When it comes to anything involving Pokémon, you always have to catch them all. But you often need to spend lots of of money to get your hands on every pocket monster available. This is definitely the case with Pokémon cards, which tend to be coveted and highly valuable to collectors.
Of the many cards out there to collect, the collaboration between The Pokémon Company and fast food chain McDonald’s has yielded some of the most valuable limited edition cards around.
But just how expensive can the McDonald’s Pokémon cards go for? Think about paying thousands of dollars for a single limited card. If you’re curious how expensive it is for Pokémon Masters to obtain some of the most expensive cards ever printed, look no further. Here’s a list of the five most valuable McDonald’s Pokémon cards of all time.
The five most expensive McDonald’s Pokémon cards ever
2002 Japanese McDonald’s Holo Umbreon: $865
Umbreon is one of the most interesting evolutions of the Pokémon Eevee. In the games, you get this Pokémon by leveling up Eevee and being friends with it enough to cause it to evolve at nightfall. Because of the popularity of Umbreon in the Pokémon fandom, Umbreon cards are among the most valuable.
The Japanese McDonald’s holographic version of Umbreon is no exception. The card on average sells for around $700 USD, with its highest price fetching a whopping $865. Although the Eevee-lutions are complicated and beloved by fans of the series, Umbreon is consistently sought after by collectors in any set that includes it.
2002 Japanese McDonald’s Holo Charmander: $875
Charmander is another popular starter Pokémon from the first generation. Its final evolution form, the powerful Charizard, made Charmander a great choice for those who have been playing the games since Blue and Red. The holographic Charmander from the Japanese McDonald’s set in 2002 is valuable to collectors because of its attractive flame background.
On average, the card sells for around $300 to $560, but it has gone for much higher prices in the past and previously sold for $875. Fans love the overall design of the card, and all that demand makes it very valuable.
2002 Japanese McDonald’s Promo Mew: $900
Mew is the original super-rare Pokémon that was highly sought-after by trainers in the first generation of games. Mew’s importance to the franchise cannot be understated, especially after its appearance in the first Pokémon movie in 1999 that also featured Mewtwo as the villain. Because of this, Mew cards almost always have a big significance for collectors. The 2005 promo Mew card from McDonald’s is no exception, and it’s highly valuable.
The card artwork shows Mew gazing into the sunset behind it. It’s a great design for the character and was included in the second set of McDonald’s Pokémon cards. Its value can range anywhere from $60 to around $900 in great condition.
2002 Japanese McDonald’s Holo Squirtle: $1,200
Squirtle is one of the original starter Pokémon from the first few games, and many Pokémon fans chose Squirtle as their first companion in Pokémon Red and Blue (or Green in Japan). The 2002 limited edition set of Pokémon cards from McDonald’s included a holographic foil Squirtle, with a cute and unique design. Many TCG fans love this version of Squirtle blowing a bubble.
There have been only around 1,100 copies of the card printed, and they have a average value of around $700. One copy of this Squirtle card even sold for around $1,200. Fans love a good holographic Squirtle.
2002 Japanese McDonald’s Holo Pikachu: $2,000
Pikachu is the most famous Pokémon in the entire franchise. Anything with Pikachu on it will likely be very popular and sought after by collectors. The 2002 Japanese McDonald’s set of cards featured a holographic Pikachu card with a basic but fun design.
For some, it’s one of the best versions of the character. More importantly, it’s also one of the most valuable cards from the 2002 set, and possibly out of all the McDonald’s Pokémon cards out there. On average, a holographic Pikachu card from this set can range in value from $315 to $600 normally, but one in great condition sold for around $2000.
