for a buyer. Returns are gross price changes: premium, commission, grading and storage costs are not deducted.

Data note 2

PSA 10 Pokémon Trading cards vs. the markets

Real auction prices of PSA 10 cards against the S&P 500, MSCI World, Bitcoin and gold. All lines indexed to 100 as of 2024-07-11, logarithmic scale.

Period 2024-07-11 to 2026-09-14. Positions are picked by the number of recorded sales, not by return. Prices are hammer prices including the buyer's premium; seller's commission, taxes and holding costs are not deducted. All cards in detail

Data note 3

Sets

Data note 3