In the world of Pokémon card collecting, rainbow rares represent the peak of rarity and value in the modern TCG era. Reputable grading companies like PSA and established sellers provide protection against fakes.

No quality seal if buying pre-packaged cardsĪlways scrutinize high value singles carefully before purchase.

Details like fonts, text spacing, colors seem off.

No texture – Real rainbow foiling has a textured look and feel.

Here are signs a rainbow rare may be fake: With rainbow rares reaching sky-high values, the risk of counterfeits rises. So while short-term gains occur in hot Pokémon markets, rainbow rares appear risky compared to conventional assets historically.

Diversification with indexes recommended over individual cards.

Cards have high volatility, collectability adds portfolio diversity.

Traditional assets like stocks reliably outperform over long-term.

Returns recently spiked from speculation, but uncertain if sustained.

Pokémon generated near zero real returns from 1999 to 2018.

But how do Pokémon cards compare to stocks, bonds, real estate?Ī 2022 academic study by economists at Stanford and University of Chicago analyzed Pokémon cards versus traditional asset classes. With high price tags for the rarest rainbow rares, some collectors view these cards as investments. The novelty factor of new rainbow rares gives them an initial spike in value after release.

Silver Tempest – Lugia VSTAR, Alolan Vulpix.

Lost Origin – Giratina VSTAR, Gengar VMAX, Aerodactyl VSTAR.

Astral Radiance – Machamp V, Hisuian Typhlosion VSTAR.

Brilliant Stars – Charizard VSTAR, Arceus VSTAR, Honchkrow VSTAR.

Here are some other modern sets releasing rainbow rares worth hunting for: Early sales of the Rainbow Rare Giratina VSTAR from Lost Origin are averaging around $50. This provides collectors ongoing opportunities to pull fresh high value rainbows.įor example, September 2022‘s main Pokémon TCG set Lost Origin contains 15 different rainbow rares. While the first rainbow rares appeared in 2017‘s Sun & Moon set, new ones continue to be added in contemporary sets too. So rainbow rares that also boast strong competitive utility break out above counterparts solely valued for collecting. They found competitive rainbow rares held a 69% higher average value over non-competitive versions. Rainbow rares like Charizard VMAX, Mewtwo VSTAR, and Genesect VMAX that are competitive staples trade for higher prices.Ī 2021 field study by hobby research group Carddlegends tracked the market prices of competitive play and non-competitive rainbow rares. Competitive Value Matters TooĬards that are viable for tournament play see extra demand from players optimizing decks. You can see how the PSA 10 commands over 6x the price of a LP copy of the same card! Proper storage and protection is essential to preserve value. Take a look at sale prices for the Rainbow Rare Charizard VSTAR from Brilliant Stars across various PSA grades: PSA Grade

PSA graded Gem Mint 10 copies sell for many times more than cards graded in lightly played or moderately played condition. That means the condition of a rainbow rare has an enormous impact on value. Thanks to the textured foil surface, rainbow rares tend to show wear and damage more easily than typical cards. Nostalgia and competitive relevance also influence which Pokémon command the highest rainbow rare prices.

Here‘s a comparison of average sale prices for some top rainbow rares: Rainbow Rare Card But the Rainbow Rare Charizard VMAX from Champion‘s Path sells for $196.82 on average – over 20x as much! (Price data via TCGPlayer Market Price tools.) Super popular species like Charizard, Pikachu, Eevee, Mewtwo, and Lucario fetch much higher premiums for their rainbow cards.įor example, a Rainbow Rare Lucario VMAX from Fusion Strike has an average sale price of $8.99. While any rainbow rare is considered valuable, the Pokémon featured has a huge impact on price. And that scarcity immediately makes them more desirable to collectors. To put that in perspective, here are rough pull rate tiers for key Pokémon TCG rarities according to BBBA_Paul, a respected Pokétuber: Rarity TierĪs you can see, rainbow rares have roughly 10-20x lower pull rates than a typical ultra rare card. But the odds can stretch as high as 1 in 300 packs for certain rainbow rares. Across all Pokémon TCG sets, they appear at an average pull rate of just 1 in 80 packs according to hobby probability analysis. Rainbow rares stand out thanks to very limited availability. Let‘s dive into the details on why these modern rarities command such high prices. In short – rainbow rare Pokémon cards can be worth a tremendous amount to collectors and investors.

Pokemon rainbow charizard