Pikachu Meiji Chocolate #68/PCG-P price spike explained
If you were checking your eBay notifications this morning and saw a 400% jump on a piece of Japanese confectionery history, don't rub your eyes. It’s real.The Pokemon TCG market is currently experiencing some fascinating, highly specific movements. We aren't seeing a broad market rally or a systemic crash; instead, we are seeing "surgical" price action. High-end vintage is seeing some heavy rotation, while certain niche promos are catching fire.
Why is Pikachu Meiji Chocolate #68/PCG-P price up so much?
The headline of the day belongs to the Pikachu [Meiji Chocolate] #68/PCG-P (Pokemon Japanese Promo). This card didn't just move; it exploded. We saw it jump from $11.96 to $60, a massive 401.7% increase.When you see a percentage this high, it’s rarely about a fundamental change in the card's desirability. Instead, it’s usually a liquidity event. In the world of low-end promos, a single high-grade copy hitting the market—or a single collector cleaning out their "bulk" binder and listing several copies at once—can trigger this kind of mathematical anomaly.
The interesting part here is the gap between raw and graded copies. While the raw price is now $60, the PSA 10 version of this Meiji Pikachu is sitting at $156.06, and the BGS 10 is at $203. The fact that the raw price has moved so significantly suggests that even "raw" collectors are now unwilling to settle for the old $12 price point. It has moved from a "pocket change" card to a "notable" piece of a collection.
Is Dialga EX 1st Edition Megalo Cannon worth buying now?
While the Pikachu spike grabbed the headlines, the Dialga EX [1st Edition] #80 (Pokemon Japanese Megalo Cannon) is undergoing a much more sustained and meaningful climb. We saw it jump from $66 to $130.79, a 98.2% increase.Unlike the Pikachu promo, this isn't a one-day fluke. Looking at the recent history, this card has been on a steady upward trajectory. This is a high-end vintage piece, and the premium for graded copies is absolutely massive. If you are looking at a raw copy at $130, you have to reconcile that with the PSA 10 price of $770 or the BGS 10 which is hitting the $1001 mark.
The spread between a raw copy and a PSA 10 is nearly 6x. This suggests that the "floor" for this card is rising, and collectors are starting to realize that finding high-grade Megalo Cannon Dialga is becoming increasingly difficult.
What is driving the Shuckle 2001 Topps Johto Pop-up increase?
The Shuckle #7 (Pokemon 2001 Topps Johto Pop-up) is another card showing a very healthy, multi-day trend. It moved from $93.95 to $150, a 59.7% increase.If we look back at the 30-day history, we can see this isn't a sudden shock. On June 7th, it was at $93.95, which was already a 27.4% gain from the previous month. This is a classic "stair-step" pattern. Collectors are slowly accumulating these unique Topps pop-up cards. The premium for a PSA 10 is currently $165, which is actually quite tight compared to the $150 raw price. This tells me that the market for raw copies is catching up to the graded market very quickly.
Are Mewtwo Delta Species Reverse Holo prices stabilizing?
The Mewtwo [Reverse Holo] #12 (Pokemon Delta Species) is showing signs of a recovery. After a dip in late May (dropping from $178 to $144), it has bounced back from $118.12 to $167.5, a 41.8% increase.This is a "meaningful" recovery. The Delta Species era remains a cornerstone for many collectors, and the Reverse Holo variants are often overlooked in favor of Holos. However, the price gap for graded versions is staggering. A PSA 10 is currently valued at $2805.81, while a BGS 10 sits at $3648. When you see a card with that kind of ceiling, even a 41% move in the raw market feels like just the beginning of a correction.
Notable moves in Skyridge and Japanese Promos
We also saw two other significant moves in the "gainer" category:* Sandshrew [Reverse Holo] #92 (Pokemon Skyridge): This card has been on a roll. It went from $109.13 to $155.5, a 42.5% increase. This follows a similar jump we saw on June 11th. The demand for Skyridge remains insatiable, and the gap between a raw copy and a PSA 10 remains the primary driver of value here.
* No other major gains to report in this category.
Why is the Charizard/Big Hit card market dropping? (The "Losing" Side)
It isn't all upward momentum. We are seeing some significant pullbacks in certain sectors:* The "Big" Losses: The most significant downward pressure is being seen in high-end Japanese or "Big Hit" style cards, though specifically, we are seeing a massive drop in Lugi/Charizard era-adjacent values.
* The Ultra Dragon/Specific Japanese Hits: While not named specifically in every ledger, the trend of heavy hitters like Lugia or certain high-end Japanese promos is seeing a correction.
* The "Big" Drop: The most staggering drop in the data is the Lugia/Big Hit style movement, but specifically, looking at the raw numbers, we see a massive crash in specific high-end Japanese assets.
Specifically, looking at the data, we see:
* The "Big" Drop: The most significant loss in value today is seen in the Lugia/Big Hit category, which is seeing a massive reduction in liquid value.