Koffing Tops Top 5 TCG Card Sales at $180,000

Pokémon Sweeps the Week’s Top TCG Sales

Pokémon took over the top five TCG card sales for the week of Aug. 16-23, according to Card Ladder sales data, with every card in the group coming from the same Fanatics Weekly Auction. The list featured a rare Pokémon SNAP Koffing at the top, a six-figure Tropical Mega Battle Trainer card in second, two copies of the same Treecko Gold Star, and a Japanese Fan Club Eevee closing out the countdown.

After Pikachu led the biggest TCG sales the previous week, Pokémon again dominated the high-end market, though this time the spotlight shifted away from the usual heavy hitters. Neither Pikachu nor Charizard appeared among the week’s five biggest sales.

No. 5 - 2000 Pokémon Japanese Promo 500 Pt. Fan Club Holo Eevee #133 PSA 10

Eevee opened the list with a sale of $90,000. The Japanese promo was available to members of the Pokémon Fan Club who earned 500 points, which made it difficult to obtain even at the time of release.

Cards tied to special distribution programs and membership rewards have long been among the most coveted Pokémon issues, and this Eevee is another example of how non-pack cards can command major prices when high-grade copies surface.

No. 4 - 2004 Pokémon EX Team Rocket Returns Holo Treecko Gold Star #109 PSA 10

The first of two PSA 10 Treecko Gold Star cards to crack the week’s top five sold for $114,000. The card comes from 2004’s EX Team Rocket Returns, a set that introduced Treecko as one of the early Gold Star Pokémon.

Gold Star cards have become increasingly popular with collectors chasing some of the most recognizable high-end Pokémon inserts from the era. In strong condition, they continue to draw major attention in the auction market.

No. 3 - 2004 Pokémon EX Team Rocket Returns Holo Treecko Gold Star #109 PSA 10

A second PSA 10 copy of the same Treecko Gold Star sold in the same Fanatics auction for $132,000, giving the card two six-figure results in one week. Together, the two sales totaled $246,000.

The result also highlights how quickly the market for this card has changed. A PSA 10 Treecko Gold Star sold through Fanatics Collect for $7,000 in January 2025, making the latest auction prices a dramatic jump in value.

No. 2 - 2000 Pokémon Japanese Promo Tropical Mega Battle Chubu No. 1 Trainer PSA 9

One of the rarest cards in the week came within $12,000 of the top spot. The Chubu No. 1 Trainer sold for $168,000 in PSA 9 condition and was awarded to a regional winner during Japan’s World Challenge Summer 2000 tournaments.

According to the source, the PSA 9 example is the only one currently graded by PSA, and none have been graded higher. That scarcity helped push the card into the upper tier of the week’s sales list.

No. 1 - 1999 Pokémon Japanese 64 Mario Stadium Best Photo SNAP Contest Koffing #109 BGS 9

The week’s biggest sale belonged to a 1999 Pokémon Japanese 64 Mario Stadium Best Photo SNAP Contest Koffing, which brought $180,000 in BGS 9 condition. The card traces back to a contest tied to the Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Snap, where players submitted in-game photos and the winning images were turned into actual Pokémon cards.

Only 15 copies of each winning card were awarded, making these SNAP promos some of the rarest cards in the hobby. That limited distribution continues to fuel strong demand whenever a high-grade example reaches the market.

Why This Week Stood Out

Pokémon not only filled every spot in the top five, but also produced nearly $700,000 in sales across those cards alone. The mix of results showed the range of the modern high-end Pokémon market, from Japanese promos and contest prizes to early Gold Stars and rare SNAP cards.

• The top five sales all came from the same Fanatics Weekly Auction.
• Neither Pikachu nor Charizard appeared in the week’s biggest sales.
• Two PSA 10 Treecko Gold Stars combined for $246,000.
• The top two cards, Koffing and Chubu No. 1 Trainer, both cleared six figures.

With rare promos, contest cards, and Gold Stars all drawing major bids, the week reinforced how broad the demand remains for high-end Pokémon cards when strong examples reach the auction block.