Misprint Pokémon Cards: How Much Do They Cost?

July 29, 2022 · Your Playmat
pikachu misprint card

Pokémon lovers can sometimes come across misprinted cards. Common mistakes include cards with an incorrect picture of Pokémon, the wrong word, or a misprint of a word. And when players get such cards in their hands, they may think that these Pokémon cards are worth something. Is it so?

In short - yes, these Pokémon collectibles cost money, but not every one of them can bring the owner a few hundred bucks. This is because many errors and examples of manufacturing defects have recently begun to appear in the production of Pokémon cards. Therefore, the cost of Pokémon card misprints can range from cents to hundreds of dollars for several reasons:

  • Degree of error;
  • Year of the release of the item with the error;
  • The Pokémon shown on the card with a typo and its rating.

Read on to find out all the details about rare cards with mistakes and Pokémon card values.

Are Pokémon Card Misprints Worth Anything?

In general, such collectibles can cost money. However, it does not happen so often, and it all depends on the type of error on the playing card. In fact, during the release of cards, the manufacturer often makes mistakes and many Pokémon card misprints are released to official stores.

However, if the collectible has a unique error, such as a picture of one Pokémon under the name of another, you have found something rare. You can read about this Pokémon card's value, and theoretically, make some money from it.

However, unfortunately, the market for such cards is not very popular, and you may find it difficult both to buy such rare copies and sell Pokémon card with misprints.

How Much Are Pokémon Cards With Typos Worth?

pokemon pikachu error card

The main reason that Pokémon cards with misprints can be so cheap is that each card is carefully checked by several people before the card can go to the store shelves.

For this reason, almost all of the buggy cards you can find in stores will be fake, which means that many collectors will avoid such cards. Such Pokémon cards are not worth the effort and money spent since it is not entirely clear when the collectible has a real error and when the card was simply faked.

In addition, even if such a card has a real mistake from the original manufacturer, an error will not be unique to a particular card. It applies to this card in this edition, which means there will be thousands of them and, as a result, that Pokémon card is worth almost nothing. And even if it concerns exceptionally rare ones, Pokémon cards’  numbers will still be too large for their value to be determined by anything. In fact, you won't have a unique collectible. You’ll just get a regular card like everyone else who bought a set of this edition.

Rarer card sets may also be sold. They can also have a typo, but the Pokémon card's value in the secondary market will be slightly different from the usual ones. However, it is worth taking into account the fact that these cards will still not be unique, and you will not earn much money on them.

As we just said, not many people hunt for miscut Pokémon cards. It means that the market can change quite quickly. You can get $100 for a typo one day, and a few days later, it can be sold for a couple of dollars because the Pokémon card's value changed. It happens because the market is unstable.

To find out the price as close to reality as possible, you can find a good site and put it up for auction. The price at which your miscut Pokémon card is sold will be the one that corresponds to the market at the moment.

It's worth noting that you can get a higher price for your error Pokémon card if it comes from one of the earlier sets. It’s because these typos will be much rarer. As we mentioned at the beginning, typos are much more common these days. This means that recent typographical errors may not sell at full price.

What Pokémon Collectibles With Errors Can Bring A Lot Of Money?

3 pikachu cards in hand

Currently, there are several theories regarding the cost of different cards with typos. So, it’s said that there is a Mewtwo card that was handed out to the audience of the first film about the popular characters. However, there is a theory that some of these cards were printed incorrectly and the promo logo was moved to the lower-left corner of the card.

Such miscut Pokémon cards can be worth hundreds of dollars if they are in good condition. It is not known for certain how many of these copies still exist since those who watched the film were probably children and did not collect mascot cards.

Other valuable cards are items with the inscription "For Position Only," which is located directly on the picture with the character. These cards are more likely not examples of cards with errors since the inscription on them was made so that they were not released for sale and were intended only for printers. However, about a hundred of these collectibles are in the hands of various collectors, and you can catch such Pokémon for several thousand dollars per card.

Answering the question of “How much are Pokémon worth and how to differentiate them?” you can consider the following common feature of rare cards:

  • Incorrectly cut card. Sometimes it happens when the human factor affects the final product. Because of this, when splitting large card sheets, they move slightly to the side, and their borders can be unevenly cut. Such cards can bring some money to buy a normal card;
  • Empty cards. Such instances when a collectible has a completely blank front side , and in some cases retains the shiny effect intended for the holographic effect on the card;
  • Mix of MTG and  Pokémon in one card. Due to the fact that Pokémon and MTG are designed and printed by the same company, users could find cards that are a mix of MTG and Pokémon on different sides. It is known that these cards were printed as test ones, and only 4 of them were fully licensed;
  • Errors in hologram printing. Such cards usually have a displaced hologram on the front of the card with mascots, or the hologram flows to the area where it should not be. Such items are more valuable than others, and how rare the character depicted on the card is plays a key role in determining the price;
  • You can also sometimes find collectibles that have a longer copyright term at the bottom. So, you can sometimes find item with a copyright expiration date up to the year 23000. As a result, mistakes in cards with favorite characters can not only be useful in terms of making money, but can also create funny situations.

Most Pokémon card misprints won't actually be worth much. Typos are much more common than you might think.

It is impossible to predict the amount of money a misspelled card will sell for, mainly because the market is unpredictable.

The only card that is truly guaranteed to sell for a decent amount is the Mewtwo typo from the original movie about funny characters.

But remember that if you found the precious collectible, your next step is to save it. You can use sleeves. We offer fully customizable solutions and provide products in quantity from 60 up to 120 pieces. If you have questions or you have a unique situation, you can always contact the company’s manager and get all help and necessary information concerning your card protection, mouse pads, and board game mats.

FAQ

What Is A Misprint Pokémon Card?

This is a card that has one or more errors made by the manufacturer. These may include spelling errors, an incorrect picture, or an uneven surface.

Which Pokémon Cards Have Misprints?

A genuine error card is only considered unique when it has been proven to be an original product. A buggy card can be any item issued by the original company.

Why Are Misprint Pokémon Cards So Valuable?

Their value is defined by the fact that they are extremely rare and make the card even more unique, especially when it comes to a rare Pokémon card.

How Can I Find Out The Real Price Of My Pokémon Card?

To do this, you can search for information on the Internet, read forums, or try to put your card up for auction or look at similar deals.