The Most Valuable Pokemon Cards in the Sword and Shield Series of the Pokemon TCG
With the core series entries of the Pokémon games, card sets are released for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Over the past few years, the Sword and Shield collection has seen some amazing sets and expansions. While it can be difficult to predict a card’s value when it first comes out, many goods gain value as series disappear from stores and grow rare.
Players and collectors may wonder which Pokémon Cards Sword and Shield TCG sets are worth seeking, given that twelve expansions have been released, and one more will be released in May. As time passes and new sets are released, all rankings are subject to change. Additionally, the scarcity of particular pulls and the state of each card can affect a card’s long-term value.
Characteristics of Pokemon Sword and Shield Series Cards
Players could expand their valuable cards and collections of famous creatures with the Pokémon Sword and Shield series. Certain card series had greater scarcity and value than others, even though certain creatures—like Mew and Charizard—are more valuable. Players must sift through dozens of duplicates to find a foil or legendary Pokémon because many sets come with differing numbers of common and rare cards.
Because so many stores (including Walmart and Target) are limiting Pokémon card sales, collectors might have trouble getting enough packs to find rare cards. Fortunately, some sets included more gifts than others, so buying them was well worth the time and money.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Sets
1. Pokemon Sword and Shield Rebel Clash:
The Rebel Clash addition for Pokémon Sword and Shield, published on May 1, 2020, has many useless cards. The collection was limited to the base Galar region because the card series and the Sword and Shield games were still in the early stages. Even with rarer cards like Ninetails V, many cards had simple artwork. Also, Galarian Perrserker and other less well-known Pokémon were featured on most of the rarer cards in this set.
The fact that Sonia and Boss’s Orders (Giovanni) were the rarest and most valuable cards in this collection rather than Pokémon may be the most disappointing aspect of it. Boss’s Orders and Sonia’s Trainer Card made their full rainbow art debut, giving players a vibrant but pointless addition to their collections and decks.
2. Pokemon Sword and Shield Base Set:
With little opportunity to receive community feedback and artwork based on the basic Pokémon and characters from the same game, the base set of the Pokémon Trading Card Game series frequently has the most uninspiring cards of the generation. This is demonstrated by the Pokémon Sword and Shield base trading card set, which has horrible artwork for a single legendary title that doesn’t do much to increase its worth.
Despite having significantly superior designs, the most valuable cards in the collection, which went on sale on February 7, 2020, are not as valuable financially as those in Rebel Clash. The most valuable card in the basic set is Zacian V’s hidden rare and gold version, which has the Pokémon Sword title legendary with a sleek border and a beautiful golden setting.
3. Pokemon Sword and Shield Battle Styles:
The Battle Styles expansion significantly raised the set’s worth; most booster packs were unsuccessfully purchased due to the set’s extremely low pull rate. Even though the Battle Styles expansion has many premium and well-designed cards, it’s unlikely that players will find anything of value in many of the remaining booster packs.
Battle Styles was not a significant addition to the current series, even if the Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC, The Isle of Armor, inspired it. Because there are so many common cards in most packs, many devoted players and collectors have been unable to obtain their most valuable cards.
4. Pokemon Sword and Shield Celebrations:
The October 2021 release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s Sword and Shield Celebrations 25th-anniversary expansion included several reprints and redesigns of the most well-known monsters and cards. Although the values of many of the available cards were significantly higher, the pack’s ranking is severely damaged by its lack of creativity compared to other, more imaginative expansions.
The most valuable cards in the Celebrations set were re-releases from undervalued previous expansions. Unsurprisingly, Charizard from the Classic Collection base set sells for $190 and is the most valued Pokémon card. A shiny Star Umbreon reprint from the Classic Collection, priced at $92, and a Shiny Mew card, valued at $115, were two more desirable cards.
5. Pokemon Sword and Shield Fusion Strike:
The November 2021 release of the Fusion Strike expansion for Pokémon Sword and Shield was unimpressive, as it did not include any novel gameplay or skills. However, the beautiful artwork of numerous well-known Pokémon, including Mew as a cover monster for commercials, still justifies this bundle. Fusion Strike is a passable package that isn’t remarkable or awful, but it doesn’t leave much of an impact on the market after several months.
The set includes different cards, excellent graphics to leave a lasting impact, and some of its most valuable cards with fascinating artwork. Most of its costly cards are Mew variants; different VMAX and Rainbow VMAX extreme rares may sell for between $150 and $175, depending on availability and condition.
6. Pokemon Sword and Shield Darkness Ablaze:
In August 2020, Pokémon Sword and Shield: Darkness Ablaze was published, bringing many memorable and valuable Pokémon cards. In addition to giving famous creatures from earlier generations major design updates, it included striking artwork and potent movesets showcasing Galar’s most recent collection of rare monsters.
In contrast to previous representations of the Galarian starter Pokémon, Darkness Ablaze included a gold Rillaboom card with rare secret art as the second-most valuable card in the set. The ultra-rare VMAX Charizard from the Darkness Ablaze expansion was originally priced over $600, but according to Hobbybin, it has come down to about $300.
7. Pokemon Sword and Shield Chilling Reign:
Inspired by the Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC, Pokémon Sword and Shield: Chilling Reign brought back legendary designs with its unique monsters and Galarian forms. The most valuable monsters were the legendary birds from Kanto that appeared in these expansions in Galarian form. Although the Chilling Reign expansion isn’t particularly valuable, its heavy reprint considerably reduces the card’s value.
Fortunately, its varied material and artistic quality offset its lesser prices; alongside Calyrex in his Ice Rider and Shadow Rider forms are noteworthy variant artwork by Galarian Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos. While the alternate full image of Moltres V retails for about $83, this card easily exceeded $100 at launch and is a very strong card in Pokémon TCG matches.
8. Pokemon Sword and Shield Brilliant Stars:
The Brilliant Stars extension for Pokémon Sword and Shield is a new game in the franchise, released in February 2022. Even with favorable early impressions, it’s challenging to determine the expansion’s total value soon after it launches. Though the long-term scarcity of many cards in Brilliant Stars will determine whether they increase or decrease in value, the expansion has already grown to be one of the most valuable sets in Sword & Shield.
The value of the numerous Charizard cards rises significantly when combined with the outstanding artwork of the other legendary Pokémon. Charizard, Arceus, and Umbreon may all be found in V or VMAX versions for $60 to $183, significantly less than what was charged for subsequent expansions.
9. Pokemon Sword and Shield Vivid Voltage:
On November 12, 2021, the Vivid Voltage Pokémon TCG expansion was published, focusing on Pokémon of the Electric type. Alongside over a dozen V and VMAX cards with distinctive foils and different graphics are Pikachu and Zarude.
Many players and collectors were eager to get their hands on some of the incredible legendary monsters in Vivid Voltage, which could fetch high sums when they first hit the shelves. It is not unexpected that Pikachu and Charizard, the famous monsters of the Pokémon series, are the most popular and valued rare cards in these packs.
10. Pokemon Sword and Shield Evolving Skies:
Evolving Skies was one of the most expected Sword and Shield expansions for the Pokémon TCG. It included a group of powerful Dragon-type monsters and the Eeveelutions. First published on August 27, 2021, Evolving Skies gained popularity for fusing three Japanese sets into one English version. In addition, the value of this set increased thanks to the VMAX crystal cards for well-known monsters like Rayquaza, Umbreon, Dragonite, and Sylveon.
Evolving Skies’ highest-value cards have stunning artwork and potent moves, even though their pull rates aren’t as high as those of Shining Fates or Champion’s Path. For example, Rayquaza VMAX’s alternate art card sells for $259, according to TCGPlayer.
11. Pokemon Sword and Shield Shining Fates:
Shining Fates in Pokémon Sword and Shield differentiates itself with its Galarian motifs and fully illustrated Trainers. Although Shining Fates’ reprints and small full art collection prevent it from being the best Sword and Shield set, its contents still make it a top choice for gamers and collectors. Numerous Shiny Pokémon, including Ditto, Suicune, and Charizard, can be found in Shining Fates.
These cards can easily fetch over $100 in holographic variant art forms, with the value varying based on the state of the card. According to TCGPlayer, the Shiny Charizard VMAX card from Shining Fates varies in price from $188 to $130.
12. Pokemon Sword and Shield Champion’s Path:
Released in September 2020, Pokémon Sword and Shield: Champion’s Path received extremely positive reviews and pull rates. The collection comprised well-known (and expensive) pseudo-legendaries and concentrated on Galar Gym Leaders who appeared in Sword and Shield with their Pokémon partners.
Sadly, Champion’s Path was limited to special collections and wasn’t included in any booster packs. As a result, the least common cards in the set are now far more valuable.
Conclusion
The Pokémon Trading Card Game’s Sword and Shield era may be fully displayed, with the Scarlet and Violet era drawing near. The Scarlet and Violet Base Set will arrive on March 31, 2023, ending the Sword and Shield series and allowing the Pokémon Trading Card Game to enter a new era.
