Pokemon TCG: The 10 most expensive cards in Paldean Fates to look out for

Shiny Pokemon cards are back!

Pokemon TCG welcomes 2024 with a bang. Shiny Pokemon cards are once again hitting the market with the release of the Paldean Fates special expansion.

Out on January 26, 2024, Pokemon TCG: Paldean Fates is the second special expansion for the Scarlet and Violet series and the recent one to feature lots of Shiny Pokemon since the Shining Fates in 2021.

Like most sets, Paldean Fates introduced something new to the game by adding two more card rarities, exclusive only to Shiny Pokemon: Shiny Rare and Shiny Ultra Rare.

Considering the reputation of Shiny Pokemon in video games, Shiny Pokemon cards are expected to become highly collectible in the eyes of competitive players and collectors alike.

But wait, there’s more – several cards in the set are also ballooning in value, and together with the Shiny Pokemon cards, dominate the current list of the most expensive cards in Paldean Fates.

Are you curious which Paldean Fates cards are on top of the market these days?

Here are the 10 most expensive Paldean Fates cards, starting from the least expensive to the most pricey

10. Arven (Special Illustration Rare)
9. Penny (Special Illustration Rare)
8. Clive (Special Illustration Rare)
7. Charmeleon (Shiny Rare Holo)
6. Charmander (Shiny Rare Holo)
5. Pikachu (Shiny Rare Holo)
4. Iono (Special Illustration Rare)
3. Gardevoir ex (Special Illustration Rare)
2. Mew ex (Special Illustration Rare)
1. Charizard ex (Special Illustration Rare)

10. Arven (Special Illustration Rare)

Arven is known as the trainer with a heartwarming story about his best friend, Mabostiff.

Arven might sound like a mean person at first, but as the story of his life unfolds, you’ll realize that he’s a fun-loving person who will do anything to save those that are close to him, even if it requires fighting humongous Titan Pokemon.

This special illustration card about Arven also exhibits a very familiar scene in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, as he prepares delicious (and overly nutritious) sandwiches made from the rare ingredient called Herba Mystica.

9. Penny (Special Illustration Rare)

Penny, (spoiler alert) a.k.a. Cassiopeia, is Team Star’s founder and main boss.

Behind her stoic personality hides an empathetic and caring leader who wants nothing but the best for her subordinates.

Aside from being the head honcho of Team Star, Penny can also be used as one of your reliable Supporter cards with its ability to return a basic Pokemon in play to your hand.

8. Clive (Special Illustration Rare)

Director Clavell of Uva Academy played a vital role in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Operation Starfall by disguising himself as Clive.

And after a few expansions in the Scarlet and Violet series, Clive finally finds his way into Pokemon TCG with this eye-catching Supporter card from Paldean Fates.

For fans of Clive out there, this card is indeed a must-find with its colorful chibi-style artwork that also features the main members of Team Star and Penny. 

7. Charmeleon (Shiny Rare Holo)

You might be wondering why a Shiny Charmander is more expensive than its Stage 1 form, but the answer is quite obvious.

You see, middle-staged Pokemon tend to receive less attention than their Basic and Stage 2 forms since most fans only care about the cute basic forms and the all-powerful Stage 2 forms that can help them win games.

However, on a brighter note, Charmeleon is a relatively affordable card if you want to build a Charizard ex deck.

6. Charmander (Shiny Rare Holo)

Pulling a Charizard ex in a booster pack would be a rewarding experience, but not as rewarding as completing its Shiny evolution chain.

TCG fans can start their Paldean Fates collection with this Shiny Rare Charmander, reminiscent of the Shiny Charmander sprite in the classic Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen.

5. Pikachu (Shiny Rare Holo)

While it’s not as expensive as the legendary Pikachu Illustrator, this Shiny Pikachu is charming enough to make the list of the most coveted cards in the entire Paldean Fates set.

Despite being the mascot of the Pokemon franchise, most printings of Pikachu in Pokemon TCG are labeled as common, resulting in a higher price tag for a Rare Pikachu card.

4. Iono (Special Illustration Rare)

With her colorful outfit and cheerful personality, Iono cemented herself as a memorable character in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

As for Pokemon TCG fans, Iono is more than just the leader of Levincia Gym — she is the epitome of modern fashion, and her card shows just like that.

Apart from the artwork, this Iono card also boasts a unique Supporter effect that can be used as a major draw engine if you have more Prize Cards left than your opponent.

3. Gardevoir ex (Special Illustration Rare)

If you look at some of the decks that shined in the recent 2023 Pokemon TCG World Championships, it’s hard to ignore Tord Reklev’s Gardevoir deck, who came in second.

The focal point of Reklev’s deck is a Gardevoir ex card from the Scarlet and Violet base set — a 310-HP Pokemon with the ability to heal itself of any status conditions.

Gardevoir ex’s success in the current meta led to its reprint in the Paldean Fates, which now features its Shiny form.

2. Mew ex (Special Illustration Rare)

Mew ex arguably has the most distinctive and cutest special illustration artwork in the entire Paldean Fates set.

Just look at that – a Shiny Mew sleeping inside a blue bubble with few Pokemon around it, probably in awe after witnessing a Shiny Legendary Pokemon.

As implied in most of its Pokedex entries, Mew is capable of performing all kinds of moves, and this card perfectly emulates Mew’s ability with its Genome Hacking move.

Using this card as your Bench Pokemon can give you a significant advantage in games, as its ability, Restart, allows you to maintain the number of the cards in your hands to at least three for every turn.

1. Charizard ex (Special Illustration Rare)

Sitting pretty at the apex of highly elusive and valuable cards in Paldean Fates is the fan-favorite Charizard.

This Charizard ex features a Terastallized Shiny Charizard, which is considered by many to be one of the coolest Shiny Pokemon variants among all generations.

Another factor that drives this card’s value is its move Burning Darkness, which deals 180 damage (plus 30 more on each Prize Card your opponent has already taken), all for a cost of only two Fire Energy cards!

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