Pikachu & Zekrom Tripled Over Night and This is Only the Beginning

The Pokémon TCG market continues to hit all-time highs, and with the announcement that the Pokémon TCG’s 30^th Celebration set will be releasing in September, hype for the “Classic Collection” reprints has already begun to create massive price spikes for the cards that will be featured in it.

Notably, Pikachu & Zekrom GX, originally from 2019’s Team Up expansion, has already seen an immense uptick in price as the card shot up from around $40 to over $100 the day after its presence in the “Classic Collection” was announced.

Why Pikachu & Zekrom GX Spiked So Quickly, Explained

The logic is fairly easy to understand. The new 30th Celebration version will come with a Pikachu anniversary stamp and special holofoil treatment, which is great for collectors who want the new commemorative version. But it also has the predictable side effect of making the original feel more important, more historic, and suddenly much harder to ignore.

PokéBeach has reported that Japan’s 30th Celebration website appears to have teased the likely full Classic Collection lineup. If that list proves accurate, several cards could see similar market jolts, once collectors fully process what is coming.

Crystal Lugia from Aquapolis is the obvious nuclear option. That card already lives in the expensive, emotionally irresponsible part of the hobby, but anniversary attention could still drag more buyers into the chase. Shining Celebi from Neo Destiny also feels like a prime candidate, especially because Shining Pokémon have never needed much help finding an audience.

Beyond that, notable cards like Dark Tyranitar from Team Rocket Returns, Scizor ex from Unseen Forces, Rayquaza EX from Dragons Exalted, and N from Noble Victories are all present on 30^th Celebration’s reprint bonus sheet. None of those names need a marketing department to explain why collectors care. They already carry nostalgia, competitive history, character appeal, or some combination of all three.

Even modern cards could see notable upticks. Mew VMAX from Fusion Strike, Arceus VSTAR from Brilliant Stars, and the Magikarp Illustration Rare from Paldea Evolved are all exactly the kind of cards that can turn “oh, neat reprint” into “why is my wallet empty?”

Why Reprints Can Make Original Pokémon Cards More Expensive

The funny thing is that reprints usually calm markets down. In theory, more access means less pressure. But anniversary reprints are different animals entirely. While you’d think reprints equal more supply equals lower price, in reality, the extreme rarity of “Classic Collection” cards can often send prices for the original skyrocketing.

That appears to be exactly what happened with Pikachu & Zekrom GX. The card did not spike because collectors suddenly discovered Tag Team Pokémon existed. It spiked because Pokémon effectively tapped it on the shoulder and said, “This one matters.”

The 30th Celebration should make some iconic cards more accessible, which is good fun and exactly what anniversary collections are all about. Anniversary sets are supposed to be a victory lap for the game, and a way for newer collectors to touch pieces of Pokémon TCG history without having to sell a kidney or apologize to their savings account.

But anyone assuming these reprints will only cool prices is probably being too optimistic. For the original versions of the right cards, 30th Celebration may function less like a pressure valve and more like a giant neon arrow pointing directly at the cards collectors were already primed to chase.

The extreme price spike for Pikachu & Zekrom GX has already proved how quickly that can happen.

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