With every new generation of games, thePokemon TCGgains another massive chunk of Pokemon to add to a list of over 1,000 critters thus far. While the swelling list of Pokemon gets the attention, each new era also introduces dozens of new trainers and new trainer classes, adding an unfathomable number of new names and faces to keep up with.
There’s almost no chance you’re going to remember every trainer’s name, especially if you only engage with certain Pokemon media. Even if you play every mainline Pokemon game with the utmost attention, chances are you probably forget about some of these trainers with valuable Pokemon TCG cards.
Cards are ordered according to theirTCGplayermarket price. Any cards without a market price were not included.
8Wicke: Burning Shadows (Full Art) – $48.93
Remember The Name
Ina set as valuable as Burning Shadows,you could excuse Wicke for falling into obscurity with the incredibly expensive Charizard from the set capturing all the attention. Wicke appears in the Alola Region as the assistant Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation’s Aether Paradise – a mouthful of a title.
While Wicke may have two amazing titles (it’s unclear if she took Faba’s position after snitching on the Aether Foundation), she’s probably one of the least memorable names in the series. She plays an important role in bringing several evil characters to justice, but she doesn’t get much fanfare in doing so.
7Welder: Unbroken Bonds (Full Art) – $48.99
A TCG Exclusive
If you usually consume your Pokemon information by playing through each new game and don’t engage with any other Pokemon media, then you’d be excused for never hearing about Welder. This trainer class was introduced to the English side of the Pokemon TCG in Unbroken Bonds and featured alternate artwork in the Japanese Tag Team All Stars set.
The design of the Welder’s outfit closely mimics a Magmar, and is the major distinguishing quality of this trainer class, aside from the cool Welder helmet and unimpressed expression.
6Delinquent: Alternate Art Promos (Full Art) – $49.87
Looking For Trouble
If you’re not big on remakes, then you probably missed out entirely on Delinquents, since these trainers only appeared in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
A similar trainer class took over for Delinquents, presumably due to the negative connotation of the name. In Scarlet & Violet, you’ll see them depicted as Ruffians.
On the TCG side of things, this is the only obscure trainer to appear along with a Pokemon, as Mightyena nuzzles up and flashes the cutest happy expression you have likely ever seen on this Pokemon. Considering the mean mug on the Delinquent, it was a good choice to balance things out.
5TV Reporter: Celestial Storm (Full Art) – $50.68
Can We Ask You Some Questions?
This trainer class debuted in Generation Four, with appearances in Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, alongside the Cameraman trainer class, an appropriate counterpart. These two trainer types typically appear together, but you can find a lone reporter present in the Twilight Wings animation.
TV Reporters are always female, while their cameraman counterparts are always male, making this artwork the sole depiction, unlike Welders, which featured multiple designs.
4Mina: Lost Thunder (Full Art) – $56.36
Lost In Her Art
If you missed out on Pokemon Sun & Moon, then you probably have no idea about Poni Island’s resident artist, Mina. This trainer specializes in Fairy-type Pokemon and teams up with a Granbull as her signature partner.
After completing her island challenge, you’re rewarded with a Fairium Z.
She also appears in Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee, and Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu, and even makes multiple appearances in Pokemon Masters EX, along with her partners, Granbull and Tapu Fini.
3Mars: Ultra Prism (Full Art) – $58.12
The Red-Haired Admin Has A Name
The Sinnoh region’s Team Galactic features a quartet of administrators, who serve as a sort of evil Elite Four that challenge you in your quest to take down the organization. One of the administrators is Mars, who appears to be directly related to Arezu from Hisui, given their incredibly similar hair color and appearance.
Mars is best known for her single battles and some epic multi-battle appearances alongside Jupiter, Mars' fellow administrator, and an equally powerful trainer. Like Mina, Mars also appears in Pokemon Masters EX, though she is only an NPC and doesn’t have a playable sync pair (yet).
2Green’s Exploration: Unbroken Bonds (Full Art) – $106.22
That’s Not Leaf
Anothervaluable full art trainer card from Unbroken Bondsmakes a splash, as Green and her epic blue background boast bright artwork alongside a massive price tag. While their designs are incredibly similar, there’s no direct confirmation that Leaf is Green, as Green technically only appeared in the Japanese game, Pokemon Green version, which was released in 1996.
Pokemon Masters EX refers to a character who looks identical to Green as Leaf, so there are some instances where the character is specifically named Leaf. However, there are no recent official references to Green, indicating that she might remain a remnant of the original Japanese releases.
1Professor Juniper: Plasma Freeze (Full Art) – $108.46
Which Tree Was It?
Professor Juniper boaststhe most valuable full art trainer card of any Pokemon traineryou’ve probably never heard of – or at least forgot about. With plenty of tree-based professors to keep track of, it’s understandable if you gave up trying to remember them all after Professor Oak.
The Unova region’s resident professor became the first female professor to feature in the series, and opened the door to the future inclusions of Professors Magnolia, Sonia, and Sada. Even though she might be more identifiable than the others, Professor Juniper has the most valuable TCG card of any trainer you might not know.
