How much for a piece of cardboard?

Just how much would you be willing to pay for an illustrated piece of cardboard? Trading cards have a long and rich history, and many avid collectors are willing to pay an exorbitant price to complete their desired set. Card conditions become serious business, and cards are ranked and graded from 1 - 10, with PSA 10 cards considered the most pristine on offer. Although there has always been a market for trading cards, many underestimate just how much money can exchange hands in these spaces.

Take Yu Gi Oh! For example, a 2002 LOB Monster Reborn #118 sold for around $8,000 Aud earlier this year. Monster Reborns $8,000 price tag isn’t exceptional, or even a top price amongst Yu Gi Oh! fanatics. A 2003 Magicians Force (MFC) Dark Magician Girl #000 (1st Edition) sold for $12,400 in November 2020. And Yu Gi Oh! Is barely the tip of the Iceberg.

Tales of the Magic the Gathering ‘Black Lotus’ cards are legendary.

The Alpha Black Lotus is the current record holder for the most expensive Magic the Gathering card ever sold. The card itself is banned in any competitive play making it purely a collector’s piece. At the height of the MtG collectors scramble, a PSA 10 alpha Black Lotus card was sold on eBay for $510,000 USD, roughly $697,000 Australian.

Although a great deal of the hype surrounding this card has died down, a mint condition alpha Black Lotus can still be worth an estimated $200,000. Although finding a collector willing to part with their card may prove a challenge given how few of them remain in circulation.

As impressive as the Black Lotus is, Pokemon is king when it comes to cost and consistency in trading card games. The Pokemon franchise has become a household name with TV shows, video games and mountains of merchandise. Pokemon cards themselves have remained on top tier trading card lists for almost as long as they’ve been around. Even a tiny amount of research will bring up several Pokemon cards in the $300,000+ cost margin.

The 1998 Pikachu Promo Holo Illustrator card has been a consistent high-cost card selling at $510,000 in May 2021. In terms of the most popular collector’s item, The 1999 1st Edition Holo shadowless Charizard goes for $300,000 for an excellent condition (PSA 8+) print and up to $500,000 for a card considered to be in mint condition (PSA 10).

Don’t be fooled into thinking that only the oldest trading cards are the ones with a price to them. Even cards from more recent trading card sets can hold incredible value. Take one of Pokemon’s more recent sets, ‘Chilling Reign’, for instance.

Even though this set only came out in June 2021, some of the cards can be worth over $300 for a high graded copy. Blaziken VMAX Alternate art secret Rare and Galarian Moltres V Alternate full art cards both fetch upward of $200 for cards considered in mint condition. Prices for individual cards from the Evolutions pokemon set are already starting to skyrocket amongst the craze.

So, how much are you willing to pay for your favourite trading card? Or perhaps you are sitting on a trading card goldmine that you weren’t even aware existed? Either way, the trading card craze is far from over, with new sets and cards added to the catalogue each day. But remember, always check your cards are coming from a credible source. With trading cards going for mind-blowing prices, there is sure to be some fakes floating around.