Today we will talk about investments in Pokémon cards that pay off in the long term for collecting and reselling, and the focus will be on the most expensive Kanto starters (Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise, respectively) today.
Base parameters
Let's use the PSA as a reference and grading basis with the values in this list — that is, the letter fulfilling all the company's test requirements with the maximum grade, which is 10.
For those who are not familiar with what Grade System is, here I explain the process of grading cards.
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If you haven't seen the Venusaur list, you can access it here. And Charizard here.
The 10 Most Valuable Blastoise Based on PSA
10th) Clair's Blastoise (Pokémon VS Series - 046/141)
Within the VS expansion, featured in catching famous personalities from the Pokémon world such as Gym Leaders, Elite Four, Team Rocket characters such as "Rocket's Marauder", in the style of the Gym Challenge and Gym Heroes expansions, that is, with these human characters along their signature Pokémon or Pokémon from their arsenal.
But this expansion never came out to the west, being restricted to Japan. And this time we have Clair, Dragon Gym Leader, but with Blastoise.
Its price tag is US$ 325.00.
9th) Blastoise “Base Set” GBC Japanese Promo (Unnumbered Promotional cards)
In Japan, this card was released as an unnumbered promo, with art by Ken Sugimori (unlike Mitsuhiro Arita with the American Base Set).
It was first made available through the Trade Please campaign, which ran from February 10 to July 31, 1998. Participants were required to send an enclosed flyer with copies of Suzukisan's Trade Please to MediaFactory, along with any two Pokémon trade cards and a return envelope within the campaign period.
To learn more about the Trade Please campaign, Trade_Please_promo(click here).
Participants could select a "type" detailed in the pamphlet by writing in the appropriate space. "Type A" included a Charizard promo card, "Type B" included a copy of that card (Blastoise), and "Type C" included a Venusaur promo card.
MediaFactory would then send the two cards from the chosen course to the participant, completing the exchange.
After a long time, these cards were reprinted in the Pokémon Song Best Collection CD product.
Its current value is US$ 450.00.
8th) Blastoise -Expedition Japanese Set- (Expedition - 108/128)
Although the image above is merely illustrative of the American version, the Japanese version has a slightly higher value, and even though the name of the Expedition expansion is the same in both, the numbering changes. So be careful when checking nationalities.
This Blastoise was one of the two that were in the e-Cards series that has the yellowed left edge as an e-Reader for the Game Boy Advanced, a device that was attached to the laptop to unlock information within your game.
Its current value is US$ 570.00.
7th) Blastoise-EX Secret Full Art Japanese Promo (Expansion Pack 20th Anniversary - 092/087)
One of the cards that came in celebration of 20 years of Pokémon in block X/Y: Evolutions (along with Venusaur, Charizard and Pikachu as featured Pokémon), this Blastoise came in promotional form in the west in a special box with an action figure. But in Japan, it came in an exclusive booster pack there as one of the secret cards. Below, I show what this booster was like:
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Its price tag is US$ 575.00.
6th) Dark Blastoise (Pokémon Web - 044/048)
The Pokémon Card★web expansion consists of reprints of the Japanese expansions Expansion Pack, Pokémon Jungle, Mystery of the Fossils, and Rocket Gang, as well as various promotional cards.
The cards used the design introduced in Pokémon Card VS, with the e-Card edge as a reader, unlike the illustrative photo above the article, in which we took the western version of the expansion (which was the most common and easiest to identify).
It is precisely because this version of Dark Blastoise with these described characteristics is rare that makes it expensive.
Its price tag is US$ 699.99.
5th) Blastoise (Crystal Guardians - 014/100)
The only version that hasn't been altered by common water typing due to the Delta mechanics, this Blastoise in PSA on the Reverse Foil rarity is worth a lot of money.
That is, at that time of Ruby/Sapphire, they had the characteristic of the last evolution (either in the case of stage 1 or 2 Pokémon - in this case Blastoise as stage 2) with its golden name, and the image of the card had the symbol of the expansion logo on the right edge of the Pokémon, just like in the image below.
Its value is US$ 999.99.
4th) Blastoise (Base Set - 002/102)
This card barely arrives in the first place for two unfortunate reasons:
1) On EBAY searches, there are no records of the Shadowless version with a score of 10, which would be worth more;
2) Considering only this second half of 2022, the only one that has this rating 10 registered is by the company Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC), which is valued per dollar around US$94,999.99.
But since we are just considering the normal card without the “Shadowless” version, then its dollar value is US$ 1,300.00.
3rd) Blastoise “Delta” (Crystal Guardians - 002/100)
Just like the Pokémon that have the “Delta” symbol, they change their type, and with Blastoise it was no different: it gains Metal and Fighting types.
And the card has more value in its Reverse Foil version, that is, the golden name and the expansion logo "Crystal Guardians" in the right corner of the Pokémon image, as in the image below:
Its current value is US$ 2,000.00.
2nd) Blastoise “Shiny” (Plasma Storm - 137/135)
His first shiny in history, it starred in the expansion rivaling Charizard shiny as secret cards, and was heavily played in the "Rain Dance" decks due to its ability to move water energies along with its synergy with Archie's Ace in the Hole PRC 124, which was very popular at the time.
Its price tag is US$ 3,000.00.
1st) Blastoise ex (Fire Red/Leaf Green - 104/112)
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And finishing the podium, starring the Kanto cards in the Ruby/Sapphire block within the EX: Fire Red/Leaf Green expansions, along with Charizard and Venusaur, Blastoise gains its spotlight.
And still with great importance for having been one of the cards playable in decks of the 2006 worlds with the "Rain Dance" deck along cards like Lugia ex UF 105 and Steelix ex UF 109 as attackers.
For those who are curious about this deck and the importance of this Blastoise, you can watch this video:
Its current value is US$ 5,000.00.
Conclusions
Of the Kanto trio, it is the one that has an approach of collecting almost close to Charizard, but still doesn't have many price exaggerations as it happens with its winged orange competitor.
And with the Radiant Blastoise PGO 18 card that came in Pokémon GO being its second "shiny" in history, it's possible that over the years this card will appreciate and increase in price, and in the future with higher ratings for PSA.
And then? What are your expectations for this Pokémon? What advantages do you believe with this potential market? Do you believe it will have cards as valuable as its rival, Charizard? Leave it in the comments below.
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