The competitive side of thePokemon TCGis full of unusual cards that many standard decks will never need – World Championship Promos. These rare cards are only distributed to select competitors at World Championship events, which are held once every year.
With their availability limited to a single event once per year, and the pool of recipients even more restrictive than ever, these cards are becoming more sought-after than they once were. When it comes to the most expensive World Championship (WC) cards, older doesn’t always mean more valuable, as you’ll be shocked to see the price of some of the most recent WC promos.
These cards are ordered according to theirTCGplayermarket price. Any cards without a market price are not included. All cards with a market price were included at the time of writing. World Championship Deck cards are omitted.
7Tropical Wind 026: World Championships 2004 (Nintendo Promo) – $39.30
Just Waking Up
Tropical Wind stands out asthe sole Nintendo Promo among the most valuableWorld Championship Promo cards, as this vintage edition stands well over 20 years old. However, despite this card’s age, its value hasn’t increased as you might have expected.
While condition plays a role in this, there simply needs to be demand for a card for its price to increase, and, likely, this card doesn’t command the same demand that the newer promo versions do.
6Champions Festival SM231: World Championships 2019 (SM Promo) – $192.62
Mascot Mayhem
From Pokemon’s earliest days to theSun & Moon era’s most expensive cards,World Championship promo cards stretch across the Pokemon TCG storied history. Eevee and Pikachu were destined to be together since the early days when they were battling for the spot of Pokemon’s main mascot behind the scenes in the late 90s.
We know how things turned out for Pikachu, but Eevee’s appearance alongside the beloved icon is a clear sign that these Pokemon share nearly equal popularity. Surprisingly, this card isn’t more expensive given the subjects, but there are some equally impressive artworks to come.
5Champions Festival SM148: World Championships 2018 (SM Promo) – $254.99
A Growing Group
Pikachu pops up again, this time alongside Oricorio on 2018’s Champion Festival promo card, which keeps with the standard World Championship art template. Pikachu, Oricorio, Meloetta, Psyduck, and Kricketune are just a few of the Pokemon you’ll find squeezed into this relatively small space, as they form an unusual but lovable ensemble.
The World Championship 2018 stamp is a perfect addition that clarifies which year this promo was distributed and serves as a wonderful memory if you earned this card in the competition. However, thanks to the secondary market, anyone can purchase one of these rare promos.
4Champions Festival SWSH296: World Championships 2022 (SWSH Promo) – $349.99
Diving Into The Journey
This Champions Festival card was one of themost valuable cards from the Sword & Shield erabefore some of the iconic Alternate Arts took over as the top chase cards from the era. Pikachu returns, this time with an impressive group of Galarian Pokemon, including Grookey, Sobble, and Scorbunny.
If you’re a fan of Galarian Pokemon then there’s not going to be a better World Championship card for you, as this design pays homage to some of the most beloved Pokemon from the region.
3Paradise Resort 150: World Championships 2024 (SV Staff Promo) – $463.99
A Surprising Twist
Usually, Staff stamps guarantee a higher value for the card they appear on, as they’re typically the rarer version of prerelease cards. However, the Staff stamp is a detriment to the value of Paradise 150, since the competitor versions were only given to invited guests.
This might be one of the few times that a Staff promo is eclipsed by a non-Staff version, as the upcoming entry will look very familiar.
2Paradise Resort 150: World Championships 2024 (SV Promo) – $497.49
Pikachu Leads
If you earned a copy of Paradise Resort 150 by competing in the 2024 World Championship event, then you’ll be happy to see that your version of the promo card is the superior choice. While staff members definitely won’t be in tears due to the slightly lower value, an almost $500 card is a pretty great consolation prize.
Unfortunately, if you collect World Championship promo cards, then this price tag might be bad news for your wallet, but it’s still not as expensive as the time and effort required to earn this card by competing in the tournament.
1Paradise Resort 045: World Championships 2023 (SV Promo) – $600.00
The Shiniest Medal
Paradise Resort 045 is the most expensive Scarlet & Violet promothus far and is the most valuable World Championship promo ever made. However, it’s hard to say how long its reign will last, since it’s becoming more difficult to earn rare promo cards like this one as player pools grow.
You never know what next year holds, but the combination of Lapras and Pikachu in Pradise Resort is arguably one of the most visually distinct versions of a World Championship promo, while still honoring tradition by including Pikachu. You won’t find a brighter or more expensive WC card than Paradise Resort.
