Pokémon TCG: 10 most valuable Gengar cards
As the first fully evolved Ghost-type Pokémon in the franchise’s history, Gengar introduced the world to the merits of the spookiest type in the game. Seeing as you had to trade your Haunter to evolve it, Gengar wa a rare commodity in the mainline games. That scarcity bled over into the Pokémon TCG; Gengar cards have long been chases and grails for fans and collectors, with notable PokéTuber Deep Pocket Monster even doing a video series focused on obtaining all English-language Gengar cards ever created. But what Gengar cards are the most valuable? With cards ranging from the third Pokémon TCG set ever (Fossil) to a terrific Sword and Shield era set (Fusion Strike), Gengar has remained a big name among collectors and fans of the TCG. Let’s take a look, but don’t let your dreams get eaten. Note: All prices are via TCGPlayer and PriceCharting and may fluctuate over time. 10. Reverse Holofoil Gengar – Skyridge Market Price: $189.95 Image via Wizards of the Coast The list kicks off with the first (but not the last) Gengar card from Skyridge, the final set of the eReader era of the TCG. These sets – and Skyridge in particular – featured extremely limited print runs, making them among the rarest and most valuable sets in the game’s history. As such, any notable holos and reverse holos from the set are mega chase cards, with this reverse holo Gengar certainly fitting that bill. While this reverse holo doesn’t reach the heights of its standard holo sibling, you can see the interesting, expressionistic artwork of Kyoko Umemoto better on this version, making it a better option for card art fans out there. 9. Holofoil Gengar (First Edition) – Fossil Market Price: $228.20 Image via Wizards of the Coast The first Gengar card ever released, this 3D, computer-generated-artwork-festooned Gengar card introduced the first-ever Ghost-type to the TCG – and what an introduction it was. With an intriguing twist on Base Set Alakazam’s Pokémon Power: Damage Swap, which allowed you to move damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon, this Gengar card was a tricky blighter. While its value is far from the upper reaches of other cards on this list, there’s something to be said about the “OG” (original Gengar) card on this list, especially in its far rarer first edition printing. 8. Reverse Holofoil Gengar (Fireworks) – Legendary Collection Market Price: $248.85 Image via Wizards of the Coast One of the top five most valuable Legendary Collection cards of all time is the reverse holofoil (fireworks) Gengar, which features the same art as Fossil Gengar coupled with the eye-catching and set-exclusive fireworks foiling finish. Legendary Collection remains an iconic set from the TCG’s past, with fireworks reverse holo cards and the interesting Box Topper cards boasting sky-high values on the secondary market well over 20 years after the set came out. 7. Holofoil Sabrina’s Gengar (First Edition) – Gym Heroes Market Price: $274.98 Image via Wizards of the Coast “Trainer’s Pokémon” have been a notable element of a few sets throughout the TCG’s history, but they made their debut in Gym Heroes – which is where this Sabrina-controlled Gengar hails from. Featuring minimalistic artwork from Gengar’s original designer Ken Sugimori, this first edition Sabrina’s Gengar is among the top chase cards from the first set with Trainer’s Pokémon. Gengar was among the first Pokémon ever designed by Sugimori, and its genesis even predates the name Pokémon – Sugimori created Gengar back when the game was still slated to be called “Capsule Monsters.” A notable card with a notably high price tag to match it. 6. Holofoil Gengar ex – Fire Red & Leaf Green Market Price: $376.86 Image via The Pokémon Company The only “mid-era” card on this list boasts striking Mitsuhiro Arita artwork (showing the legendary Pokémon TCG illustrator experimenting with a more computer-generated style) as well as the beautiful foiling method of super rares from this era in which the foil pattern extends all the way to the silver borders of the card itself – making for a gorgeous piece of 20-year-old cardboard. This Gengar card was also a terror on the battlefield, as it damaged your foe for the amount of Trainer cards in their hand, as well as if they were ahead in the prize race. Combine that power with scarcity and a terrific card layout and design, and you’ve got a near-$400 card on your hands. 5. Holofoil Gengar – Skyridge Market Price: $408.01 Image via Wizards of the Coast The final appearance of Skyridge Gengar on this list is the regular holo version, which clocks in at a price point just over $400. As previously evinced, Skyridge only received a single, solitary printing back in 2003 and it represented the changeover for the rights to the TCG from Wizards of the Coast to the Pokémon Company – which has retained them ever since. Due to the single print run as well as the unusual – and frankly brilliant – card des
As the first fully evolved Ghost-type Pokémon in the franchise’s history, Gengar introduced the world to the merits of the spookiest type in the game. Seeing as you had to trade your Haunter to evolve it, Gengar wa a rare commodity in the mainline games.
That scarcity bled over into the Pokémon TCG; Gengar cards have long been chases and grails for fans and collectors, with notable PokéTuber Deep Pocket Monster even doing a video series focused on obtaining all English-language Gengar cards ever created.
But what Gengar cards are the most valuable? With cards ranging from the third Pokémon TCG set ever (Fossil) to a terrific Sword and Shield era set (Fusion Strike), Gengar has remained a big name among collectors and fans of the TCG. Let’s take a look, but don’t let your dreams get eaten.
Note: All prices are via TCGPlayer and PriceCharting and may fluctuate over time.
10. Reverse Holofoil Gengar – Skyridge
Market Price: $189.95
The list kicks off with the first (but not the last) Gengar card from Skyridge, the final set of the eReader era of the TCG. These sets – and Skyridge in particular – featured extremely limited print runs, making them among the rarest and most valuable sets in the game’s history.
As such, any notable holos and reverse holos from the set are mega chase cards, with this reverse holo Gengar certainly fitting that bill. While this reverse holo doesn’t reach the heights of its standard holo sibling, you can see the interesting, expressionistic artwork of Kyoko Umemoto better on this version, making it a better option for card art fans out there.
9. Holofoil Gengar (First Edition) – Fossil
Market Price: $228.20
The first Gengar card ever released, this 3D, computer-generated-artwork-festooned Gengar card introduced the first-ever Ghost-type to the TCG – and what an introduction it was. With an intriguing twist on Base Set Alakazam’s Pokémon Power: Damage Swap, which allowed you to move damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon, this Gengar card was a tricky blighter.
While its value is far from the upper reaches of other cards on this list, there’s something to be said about the “OG” (original Gengar) card on this list, especially in its far rarer first edition printing.
8. Reverse Holofoil Gengar (Fireworks) – Legendary Collection
Market Price: $248.85
One of the top five most valuable Legendary Collection cards of all time is the reverse holofoil (fireworks) Gengar, which features the same art as Fossil Gengar coupled with the eye-catching and set-exclusive fireworks foiling finish.
Legendary Collection remains an iconic set from the TCG’s past, with fireworks reverse holo cards and the interesting Box Topper cards boasting sky-high values on the secondary market well over 20 years after the set came out.
7. Holofoil Sabrina’s Gengar (First Edition) – Gym Heroes
Market Price: $274.98
“Trainer’s Pokémon” have been a notable element of a few sets throughout the TCG’s history, but they made their debut in Gym Heroes – which is where this Sabrina-controlled Gengar hails from. Featuring minimalistic artwork from Gengar’s original designer Ken Sugimori, this first edition Sabrina’s Gengar is among the top chase cards from the first set with Trainer’s Pokémon.
Gengar was among the first Pokémon ever designed by Sugimori, and its genesis even predates the name Pokémon – Sugimori created Gengar back when the game was still slated to be called “Capsule Monsters.” A notable card with a notably high price tag to match it.
6. Holofoil Gengar ex – Fire Red & Leaf Green
Market Price: $376.86
The only “mid-era” card on this list boasts striking Mitsuhiro Arita artwork (showing the legendary Pokémon TCG illustrator experimenting with a more computer-generated style) as well as the beautiful foiling method of super rares from this era in which the foil pattern extends all the way to the silver borders of the card itself – making for a gorgeous piece of 20-year-old cardboard.
This Gengar card was also a terror on the battlefield, as it damaged your foe for the amount of Trainer cards in their hand, as well as if they were ahead in the prize race. Combine that power with scarcity and a terrific card layout and design, and you’ve got a near-$400 card on your hands.
5. Holofoil Gengar – Skyridge
Market Price: $408.01
The final appearance of Skyridge Gengar on this list is the regular holo version, which clocks in at a price point just over $400. As previously evinced, Skyridge only received a single, solitary printing back in 2003 and it represented the changeover for the rights to the TCG from Wizards of the Coast to the Pokémon Company – which has retained them ever since.
Due to the single print run as well as the unusual – and frankly brilliant – card designs found in this set, any holographic rare from this set is worth an absolute fortune, such as the “Crystal Type” Charizard, which also happens to be one of the most valuable Colorless cards of all time. This Gengar certainly fits into that category, making it one of the top chase cards for Gengar fans.
4. Holofoil Gengar VMAX – Prize Pack Series
Market Price: $463.53
Perhaps the rarest card on this list – at least in terms of the “set” it came from – is this special Gengar VMAX from the Play! Pokémon Prize Pack Series Two, which was released in booster packs of six cards for Pokémon Organized Play events. The cards selected were reprints from sets ranging from Battle Styles to Brilliant Stars, but they featured a special Play! Pokémon logo.
Seeing as Gengar VMAX features a special design of a massive Gengar with a huge, gaping maw, cards featuring its likeness will always be hot commodities. This limited-release prize pack Gengar certainly slots into that category.
3. Holofoil Gengar & Mimikyu GX (Alternate Full Art) – Team Up
Market Price: $582.03
“Tag Team” cards were featured in a number of Sun & Moon-era TCG sets, and those cards have skyrocketed in popularity (and price) since their release across sets like Team Up, Unbroken Bonds, Unified Minds, and Cosmic Eclipse.
For those cards, Gengar was paired up with new fan favorite Fairy/Ghost-type ‘mon Mimikyu, and that pairing received an impressive four different printings in the Team Up expansion – all worth more than $120 apiece. The most valuable of the four, however, is the Alternate Full Art version with dreamy, unsettling artwork by Midori Harada that delivers an astounding price of $582.
2. Holofoil Gengar VMAX (Alternate Art Secret) – Fusion Strike
Market Price: $670.16
The most recently released card on this list also happens to be one of the top Gengar chase cards of all time – the Alternate Full Art Gengar from Fusion Strike. Featuring stunning artwork from notable Pokémon TCG illustrator sowsow of a gargantuan Gengar sucking up all organic matter near it – including a Berry tree – this card is among the top modern-era TCG grails for collectors and fans.
You can usually tell when a Pokémon TCG card will be a heavy hitter, value-wise. Cards featuring some of the most popular ‘mon ever and cards with amazing full-card artworks usually command high price tags, and if you nab a card that boasts both of those traits – such as this Gengar VMAX – you’re looking at a top-dollar card (this Gengar in a PSA 10 is worth $1,300).
1. Holofoil Dark Gengar (First Edition) – Neo Destiny
Market Price: $693.63
The most valuable Gengar card of all time, somewhat surprisingly, is the holographic Dark Gengar from the final Neo series TCG set, Neo Destiny. While “dark” versions of cards were first introduced in the Team Rocket expansion, Neo Destiny took it one step further with “light” versions, as well as the expansion of “shining” cards.
Gengar did not receive a “dark” treatment in Team Rocket, so the first and only Dark Gengar card hails from Neo Destiny. The novelty factor alone lends this card a tremendous amount of value, and when combined with perhaps the finest artwork to ever grace a Gengar card (by Aya Kusube) of a devious-looking Gengar looking menacingly through angry, slitted eyes, you’ve got a Gengar card worth nearly $700 on the secondary market. Being a first edition card also adds to its value.
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