Pokémon

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Special Pokémon cards — how many are there and what are they worth?

There are 211 Special cards on file, 182 of them with a price, and the typical one costs $2.43.

Card mechanic · 211 cards · 182 with a price · $0.12 to $71.01 · read August 14, 2026

How much is a Special Pokémon card worth?

The typical Special card costs $2.43. Across the 182 of them that carry a price, the cheapest is $0.12 and the dearest is $71.01 — Potion Energy 101, at $71.01. That spread is why the group price is a starting point and not a valuation of any one card.

Card facts are read from openly published card files; prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026.

All mechanics Rarity Print variant Pokédex number Regulation mark Energy type Set Artist Evolution stage Attack cost Attack damage Retreat cost

Special 211 cardsCard mechanic

182 with a price · $0.12 to $71.01 · No. 17 of 28 mechanics by typical price · +4.7% in 11 months

Typical price, last 11 months$2.43+4.7% from $2.32

Card price ladder$71.01$7.21 to $71.01

Place among mechanicsNo. 17CheapestMiddleDearestTypical price $2.43 · No. 17 of 28
11 mechanics cost less than this one

Cards on file211182 carry a price Most expensive card$71.01Potion Energy 101 Cheapest on record$0.12across all 182 priced cards Price rose+4.7%over the last 11 months Place by priceNo. 17of 28 mechanics

What stands out about Special cards

Scale 211 cards carry this mechanic — 1.0% of the 20,444 English cards on file.
Price Half of the priced cards cost under $2.43, but the dearest reaches $71.01 — a gap of 29×.
Place By typical price this is No. 17 of 28 mechanics; 11 of them cost less.
Record 182 of the 211 cards have a price on file. The rest are counted but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

How 20,444 English cards narrow down to these 211

Full bar = that step's denominator · filled = what carries over

English cards on file 20,4447,208 cardsonly cards that record a mechanic remain · 35.3% of 20,444
Cards with a mechanic 7,208211 cardsonly Special remain · 2.9% of 7,208
The 211 cards on this page211 cards1.0% of every English card on file

The middle step counts every card that records a mechanic, including mechanics too small to have a page of their own. That is why its figure is larger than the totals on the mechanic list, which only counts the groups it can open.

Special Pokémon cards at a glance

What this group is. 211 cards share the mechanic Special. A mechanic is the special kind a card is printed as — V, VMAX and ex among Pokémon, Item, Supporter and Stadium among Trainers — recorded with each card in the card files this site reads. Evolution stages are counted on their own, and a plain card carries no mechanic at all, so this axis covers only the part of the archive that has one.
What they cost. The typical card is $2.43. Across the 182 priced cards the range runs $0.12 to $71.01.
Where it stands. No. 17 of 28 mechanics by typical price, with 11 of them cheaper.
What is listed below. The 50 most expensive of the 182 cards that carry a price, each with its own price page. Cards without a price are counted in the total but are not listed.
When it was read. Every figure on this page comes from the archive as it stood on August 14, 2026.

Source: Counted from 211 cards on file, 182 of them with a price

Every Special Pokémon card with a price on file

These are the 50 dearest Special cards in the archive, most expensive first. The strip shows them as cards; the list under it carries the same 50 with their set and exact price as text.

The 50 dearest Special cards, most expensive first

Prices are the latest reading held in this site's own archive. A card with no picture on file is drawn as a small stand-in that still carries its name, set and number.

The same 50 cards as a listRank is by price inside this group.

CardNameSetPriceRarity

Potion EnergyLegendary Collection$71.01Uncommon Miracle EnergyNeo Destiny$69.00Rare Holo Cyclone EnergySkyridge$63.80Uncommon Rainbow EnergyAquapolis$51.55Rare Double Colorless EnergyBase$44.97Uncommon Rainbow EnergyTeam Rocket$43.34Rare Holo Rainbow EnergyCelestial Storm$41.80Rare Secret Retro EnergySkyridge$32.70Uncommon Full Heal EnergyLegendary Collection$29.40Uncommon Double Rainbow EnergyTeam Magma vs Team Aqua$28.63Rare

Show the rest of the list40 more cards, still in price order+40

Metal EnergyNeo Genesis$27.79Rare Holo Dark Metal EnergyTeam Rocket Returns$27.59Uncommon Aqua EnergyTeam Magma vs Team Aqua$25.00Uncommon Darkness EnergyUnseen Forces$24.99Rare Bounce EnergySkyridge$24.08Uncommon Double Rainbow EnergyPOP Series 5$23.47Rare Warp EnergyAquapolis$23.14Uncommon Unit Energy FightingDarknessFairyForbidden Light$22.86Rare Secret Unit Energy GrassFireWaterUltra Prism$19.62Rare Secret Neo Upper EnergyTemporal Forces$18.08ACE SPEC Rare Double Colorless EnergyGuardians Rising$17.17Rare Secret Metal EnergyAquapolis$16.99Rare Boost EnergyUnseen Forces$16.98Uncommon Darkness EnergyExpedition Base Set$16.94Rare Dark Metal EnergyHolon Phantoms$16.01Uncommon Multi EnergyEmerald$15.13Rare Call EnergyMajestic Dawn$14.66Uncommon Unit Energy LightningPsychicMetalUltra Prism$14.54Rare Secret δ Rainbow EnergyPOP Series 5$14.38Uncommon Crystal EnergyAquapolis$13.36Uncommon Metal EnergyUnseen Forces$13.00Rare Rainbow EnergyTeam Rocket$12.90Rare Metal EnergyExpedition Base Set$12.60Rare Boost EnergyAquapolis$12.03Uncommon Recycle EnergyUnified Minds$12.01Rare Secret Double Dragon EnergyRoaring Skies$11.30Uncommon Darkness EnergyNeo Genesis$11.02Rare Darkness EnergyAquapolis$10.83Rare Warp EnergyPower Keepers$10.80Uncommon —40Blend Energy WaterLightningFightingMetalDragons Exalted$10.20Uncommon Holon Energy GLDelta Species$9.48Rare Heal EnergyPOP Series 4$9.47Uncommon Darkness EnergyDelta Species$8.69Rare Warp EnergyUnseen Forces$8.50Uncommon Weakness Guard EnergyUnified Minds$8.28Rare Secret Draw EnergyCosmic Eclipse$8.07Rare Secret Metal EnergyDelta Species$7.55Rare Darkness EnergyCall of Legends$7.37Uncommon Boost EnergyDeoxys$7.34Uncommon Recycle EnergyNeo Genesis$7.21Rare

182 cards on file carry a price; the archive holds the 50 dearest of them in full.

1 of these 50 have no picture on file yet

No imageBlend Energy WaterLightningFightingMetalDragons Exalted#118$10.20Uncommon

These carry a price and every other figure on this page; only the picture is missing, so they are drawn as a stand-in above.

Back to summary

Which Special cards share a name across several printings?

27 of the 50 cards listed above are reprints of just 8 names. Buying by name alone is how people end up with the wrong printing, because these share a name but not a set, a rarity or a price.

Darkness Energy6 printings · 6 sets

Metal Energy5 printings · 5 sets

Rainbow Energy4 printings · 3 sets

Warp Energy3 printings · 3 sets

Boost Energy3 printings · 3 sets

Double Colorless Energy2 printings · 2 sets

Double Rainbow Energy2 printings · 2 sets

Dark Metal Energy2 printings · 2 sets

Back to summary

Are Special Pokémon cards going up in value?

This is the middle price of the whole group on each reading day, so it answers the question for Special cards as a group rather than for one card.

Typical Special card price, September 12, 2025 to August 14, 2026

Each point is the middle price of the 182 priced Special cards on that day, read from this site's own archive. The 13 readings drawn above are also listed as text below.

Typical price of a Special Pokémon card from September 12, 2025 to August 14, 2026 — rose from $2.32 to $2.43
Reading date	Typical price	Where it started
12 Sep 25	2.32
10 Oct 25	2.38
7 Nov 25	2.13
5 Dec 25	2.17
2 Jan 26	2.19
30 Jan 26	2.23
27 Feb 26	2.36
27 Mar 26	2.33
24 Apr 26	2.43
22 May 26	2.55
19 Jun 26	2.45
17 Jul 26	2.4
14 Aug 26	2.43

Typical priceWhere it started · $2.32Now $2.43381 days on file

Special Pokémon cards — price change by window
Window	Typical then	Typical now	Change
Last month	$2.40	$2.43	+1.3%
Last 3 months	$2.55	$2.43	-4.7%
Last 6 months	$2.36	$2.43	+3.0%
Since September 12, 2025	$2.32	$2.43	+4.7%

Each row compares the middle price of the whole group on two days. It is not the change of any single card — a card can fall while the group rises, which is what the movers list below shows.

The typical Special card rose from $2.32 to $2.43 over the 11 months on file — +4.7%. A rising middle means the ordinary card of this group got dearer, not just the headline one at the top of the list.

Back to summary

How Special Pokémon card prices are spread

One group price cannot describe 182 cards. These figures show how far apart they actually sit.

$0.12$71.01$2.43Where the price splits in half — $0.12 to $71.01 laid out on a ten-fold scale

$0.12$71.01$7.94Where the dearer quarter begins — one card in four costs more than this

0%100%9.9%Cards costing more than $20 — 18 of the 182 that carry a price

Each half circle is the whole price range of the 182 priced Special cards, from $0.12 to $71.01, with the tenfold steps evenly spaced. The last one is read differently — it counts cards rather than dollars, and says so in its own label.

All 182 priced Special cards, by price band

Under $128.0%51 cards

$1 to $537.4%68 cards

$5 to $2024.7%45 cards

$20 to $507.7%14 cards

$50 to $1002.2%4 cards

How every Special card with a price falls into price bands — 182 cards counted, not just the ones drawn above. Each track is the whole group, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits outside that band.

The longest bar is where an ordinary Special card actually sits. Bands read the market price of each card on August 14, 2026.

Dearest tenth startsone in ten costs more than this$19.47
Dearer quarter startsone in four costs more than this$7.94
Typical cardhalf cost less, half cost more$2.43
Cheaper quarter endsone in four costs less than this$0.83
Cheapest on filenothing in the group costs less$0.12

The five points that describe every Special card price. Bar length is that price against the highest point on this ladder, and the highlighted row is the typical card.

Special Pokémon cards — two ways of counting the same group
Figure	All priced cards	The 50 listed above
Cards counted	182	50
Cheapest	$0.12	$7.21
Cheaper quarter, up to	$0.83	—
Typical (median)	$2.43	—
Dearer quarter, from	$7.94	—
Dearest tenth, from	$19.47	—
Average	$7.32	—
Dearest	$71.01	$71.01

The two columns are different groups of cards, not two readings of the same one — the right column is the dearest end of the left one. "Typical" is the middle price, which half the cards sit below; "average" is pulled upward by the few very expensive cards, which is why the two differ.

The average price of a Special card is $7.32 while the typical one is $2.43. The gap between those two numbers is the shape of this group: a small number of very expensive cards is dragging the average far above what most cards actually cost.

What three quarters of the 182 priced Special cards cost

One in four Special cards costs $0.83 or less, half cost $2.43 or less, and three in four cost $7.94 or less. Only the top quarter runs past $7.94, and the dearest tenth starts at $19.47.

See the dearest Potion Energy — $71.01

Back to summary

When were Special Pokémon cards printed, and are the old ones worth more?

The run starts in 1999 with 1 cards and reaches 2026 with 10. Age and price are drawn separately below, because the year with the most cards is rarely the year with the dearest ones.

How many Special cards were printed each year

19990.5%1 cards

20003.8%8 cards

20022.4%5 cards

20036.2%13 cards

20042.8%6 cards

20058.1%17 cards

20067.6%16 cards

20076.2%13 cards

20083.3%7 cards

20092.4%5 cards

20102.4%5 cards

20110.9%2 cards

20121.9%4 cards

20131.9%4 cards

20142.8%6 cards

20154.3%9 cards

20162.4%5 cards

20173.8%8 cards

20185.2%11 cards

20193.8%8 cards

20206.6%14 cards

20214.3%9 cards

20222.8%6 cards

20232.8%6 cards

20243.3%7 cards

20252.8%6 cards

20264.7%10 cards

Bar length is that year against the busiest year for Special cards, and the figure beside each year is its share of all 211 of them.

Years are left in printing order rather than sorted by size, because the shape of the run over time is what this chart is for.

How many Special cards were printed each year
Group	Share	Value
1999	0.5%	1 cards
2000	3.8%	8 cards
2002	2.4%	5 cards
2003	6.2%	13 cards
2004	2.8%	6 cards
2005	8.1%	17 cards
2006	7.6%	16 cards
2007	6.2%	13 cards
2008	3.3%	7 cards
2009	2.4%	5 cards
2010	2.4%	5 cards
2011	0.9%	2 cards
2012	1.9%	4 cards
2013	1.9%	4 cards
2014	2.8%	6 cards
2015	4.3%	9 cards
2016	2.4%	5 cards
2017	3.8%	8 cards
2018	5.2%	11 cards
2019	3.8%	8 cards
2020	6.6%	14 cards
2021	4.3%	9 cards
2022	2.8%	6 cards
2023	2.8%	6 cards
2024	3.3%	7 cards
2025	2.8%	6 cards
2026	4.7%	10 cards

20008 cards printed$9.12
20025 cards printed$29.40
200313 cards printed$23.14
20046 cards printed$26.30
200517 cards printed$9.09
200616 cards printed$6.75
200713 cards printed$4.35
20087 cards printed$2.24
20095 cards printed$1.20
20124 cards printed$4.22
20134 cards printed$2.70
20146 cards printed$1.94
20159 cards printed$1.52
20165 cards printed$1.31
20178 cards printed$3.39
201811 cards printed$1.96
20198 cards printed$4.31
202014 cards printed$0.68
20219 cards printed$0.26
20226 cards printed$0.32
20236 cards printed$0.36
20247 cards printed$3.93
20256 cards printed$1.27
202610 cards printed$0.19

The middle price of the Special cards printed in each year, oldest first. Bar length is that year against the dearest year. Years where fewer than three cards carry a price are not drawn.

Are older Special cards worth more?
Year	Cards	Share	Typical price
1999	1	0.5%	—
2000	8	3.8%	$9.12
2002	5	2.4%	$29.40
2003	13	6.2%	$23.14
2004	6	2.8%	$26.30
2005	17	8.1%	$9.09
2006	16	7.6%	$6.75
2007	13	6.2%	$4.35
2008	7	3.3%	$2.24
2009	5	2.4%	$1.20
2010	5	2.4%	—
2011	2	0.9%	—
2012	4	1.9%	$4.22
2013	4	1.9%	$2.70
2014	6	2.8%	$1.94
2015	9	4.3%	$1.52
2016	5	2.4%	$1.31
2017	8	3.8%	$3.39
2018	11	5.2%	$1.96
2019	8	3.8%	$4.31
2020	14	6.6%	$0.68
2021	9	4.3%	$0.26
2022	6	2.8%	$0.32
2023	6	2.8%	$0.36
2024	7	3.3%	$3.93
2025	6	2.8%	$1.27
2026	10	4.7%	$0.19

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that year, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price.

Back to summary

What Special Pokémon cards are made of, and which of them hold the value

The group price says what an ordinary Special card costs. These tables break the group down by rarity, printing and set, each row beside its own typical price, so you can tell a $1 card from a $100 one before you look it up.

Which Special cards are rare, and does rarity show up in the price?

Uncommon64.0%135 cards

Rare21.8%46 cards

Rare Secret8.1%17 cards

Hyper Rare1.9%4 cards

ACE SPEC Rare1.4%3 cards

Rare Holo1.4%3 cards

Rare Prism Star0.9%2 cards

Ultra Rare0.5%1 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which Special cards are rare, and does rarity show up in the price?
Group	Share	Value
Uncommon	64.0%	135 cards
Rare	21.8%	46 cards
Rare Secret	8.1%	17 cards
Hyper Rare	1.9%	4 cards
ACE SPEC Rare	1.4%	3 cards
Rare Holo	1.4%	3 cards
Rare Prism Star	0.9%	2 cards
Ultra Rare	0.5%	1 cards

Which Special cards are rare, and does rarity show up in the price?
Rarity	Cards	Share	Typical price
Uncommon	135	64.0%	$1.61
Rare	46	21.8%	$6.99
Rare Secret	17	8.1%	$7.18
Hyper Rare	4	1.9%	$4.22
ACE SPEC Rare	3	1.4%	$3.93
Rare Holo	3	1.4%	$43.34
Rare Prism Star	2	0.9%	—
Ultra Rare	1	0.5%	—

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Holo, reverse holo or plain — which printing of a Special card is worth more?

Normal64.5%136 cards

Holofoil17.5%37 cards

1st Edition2.8%6 cards

1st Edition Holofoil1.4%3 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Holo, reverse holo or plain — which printing of a Special card is worth more?
Printing	Cards	Share	Typical price
Normal	136	64.5%	$1.96
Holofoil	37	17.5%	$2.95
1st Edition	6	2.8%	$9.12
1st Edition Holofoil	3	1.4%	$43.34

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Which sets hold the Special cards?

Aquapolis2.8%6 cards

Dragon Frontiers2.8%6 cards

Delta Species2.4%5 cards

Holon Phantoms2.4%5 cards

Majestic Dawn2.4%5 cards

Power Keepers2.4%5 cards

Rebel Clash2.4%5 cards

Ultra Prism2.4%5 cards

Unseen Forces2.4%5 cards

Battle Styles1.9%4 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which sets hold the Special cards?
Group	Share	Value
Aquapolis	2.8%	6 cards
Dragon Frontiers	2.8%	6 cards
Delta Species	2.4%	5 cards
Holon Phantoms	2.4%	5 cards
Majestic Dawn	2.4%	5 cards
Power Keepers	2.4%	5 cards
Rebel Clash	2.4%	5 cards
Ultra Prism	2.4%	5 cards
Unseen Forces	2.4%	5 cards
Battle Styles	1.9%	4 cards

Which sets hold the Special cards?
Set	Cards	Share	Typical price
Aquapolis	6	2.8%	$15.18
Dragon Frontiers	6	2.8%	$5.50
Delta Species	5	2.4%	$8.69
Holon Phantoms	5	2.4%	$6.77
Majestic Dawn	5	2.4%	$2.24
Power Keepers	5	2.4%	$5.01
Rebel Clash	5	2.4%	$1.55
Ultra Prism	5	2.4%	$2.65
Unseen Forces	5	2.4%	$13.00
Battle Styles	4	1.9%	$1.34

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Who drew the Special cards?

Takumi Akabane23.2%49 cards

5ban Graphics12.8%27 cards

Milky Isobe9.0%19 cards

Shin-ichi Yoshikawa6.6%14 cards

Kent Kanetsuna3.8%8 cards

Keiji Kinebuchi3.3%7 cards

Hideki Kazama0.5%1 cards

Ryo Ueda0.5%1 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Who drew the Special cards?
Group	Share	Value
Takumi Akabane	23.2%	49 cards
5ban Graphics	12.8%	27 cards
Milky Isobe	9.0%	19 cards
Shin-ichi Yoshikawa	6.6%	14 cards
Kent Kanetsuna	3.8%	8 cards
Keiji Kinebuchi	3.3%	7 cards
Hideki Kazama	0.5%	1 cards
Ryo Ueda	0.5%	1 cards

Who drew the Special cards?
Illustrator	Cards	Share	Typical price
Takumi Akabane	49	23.2%	$5.01
5ban Graphics	27	12.8%	$1.91
Milky Isobe	19	9.0%	$11.81
Shin-ichi Yoshikawa	14	6.6%	$12.03
Kent Kanetsuna	8	3.8%	$2.62
Keiji Kinebuchi	7	3.3%	$2.88
Hideki Kazama	1	0.5%	—
Ryo Ueda	1	0.5%	—

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Which eras of the game do Special cards come from?

EX21.8%46 cards

Sword & Shield13.7%29 cards

Sun & Moon12.8%27 cards

XY9.5%20 cards

Scarlet & Violet8.5%18 cards

Diamond & Pearl5.7%12 cards

E-Card5.2%11 cards

Mega Evolution5.2%11 cards

Black & White3.8%8 cards

HeartGold & SoulSilver3.3%7 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which eras of the game do Special cards come from?
Group	Share	Value
EX	21.8%	46 cards
Sword & Shield	13.7%	29 cards
Sun & Moon	12.8%	27 cards
XY	9.5%	20 cards
Scarlet & Violet	8.5%	18 cards
Diamond & Pearl	5.7%	12 cards
E-Card	5.2%	11 cards
Mega Evolution	5.2%	11 cards
Black & White	3.8%	8 cards
HeartGold & SoulSilver	3.3%	7 cards

Which eras of the game do Special cards come from?
Series	Cards	Share	Typical price
EX	46	21.8%	$8.03
Sword & Shield	29	13.7%	$0.35
Sun & Moon	27	12.8%	$2.05
XY	20	9.5%	$1.68
Scarlet & Violet	18	8.5%	$1.44
Diamond & Pearl	12	5.7%	$2.15
E-Card	11	5.2%	$16.99
Mega Evolution	11	5.2%	$0.19
Black & White	8	3.8%	$2.84
HeartGold & SoulSilver	7	3.3%	—

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Which Special cards are still tournament legal?

D6.6%14 cards

E4.3%9 cards

I3.8%8 cards

J3.8%8 cards

H3.3%7 cards

F2.8%6 cards

G2.8%6 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which Special cards are still tournament legal?
Regulation mark	Cards	Share	Typical price
D	14	6.6%	$0.68
E	9	4.3%	$0.26
I	8	3.8%	$0.98
J	8	3.8%	$0.16
H	7	3.3%	$3.93
F	6	2.8%	$0.32
G	6	2.8%	$0.36

Counted across all 211 Special cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Back to summary

Can you still play Special Pokémon cards, and what do they cost to retreat?

Price is only half of what separates this group from the one next to it. These are the conditions you meet when you actually put a Special card on the table, across all 211 of them.

Standard

32 cards you can play today

32 of the 211 Special cards are legal in Standard, the format most tournaments run. That is 15.2% of the group.

Expanded only

93 more that need the older format

These 93 have rotated out of Standard but are still legal in Expanded, which reaches back much further.

Neither

86 that no current format accepts

86 of the group — 40.8% — are collector cards now rather than deck cards.

Can you still play Special Pokémon cards in a tournament?
Question	Cards	Share of the group
Legal in Standard today	32	15.2%
Legal in Expanded today	125	59.2%
Cards with an Ability	0	0.0%
Cards with a special rule	211	100.0%

Standard and Expanded are the two tournament formats. A card leaves Standard when its set rotates out, so this share moves each year while the card itself does not change.

How much of the group each answer covers, out of 211 cards

Legal in Standard today15.2%32 cards

Legal in Expanded today59.2%125 cards

Cards with an Ability0.0%0 cards

Cards with a special rule100.0%211 cards

Each track is the whole of the 211 Special cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share the answer does not cover.

The rows are not slices of one whole — a card can be legal in Standard and carry an Ability at the same time, so the bars are read one at a time against the group.

How much of the group each answer covers, out of 211 cards
Group	Share	Value
Legal in Standard today	15.2%	32 cards
Legal in Expanded today	59.2%	125 cards
Cards with an Ability	0.0%	0 cards
Cards with a special rule	100.0%	211 cards

Back to summary

Which Special Pokémon cards moved most this year

The group moved +4.7%. These are the Special cards inside it that moved furthest in each direction over the same window.

Change between August 14, 2025 and August 14, 2026, for the 113 Special cards that carried a price on both days. Bar length is the size of the move, not its direction.

113 Special cards tracked across the yearSee the group line

A group line and a card line are not the same thing. The Special group rose over this window, yet the cards above ran from -64.3% to +332.3% — which is why a figure taken from the group tells you what to expect, and only the card page tells you what happened.

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The cheapest Special Pokémon cards you can buy

A group price hides its own floor. These are the 6 least expensive Special cards carrying a price, which is what the group costs to start rather than what its best card costs.

Read from the same daily price archive as the rest of this page. A low price usually means the card is common rather than that it is a bargain.

The same 6 cards with their set and number

Magnetic Metal EnergyChaos Rising#85$0.12Rare Shadowy Darkness EnergyPitch Black#83$0.13Rare Nitro Fire EnergyChaos Rising#86$0.14Rare Voltaic Lightning EnergyPitch Black#84$0.15Rare Treasure EnergyEvolving Skies#165$0.16Uncommon Growing Grass EnergyPerfect Order#86$0.18Rare

Set and number are what you match against a listing; two cards with the same name are different cards if either of those differs.

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How Special compares with the other mechanics

Every mechanic in this list is ranked by its typical price. The bar is that price against the dearest group, and the highlighted row is where Special sits.

Star 29 cardsNo. 1 · $26.56 to $3,216.67$1,010.00
14 more mechanics between
Tera 146 cardsNo. 16 · $0.52 to $1,499.24$3.30
Special 211 cardsNo. 17 · $0.12 to $71.01$2.43
V 601 cardsNo. 18 · $0.54 to $824.39$2.40
9 more mechanics between
Pokémon Tool 336 cardsNo. 28 · $0.06 to $39.66$0.55

Bar length is the typical price against Star, the dearest mechanic at $1,010.00. The row without a link is this group.

28 mechanics in totalSee them all

Special is No. 17 of 28 mechanics by typical price, with 11 of them cheaper and 16 dearer. Rank is not the same as scarcity: a group can rank high because a handful of its cards are chased, while most of it stays affordable — the price ladder above shows which of those two is happening here.

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How the mechanics compare on HP, damage and how hard they hit for their size

Price is one ladder, and the numbers printed on the cards are another. These are the 21 mechanics side by side, each on its own averages, with Special among them.

Mechanics compared on what their cards actually print
Card mechanic	Cards	Average HP	Average biggest attack	Damage per HP	Most common stage
Team Plasma	113	124	66	0.53	Basic
EX	438	179	99	0.55	Basic
V	601	208	126	0.61	Basic
VMAX	209	320	143	0.45	Eternamax
ex	942	243	144	0.59	Basic
Star	29	80	50	0.63	Basic
SP	105	90	47	0.52	Basic
Prime	31	120	69	0.58	Stage 1
MEGA	207	278	154	0.55	Stage 2
GX	601	214	133	0.62	Basic
Tera	146	260	170	0.65	Basic
VSTAR	94	271	167	0.62	—
TAG TEAM	130	266	161	0.61	Basic
Ultra Beast	105	169	119	0.70	Basic
Prism Star	27	126	75	0.60	Basic
Future	70	183	152	0.83	Basic
Ancient	73	179	127	0.71	Basic
Fusion Strike	53	146	96	0.66	Basic
Single Strike	147	182	121	0.66	Basic
Rapid Strike	158	173	70	0.40	Basic
V-UNION	24	307	232	0.76	—

Damage per HP is that group's average biggest attack divided by its average HP: a larger number means the group hits harder for the size it prints. Both averages are counted only across the cards that carry the number at all, and Trainer and Energy cards carry neither. Only groups large enough to have their own page are listed.

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The dearest and the cheapest Special Pokémon card, side by side

Both of these are Special cards, and one costs 592 times what the other does. That gap is why a single group price is a starting point and not a valuation of any one card.

Dearest in the groupPotion EnergyLegendary Collection 101$71.01

592× apartBoth are Special cards
$0.12 VS $71.01

Cheapest in the groupMagnetic Metal EnergyChaos Rising 85$0.12

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The other mechanics, and what each one is made of

The price ladder above ranks these same groups by what they cost. This one shows how big each of them is and what a card from it actually looks like, which is the part a ladder cannot carry.

Lucky Stadium — Wizards Black Star Promos 41

Stadium265 cardsFor example: Lucky StadiumTypical card $1.25Item856 cards · 51 HP on average · 300 damageFor example: Tropical Tidal WaveTypical card $0.81

Lillie — Ultra Prism 151

Supporter1,166 cardsFor example: LillieTypical card $1.97

Lugia-EX — Plasma Storm 134

Team Plasma113 cards · 124 HP on average · 66 damageFor example: Lugia-EXTypical card $7.76

M Rayquaza-EX — Ancient Origins 98

EX438 cards · 179 HP on average · 99 damageFor example: M Rayquaza-EXTypical card $25.03

Rocky Helmet — Boundaries Crossed 153

Pokémon Tool336 cards · 175 damageFor example: Rocky HelmetTypical card $0.55

Hero's Cape — Temporal Forces 152

ACE SPEC46 cards · 200 damageFor example: Hero's CapeTypical card $0.82

Giratina V — Lost Origin 186

V601 cards · 208 HP on average · 126 damageFor example: Giratina VTypical card $2.40

Umbreon VMAX — Evolving Skies 215

VMAX209 cards · 320 HP on average · 143 damageFor example: Umbreon VMAXTypical card $8.23

Umbreon ex — Prismatic Evolutions 161

ex942 cards · 243 HP on average · 144 damageFor example: Umbreon exTypical card $3.61

Pikachu ★ — Holon Phantoms 104

Star29 cards · 80 HP on average · 50 damageFor example: Pikachu ★Typical card $1,010.00

Rayquaza C LV.X — DP Black Star Promos DP47

SP105 cards · 90 HP on average · 47 damageFor example: Rayquaza C LV.XTypical card $12.47

Umbreon — HS—Undaunted 86

Prime31 cards · 120 HP on average · 69 damageFor example: UmbreonTypical card $72.61

Mega Gengar ex — Ascended Heroes 284

MEGA207 cards · 278 HP on average · 154 damageFor example: Mega Gengar exTypical card $21.41

Latias & Latios-GX — Team Up 170

GX601 cards · 214 HP on average · 133 damageFor example: Latias & Latios-GXTypical card $20.14

Miracle Sphere β — Skyridge 130

Technical Machine25 cards · 20 damageFor example: Miracle Sphere βTypical card $5.21

Umbreon ex — Prismatic Evolutions 161

Tera146 cards · 260 HP on average · 170 damageFor example: Umbreon exTypical card $3.30

Giratina VSTAR — Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery GG69

VSTAR94 cards · 271 HP on average · 167 damageFor example: Giratina VSTARTypical card $8.00

Latias & Latios-GX — Team Up 170

TAG TEAM130 cards · 266 HP on average · 161 damageFor example: Latias & Latios-GXTypical card $89.66

Ultra Necrozma-GX — Dragon Majesty 78

Ultra Beast105 cards · 169 HP on average · 119 damageFor example: Ultra Necrozma-GXTypical card $9.32

Giratina ◇ — Ultra Prism 58

Prism Star27 cards · 126 HP on average · 75 damageFor example: Giratina ◇Typical card $5.41

Iron Crown ex — Temporal Forces 206

Future70 cards · 183 HP on average · 152 damageFor example: Iron Crown exTypical card $0.73

Roaring Moon ex — Prismatic Evolutions 162

Ancient73 cards · 179 HP on average · 127 damageFor example: Roaring Moon exTypical card $0.88

Mew VMAX — Fusion Strike 269

Fusion Strike53 cards · 146 HP on average · 96 damageFor example: Mew VMAXTypical card $0.80

Umbreon VMAX — Evolving Skies 215

Single Strike147 cards · 182 HP on average · 121 damageFor example: Umbreon VMAXTypical card $0.79

Rayquaza VMAX — Evolving Skies 218

Rapid Strike158 cards · 173 HP on average · 70 damageFor example: Rayquaza VMAXTypical card $0.90

Mewtwo V-UNION — SWSH Black Star Promos SWSH160

V-UNION24 cards · 307 HP on average · 232 damageFor example: Mewtwo V-UNIONTypical card $6.20

Bar length is that group's size against the largest of them, which is 1,166 cards. The card shown on each panel is the dearest one in that group, not a typical one.

Every group listed here is large enough to have a page of its own; smaller ones stay as rows on the page above.

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The 4 things that tell Special cards apart

Each panel already carries the answer its section arrives at, so you can read the whole of Special here and open only the part you came for.

Are they going up in value?+4.7%$2.32 to $2.43See the trend What are they made of?UncommonUncommon135Rare46Rare Secret17Hyper Rare464.0% of the groupSee the breakdown Can you still play them?15.2%32 of 211 are legal in StandardSee both formats What is the cheapest one?$0.12Magnetic Metal Energy — Chaos RisingSee the cheapest six

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The numbers every figure on this page is read from

These are the readings for Special that the rest of the page works from. Each of the lines on the right opens the section that shows how it was arrived at.

Cards on file

211cards

182 of them carry a price

Typical price

$2.43

The middle price of the priced cards

Cheapest on file

$0.12

One card, not the group

Dearest on file

$71.01

One card, not the group

Where the middle half sits$0.83 to $7.94Top tenth starts at$19.47

Where Special sits, at a glance

Tournament legal15.2%15.2%32 of 211 cards are legal in Standard today Price rank17of 28 mechanicsTypical card $2.43; the dearest group is $1,010.00Where it sits on the ladder41% cheaper below it11 of the 27 mechanics cost less than this one Most common rarityUncommon135 of the 211 cards on file

Each panel is a different way of cutting the same cards; the section it links to shows the full count.

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Special Pokémon cards — frequently asked questions

How many Special Pokémon cards are there?

There are 211 Special cards in this archive, and 182 of them carry a price. A mechanic is the special kind a card is printed as — V, VMAX and ex among Pokémon, Item, Supporter and Stadium among Trainers — recorded with each card in the card files this site reads. Evolution stages are counted on their own, and a plain card carries no mechanic at all, so this axis covers only the part of the archive that has one.

How much is a Special Pokémon card worth?

The typical one costs $2.43. Across the 182 priced cards the range runs from $0.12 to $71.01, so the group price is a starting point rather than a valuation of any one card.

What is the most expensive Special Pokémon card?

Potion Energy 101 from Legendary Collection, at $71.01. It is 29× the typical price of the group.

Are Special Pokémon cards rare?

By price they rank No. 17 of 28 mechanics, with 11 cheaper than this one. By size the group holds 211 of the 20,444 English cards on file, or 1.0%. Those two together are what "rare" usually means in practice — few of them, and dear because of it.

Do all Special Pokémon cards have a price?

No. 182 of the 211 carry a price on file. The rest have never been listed at a price this archive could read, so they are counted in the card total but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

Where can I see every Special Pokémon card?

The list on this page holds the 50 most expensive of them, dearest first, and each card opens its own price page. The remaining 161 carry no published price, which is why they are not drawn.

How often are Special Pokémon card prices updated?

Prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings. The figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026. Which cards belong to this group comes from openly published card files and changes only when a new set is added.

Are Special Pokémon cards going up in value?

Over the last 11 months the typical Special card rose from $2.32 to $2.43, a change of +4.7%. That is the middle of the whole group, so it describes an ordinary card of this kind rather than the headline one at the top.

How much does a cheap Special Pokémon card cost?

One in four Special cards costs $0.83 or less and the cheapest on file is $0.12. Three in four cost $7.94 or less, so the cards past that point are the exception rather than the rule for this group.

Which Special Pokémon cards are worth the most?

Sorted by rarity, Rare Holo is the dearest kind of Special card: 3 of them are on file and the middle one costs $43.34. The table on this page lists every rarity in the group beside its own typical price.

Are Special Pokémon cards legal in tournaments?

32 of the 211 Special cards are legal in Standard today and 125 in Expanded — 15.2% and 59.2% of the group. A card leaves Standard when its set rotates out, so this share moves each year even though the cards do not change.

Are old Special Pokémon cards worth more than new ones?

Not simply by age. Among Special cards the 2000 printings sit at a typical $9.12 and the 2026 ones at $0.19, while the dearest year of all is 2002 at $29.40. Print run and demand decide it, not the date on its own.

Which Special Pokémon card rose the most this year?

Multi Energy 89 from Emerald, which went from $3.50 to $15.13 — a change of +332.3% between August 14, 2025 and August 14, 2026. It is one of 113 Special cards that carried a price on both days.

Which sets have Special Pokémon cards?

Special cards appear across 10 sets on file. The largest are Aquapolis (6 cards, typically $15.18), Dragon Frontiers (6 cards, typically $5.50), Delta Species (5 cards, typically $8.69). The full list on this page gives every set beside its card count and typical price.

How these Special figures are collected, and where you can check them

Every figure on this page is counted from the 211 Special cards this site holds on file — 182 of them with a price read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Nothing here is estimated: a card with no price is left out of the price columns rather than filled in. The places below are where the same card information can be checked.

Primary official source

First-party official sources — the body that issues the data itself, such as a government agency, a statutory register or a rights holder publishing its own records.

1

The Pokémon Company International — official tournament format and rotation announcements www.pokemon.com

Industry source

Second-party sources — marketplaces, trade associations, research institutes and companies that compile data about the market.

1

Pokémon TCG Data — openly published card files (card text, rarity, types, regulation mark, illustrator credits) github.com

2

TCGdex card database — openly licensed card files (set listings and printed names) github.com

Before you rely on these figures

Note: Prices on this page are asking and market prices for ungraded English Special cards, taken from a daily snapshot of public marketplace listings read on August 14, 2026. They are not offers, they exclude shipping, duty and marketplace fees, and they move. Counts cover only the English cards this site holds on file. Graded prices, population counts, sealed product values and pack odds are not published on this site because no free commercial source provides them.

Last updated: 2026-08-14