The first English-language Pokemon cards were released back in 1999. At the time, Pokemon was already growing in popularity in Japan and overseas. But few expected that Pokemon cards would become the coveted collectors’ items they are today. And that means that complete sets of the original 102-card base set run are pretty rare these days. That’s especially true for high-quality graded collections that are still in mint condition. But right now, one such set is up for sale, and it’s honestly not as expensive as you might expect (yet).
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There are just a handful of PSA 10-grade US Base Set collections in existence, and the last one sold for a staggering $911K just last year. With just 9 PSA 10 sets in the world, those don’t come up for sale very often. But the collection that’s currently on offer during Goldin’s Spring Pop Culture auction comes pretty close. This 1st edition set is comprised of all 102 cards, each rated in PSA 9 Mint condition. Sleeved and carefully preserved, this is one of the highest-quality pieces of Pokemon history a collector could own. And it’s on sale now through June 17th in Goldin’s Spring Pop Culture Auction.
Complete PSA 9 1st Edition Pokemon TCG Base Set Up for Auction for a Limited Time
While individual card sales are easily tracked via a number of sites, including PriceCharting, full sets like these are a bit harder to keep track of. The PSA 10 complete set sales tend to make headlines due to their alarmingly high prices. But as for a PSA 9 set like this, it’s a bit harder to say exactly what collectors are willing to pay for nearly perfect. That said, the original base set is among the most coveted of all collections, since it marked the start of the Pokemon TCG‘s run in the West. And a 1st edition set like this is especially rare, as the popularity of Pokemon cards resulted in multiple reprintings of the Base Set over time.
Needless to say, this won’t be a cheap item to add to your Pokemon TCG collection. Bidding for this complete set of original Pokemon cards began on May 22nd. So far, there have been just 4 bids, putting the sale at $52,000 already. That’s already up quite a bit from the starting bid of $25,000. And with 22 days left to go, we’re likely to see someone top that bid and then some before the auction closes out.
As it stands, the current bid is actually quite a bargain if you consider the value of individual cards. The most valuable card in the set is likely the 1st Edition Charizard. PSA 9 graded versions of this rare holo can go for as much as $48,100 on their own. Though this is the highest value card in the set, there are plenty of coveted grail cards in the lineup to go alongside it. Blastoise and Venusaur both remain among the most expensive Pokemon cards on the resale market, so it’s safe to say this full set is worth quite a bit to the right buyer. Of course, for many, keeping the collection together is the point, so the set has an added value simply for being complete.
A full collection of all 102 original Pokemon cards is a dream item for many fans. Though the price is no doubt out of range for many more casual collectors, it’s still interesting to see just how high the bidding will go. That’s especially true for anyone holding onto an old binder of their childhood Pokemon cards, wondering just what they could be worth if you ever dreamed of parting with them.
This complete set of 1st edition Pokemon TCG cards is one of many rare collectibles available in Goldin’s 2026 Spring Pop Culture auction. Quite a few other Pokemon goodies are on offer, along with some rare classic Nintendo games. The auction runs through June 17th, so there’s plenty of time to browse and daydream about expanding your collectibles display.
Which of the original Pokemon cards would you most like to own? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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