You don’t need me to tell you – anything from the Pokémon TCG is rocketing in value right now, and it has been for a couple of years. Steam Siege ETBs are over $1,000 now, and that says a lot considering how dreadful that set was. It’s not often a card shoots up explosively enough to join our list of the most expensive rare Pokémon cards ever, though – and today is one of those times. This Squirtle #29 from Boundaries Crossed just went for $15,000. I hope your jaw dropped as much as mine when seeing that figure.
There are two different versions of this 2012 Squirtle card, in typical Pokémon TCG fashion. One is the basic common, with a price in the low single digits, around the $3-4 mark, and the other is the reverse holo variant. You’re probably expecting me to say that one’s wildly pricier, but it’s really not – you can get it for around $30 on eBay. So if that’s the case, why is it now selling for $15k?
It’s not because it’s a simply gorgeous card, even if many Squirtle fans (I call us Li’l Squirts) would agree that it’s an adorable single. It’s actually because it’s a PSA 10, which gives it top marks for its centering and print quality, earning it the company’s ‘perfect’ certification. Not only that, but according to PSA itself, it’s one of only two PSA 10s known to exist, and extreme scarcity can do incredible things to collectors’ wallets (just ask Logan Paul).
What’s truly shocking is how much the card’s value appears to have changed in just a couple of years. Back in August 2023, Pricecharting had a sold listing of a PSA 10 Squirtle #29 for just $250. If you were the lucky buyer of this (at the time) cheap card and decided to sell it right now, you’d have made a 5900% increase on your money. I doubt many bank accounts have interest rates like that. Even if it does have a cute little Squirtle floating on the water, I actually prefer more recent cards featuring the turtle ‘mon, including the Stellar Crown IR of it splashing in a little paddling pool.
What’s also interesting is the seller of this valuable little gem – wouldn’t ya know, it’s PSA. Well, specifically, it’s someone selling via the PSA Vault system, which allows those grading their cards to store, then sell them through PSA itself. This lets buyers verify their cards are professionally authenticated – a real boon for big spending collectors, considering the amount of fake Pokémon cards (and now slabs) circulating.
According to the consignment rates listed on PSA’s site, it charges Vault sellers 7% commission on Ebay sales over 5 grand, so the grading firm apparently made a tidy $1,050 on the sale.
In total, reportedly only 37 Squirtle #29 cards have been graded by PSA across all grades, so it’s not a huge pool of choices. Compared to the aforementioned Squirtle #148’s total population of 32,888, there’s a clear reason why these older cards are valued more. Collectors back in 2012 didn’t really care about grading; it was a niche part of a niche hobby, but it appears those who started early are really reaping the rewards of it.
If you’re looking to pick up the Squirtle #29 card, well, you can grab some on TCGPlayer. Admittedly, you’d be hard-pressed to find any potential PSA 10 copies, but if you do, well – you’re welcome, enjoy your newfound riches.
Also, if you do manage to get some of your older cards graded, or you want to discuss this mega sale of a 2012 card, make sure to join our Wargamer Discord. You can share your collection, your latest pulls, or just chat with trainers like me about the constant releases in the Pokémon TCG.
Source: Wargamer
