The Rarest TCG Cards Ever (2024)

Trading card games, or TCGs, have been around for decades and have amassed a huge following of players and collectors. These games have produced countless cards, some of which have become incredibly rare and sought after by collectors worldwide. Some of these cards are so scarce that some have fetched prices in the thousands — or even millions — of dollars.

The rarest TCG cards, shockingly, only have one copy. While not all of these are as elusive, the reasons for their exclusivity vary. Some cards often have unique and powerful abilities that make them highly coveted by players, while their rarity or history makes them highly prized by collectors. Some are made rarer just because they feature a popular character or notable art.

Updated on September 2, 2024, by Antonio Samson: There have always been rare cards in every TCG that collectors have dreamed of getting. Whether or not the cards were made to be rare in sets or made for certain events, any collector would be lucky to have these in the collections. This article was updated to include more cards and to meet CBR's editorial and formatting standards.

15 Tamamushi University Magikarp is a Rare Educational Prize

Copies: 87

The Tamamushi University Magikarp card is an incredibly rare Pokémon card that was awarded as a prize in a series of exams held in Japan in 1998. These exams were part of a promotional event called the "Tamamushi University Hyper Test," aimed at educating young Pokémon trainers. Participants had to pass a series of tests to earn the card, making it one of the most challenging and exclusive Pokémon cards to obtain.

Only 87 copies are estimated to exist, and the card's value has skyrocketed over the years. Its unique backstory and scarcity make it a prized possession among Pokémon card collectors, with the last known sale fetching over $14,000 at auction in mint condition.

14 Prismatic Secret Rare Cyber-Stein is a Collectible Worth Thousands

Copies: 18

The Prismatic Secret Rare Cyber-Stein card was awarded to the 2004 Shōnen Jump Championship Series winner, making it one of the rarest and most expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever produced. This card allows a player to summon a powerful Fusion Monster from their Extra Deck at the cost of 5000 Life Points, which can be a game-winning move in the right hands.

What makes this card particularly special is its unique Prismatic Secret Rare finish, a rarity even among prize cards. Since only 18 were made in this style, it is highly sought after by collectors.

13 Black Lotus has Unprecedented Rarity and Value

Copies: Unknown

Only 1000 copies of the Black Lotus card were printed for Magic: The Gathering over 30 years ago. Since then, very few have survived in anything approaching a reasonable condition for collectors. Values for the card have recently become astronomical and the Alpha Set and Beta Set (first and second releases respectively) actually carry quite a similar figure on the open market.

Only 6 copies of the Alpha card currently carry a PSA 10 rating though many of the releases from that same set carry the signature of the original artist, Christopher Rush, on the case. The last copy sold in 2022 for $540,000, but it's not the most expensive version of the card to date. A Beta copy of the card actually outdid it, selling for $615,000 (the most expensive MTG card ever sold at auction.)

12 1999 Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer is a Rare Tournament Champion Card

Copies: 7

"Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer" is one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence and was awarded to finalists of the Secret Super Battle tournament held in Tokyo in 1999. To qualify for the tournament, players had to win a regional tournament and receive this No. 1 Trainer card, granting them access to the finals which were held at a secret location.

The flavor text of this card reads, "The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament's champion is recognized here, and this honor is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle." A copy of this card was sold at auction in 2020 and went for $90,000.

11 Armament of the Lethal Lords is a Championship Prize Card with Game-Breaking Power

Copies: 6

"Armament of the Lethal Lords" was a prize card for the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship in 2006. Someone famously attempted to sell a copy on eBay for $1.7 million, but no one purchased it at that time. Far from the most expensive card on this list, most outlets appraise it for around $9000, based on the price of other prize cards from that era.

Even if a casual player were to get their hands on a copy of "Armament of the Lethal Lords," it's considered an illegal card because it's so overpowered. The effects of the card read, "This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card must be Tribute Summoned by Tributing 3 Warrior-Type monsters on your side of the field. If this card attacks your opponent's Life Points directly and makes them 0, the controller of this card wins the Match."

10 Ultimate Champion is an Elusive Tournament Winner Card

Copies: 4

In the early 2000s, it seemed that every major property was making a collectible card game, and Dragon Ball Z was no exception. The prize for the 2003 DBZ World Championship tournament was "Ultimate Champion," which granted the user the ability to ban all cards of a type of their choosing from their opponent’s deck, which basically won them the game.

While the Dragon Ball Z game was considered unbalanced, that didn't stop this card from being highly sought after. One copy went to the winner of the championship, one copy was in a private collection, and the two others were security copies. One of the security copies got stolen, and upon retrieval, had holes punched into it. The second security copy was listed on eBay for $399,999.99, but it wasn't purchased.

Copies: 3

The 2006 "No. 2 Trainer" is one of the rarest Pokémon cards ever printed. It was given as a trophy card to finalists of the Pokémon World Championships held in Anaheim, California, in 2006. Players had to earn enough points to qualify and make it to the finals of their divisions to claim the card.

The 2006 "No. 2 Trainer" card allowed the cardholder to return and "battle the best" in 2007. A PSA-graded Mint 9 condition copy of the 2006 "No. 2 Trainer" sold for over $110,000 in February 2021. The rarity and price of this particular "No. 2 Trainer" put it close to its "No. 1 Trainer" counterparts in terms of the various rare Pokémon cards out there.

8 25th Anniversary Celebrity Collaborator Cards are Unique Pokémon Cards with Star Power

Copies: 3

Though the appeal of these cards may be very different from the rarest versions of the most iconic cards in major TCGs, there's no overestimating how rare they are. Three celebrities who had taken part in the 25th Anniversary celebrations for Pokémon were awarded a one-off card featuring their stylized likenesses (in this case J Balvin, Katy Perry, and Post Malone, the latter of whom also owns one of the other cards on this list).

Again, traditional Pokémon collectors may not have much of an interest in owning a Katy Perry card over, say, a base set Charizard. However, their value to dedicated fans of the artists themselves is probably enormous.

7 Iron Knight of Revolution is a Forbidden Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Card

Copies: 3

"Iron Knight of Revolution" was a prize card for the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship in 2017. The three copies of this card were given to the first-, second-, and third-place finishers at the championship that year. Eventually, one sold for $12,999.

Like the previously listed Yu-Gi-Oh! card, Armament of the Lethal Lords, Iron Knight of Revolution is illegal to play in matches because of its overpowering ability. In tournament play, a Match is three Duels, where the first person to reach two Duel wins is the winner of the match. Therefore, for these prize cards, whoever wins one Duel then wins the whole match.

6 Pokémon Blastoise #009/165R Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram is a One-of-a-Kind Showpiece

Copies: 2

In January 2021, this ultra-rare Blastoise card sold for $360,000 at an auction, becoming one of the most valuable Pokémon cards ever. This particular Blastoise card is one of only two created by Wizards of the Coast in 1998 as part of a presentation piece to convince Nintendo executives to let WOTC handle the English release of the game.

This Blastoise is the only one seen publicly and has been certified by CGC as NM/Mint+ 8.5, indicating near-perfect condition. The other Presentation card's location and condition are unknown, making this potentially the only remaining card of its type.

Copies: 1

Copies of this card were given out to the employees of The Pokémon Company to celebrate the 60th birthday of founder Tsunekazu Ishihara. Though that would make it far less rare than many of the cards that appear on this list, only one copy has appeared in the wild with the signature of the man himself.

It is this version of the already rare card that attracts the attention of collectors and the most eye-watering sums of money. Back in April 2021, a time when card prices had begun to rise significantly but were yet to reach their peak, Goldin Auctions sold this card for a king's ransom, raking in $247,230 in the process.

4 The One Ring is a Magic: The Gathering Card of Legendary Rarity

Copies: 1

"The One Ring" is a Magic: The Gathering card that quickly became one of the most legendary and valuable cards ever created. Released on June 23, 2023, as part of the "Tales of Middle-Earth" crossover set, this card is a unique 1-of-1 foil version printed in the Black Speech of Sauron. Its design and concept pay homage to the iconic Ring of Power from the Lord of the Rings series, making it a highly coveted item among both Magic: The Gathering players and collectors.

The card was indeed inserted into a random booster pack, and it was found just weeks after its release by a fan in Canada. Shortly after being discovered, it was authenticated by grading company PSA, receiving a Mint 9 rating. In August 2023, the card was sold to rapper Post Malone for a record-breaking $2.6 million, making it one of the most expensive trading cards ever sold. The story of "The One Ring" captivated fans and collectors worldwide, solidifying its place in Magic: The Gathering history.

3 Shichif*ckujin Dragon is a Unique Magic: The Gathering Card with Cultural Significance

Copies: 1

Shichif*ckujin Dragon is a unique and incredibly rare Magic: The Gathering card created in 1996 as a good luck charm for the opening of the Duelists' Convocation International Tournament Center in Tokyo. The only request was to make the card functional with an actually useful mechanic.

Designed by Mark Rosewater and illustrated by Christopher Rush, Shichif*ckujin Dragon features a Japanese-style dragon with seven +1/+1 counters that represent the seven deities of luck in Japanese culture. Only one Shichif*ckujin Dragon card was ever printed, and the test copies were destroyed. It can be seen at special events and is on display at the Hobby Japan Head Office in Tokyo.

2 Tyler the Great Warrior is a One-of-a-Kind Card with a Heartwarming Story

Copies: 1

Up until April 2023, "Tyler the Great Warrior" — a legendary 1-of-1 Yu-Gi-Oh! card — had never been sold. However, it went up for auction with current bids in the hundreds of thousands. There's only one known copy of the card in existence.

The card was created in 2005 as part of Tyler Gresse's Make-A-Wish request, for at the time, he had an extremely rare form of liver cancer. Tyler Gresse luckily survived, but has decided to part ways with "Tyler the Great Warrior." He cites wanting to start a family and open his own business as the motivation for selling the card after 18 years.

1 1996 World Champion is the Rarest Magic: The Gathering Card Ever Recognized

Copies: 1

1996 World Champion is considered the rarest trading card for a few reasons. First, it was designated so by the Guinness Book of World Records along with Shichif*ckujin Dragon. Second, not only were test copies and security copies destroyed, but the printing plates were also destroyed as well, ensuring another copy could never be created.

Tom Chanpheng, the winner of the 1996 World Champion card, won his final match against all odds with a weakened deck due to technical rules. Despite the triumph, Chanpheng sold the card in 2001 to a private collector for $17,500. The card is currently encased in an acrylic trophy and is technically banned in gameplay.