{
  "url": "https://www.moonstonehq.com/articles/does-reprinting-a-pokemon-cost-it",
  "slug": "does-reprinting-a-pokemon-cost-it",
  "title": "Does Reprinting a Pokemon Cost It Anything?",
  "summary": "Pikachu has 214 priced English printings. Across 302 species, the more a Pokemon is printed the higher its premium over its cohort. Rank correlation +0.425.",
  "section": "Quant research",
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "readMinutes": 9,
  "publisher": "moonstone",
  "findings": [
    {
      "value": "+0.425",
      "measures": "rank correlation, printings against cohort premium",
      "basis": "302 species, English asks, September 22 2026"
    },
    {
      "value": "0.99x",
      "measures": "premium of the least-printed band, 197 species at 20 to 29 printings",
      "basis": "86 of the 197 clear parity, so that band is a coin flip"
    },
    {
      "value": "3.19x",
      "measures": "premium of the most-printed band, 7 species at 60 or more",
      "basis": "7 of 7 clear parity"
    },
    {
      "value": "214",
      "measures": "priced English Pikachu printings, more than any other species",
      "basis": "across 94 sets; 187 sit in a cohort big enough to measure"
    }
  ],
  "tables": [
    {
      "title": "Cohort premium by printing count, all 302 species, rows sum to 302",
      "columns": [
        "Printings",
        "Species",
        "Median sets",
        "Median premium",
        "Middle half",
        "Above parity"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Printings": "20 to 29",
          "Species": "197",
          "Median sets": "19",
          "Median premium": "0.99x",
          "Middle half": "0.79x to 1.31x",
          "Above parity": "86 of 197"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "30 to 39",
          "Species": "71",
          "Median sets": "27",
          "Median premium": "1.33x",
          "Middle half": "1.00x to 2.00x",
          "Above parity": "52 of 71"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "40 to 59",
          "Species": "27",
          "Median sets": "34",
          "Median premium": "1.95x",
          "Middle half": "1.18x to 3.44x",
          "Above parity": "22 of 27"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "60 or more",
          "Species": "7",
          "Median sets": "52",
          "Median premium": "3.19x",
          "Middle half": "1.44x to 4.68x",
          "Above parity": "7 of 7"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Most-printed species, ranks 1 to 15 of 302",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Species",
        "Printings",
        "Sets",
        "Cohort premium",
        "Median ask"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Species": "[Pikachu](/card/svp-085)",
          "Printings": "187",
          "Sets": "84",
          "Cohort premium": "4.68x",
          "Median ask": "$12.86"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Species": "[Eevee](/card/bwp-BW97)",
          "Printings": "85",
          "Sets": "53",
          "Cohort premium": "3.86x",
          "Median ask": "$4.92"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Species": "[Charizard](/card/base1-4)",
          "Printings": "83",
          "Sets": "47",
          "Cohort premium": "8.96x",
          "Median ask": "$52.49"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Species": "[Mewtwo](/card/neo4-109)",
          "Printings": "72",
          "Sets": "40",
          "Cohort premium": "3.19x",
          "Median ask": "$28.57"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Species": "[Raichu](/card/neo4-111)",
          "Printings": "69",
          "Sets": "52",
          "Cohort premium": "2.14x",
          "Median ask": "$8.74"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Species": "[Unown](/card/swsh12-177)",
          "Printings": "67",
          "Sets": "17",
          "Cohort premium": "1.44x",
          "Median ask": "$2.00"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Species": "[Meowth](/card/2016xy-11)",
          "Printings": "64",
          "Sets": "52",
          "Cohort premium": "1.40x",
          "Median ask": "$1.76"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Species": "[Gyarados](/card/ex13-102)",
          "Printings": "59",
          "Sets": "41",
          "Cohort premium": "2.70x",
          "Median ask": "$19.71"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Species": "[Ninetales](/card/ecard2-H19)",
          "Printings": "56",
          "Sets": "41",
          "Cohort premium": "1.95x",
          "Median ask": "$14.33"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Species": "[Snorlax](/card/ex7-104)",
          "Printings": "53",
          "Sets": "44",
          "Cohort premium": "6.55x",
          "Median ask": "$17.33"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "11",
          "Species": "[Vulpix](/card/2016xy-1)",
          "Printings": "53",
          "Sets": "44",
          "Cohort premium": "2.04x",
          "Median ask": "$1.59"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "12",
          "Species": "[Lucario](/card/bwp-BW85)",
          "Printings": "52",
          "Sets": "39",
          "Cohort premium": "2.45x",
          "Median ask": "$10.31"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "13",
          "Species": "[Rayquaza](/card/swsh7-218)",
          "Printings": "52",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Cohort premium": "5.89x",
          "Median ask": "$75.91"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "14",
          "Species": "[Rotom](/card/pl2-RT3)",
          "Printings": "52",
          "Sets": "32",
          "Cohort premium": "1.11x",
          "Median ask": "$0.48"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "15",
          "Species": "[Charmander](/card/ex3-98)",
          "Printings": "47",
          "Sets": "38",
          "Cohort premium": "2.78x",
          "Median ask": "$3.21"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "The ten widest Pikachu premiums, ranks 1 to 10 of 187",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Card",
        "Set",
        "Ask",
        "Cohort median",
        "Premium"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Card": "[Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat](/card/svp-085)",
          "Set": "SVP Black Star Promos",
          "Ask": "$1,066.19",
          "Cohort median": "$2.23",
          "Premium": "478.11x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Card": "[Pikachu Libre](/card/enx-118820)",
          "Set": "XY Trainer Kit: Pikachu Libre & Suicune",
          "Ask": "$63.40",
          "Cohort median": "$0.25",
          "Premium": "253.60x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Card": "[Special Delivery Pikachu](/card/swshp-SWSH074)",
          "Set": "SWSH Black Star Promos",
          "Ask": "$461.25",
          "Cohort median": "$3.34",
          "Premium": "138.10x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Card": "[Surfing Pikachu](/card/pl2-114)",
          "Set": "[Rising Rivals](/set/rising%20rivals)",
          "Ask": "$388.58",
          "Cohort median": "$3.98",
          "Premium": "97.63x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Card": "[Pikachu Star](/card/ex13-104)",
          "Set": "EX Holon Phantoms",
          "Ask": "$1,899.99",
          "Cohort median": "$21.05",
          "Premium": "90.26x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Card": "[Pikachu Libre](/card/enx-118819)",
          "Set": "XY Trainer Kit: Pikachu Libre & Suicune",
          "Ask": "$22.47",
          "Cohort median": "$0.25",
          "Premium": "89.88x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Card": "[Pikachu](/card/pl2-112)",
          "Set": "[Rising Rivals](/set/rising%20rivals)",
          "Ask": "$328.45",
          "Cohort median": "$3.98",
          "Premium": "82.53x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Card": "[Pikachu](/card/svp-225)",
          "Set": "SVP Black Star Promos",
          "Ask": "$130.63",
          "Cohort median": "$2.23",
          "Premium": "58.58x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Card": "[Pikachu](/card/enx-527943)",
          "Set": "[Trading Card Game Classic](/set/trading%20card%20game%20classic)",
          "Ask": "$51.29",
          "Cohort median": "$0.95",
          "Premium": "53.99x"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Card": "[Flying Pikachu](/card/pl2-113)",
          "Set": "[Rising Rivals](/set/rising%20rivals)",
          "Ask": "$208.03",
          "Cohort median": "$3.98",
          "Premium": "52.27x"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "The ladder under two rebuilds",
      "columns": [
        "Printings",
        "As published, 302 species",
        "Expansion sets only, 233 species"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Printings": "20 to 29",
          "As published, 302 species": "0.99x, 197 species",
          "Expansion sets only, 233 species": "1.00x, 169 species"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "30 to 39",
          "As published, 302 species": "1.33x, 71 species",
          "Expansion sets only, 233 species": "1.71x, 48 species"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "40 to 59",
          "As published, 302 species": "1.95x, 27 species",
          "Expansion sets only, 233 species": "2.07x, 13 species"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "60 or more",
          "As published, 302 species": "3.19x, 7 species",
          "Expansion sets only, 233 species": "2.14x, 3 species"
        },
        {
          "Printings": "Rank correlation",
          "As published, 302 species": "+0.425",
          "Expansion sets only, 233 species": "+0.31"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "charts": [
    {
      "title": "Median cohort premium by how often the species is printed",
      "unit": "x",
      "note": "302 species, each measured against the same set and printed rarity, September 22 2026",
      "points": [
        {
          "label": "20 to 29 printings",
          "value": 0.99,
          "basis": "197 species, 86 above parity"
        },
        {
          "label": "30 to 39 printings",
          "value": 1.33,
          "basis": "71 species, 52 above parity"
        },
        {
          "label": "40 to 59 printings",
          "value": 1.95,
          "basis": "27 species, 22 above parity"
        },
        {
          "label": "60 or more printings",
          "value": 3.19,
          "basis": "7 species, 7 above parity"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sections": [
    "The direction of the arrow",
    "The fifteen most-printed Pokemon",
    "Pikachu, the extreme case",
    "Three ways this could be wrong",
    "What this study cannot show",
    "What would overturn this"
  ],
  "method": [
    "Sources: the `cards` catalog and the daily `price_history` tape, read on day 20718, September 22 2026. Population, cohort and species attribution are identical to [the species premium](/articles/the-species-premium): products deduplicated on the TCGplayer product id, asks from the most recent daily market figure, cohorts of every other English product in the same set at the same printed rarity with a ten-other-member floor, species from the 1,025-name `pokemon_indices` table with both sides folded to one canonical key, and cards naming two or more species excluded. 20,246 products receive a ratio and 302 species carry twenty or more of them. A species' printing count in this study is the number of its printings INSIDE that measured population, not its raw catalog count, which is why Pikachu enters the ladder at 187 rather than 214; both figures are printed. Bands are closed intervals on that count and the four rows sum to 302. The correlation is Spearman's rank correlation with average ranks for ties, computed across the 302 species between printing count and median premium, and separately between distinct set count and median premium. The expansion-only rebuild removes 48 set names by an explicit list rule (any set name matching black star promo, trainer kit, McDonald, Trick or Trade, Battle Academy, Classic Collection, 30th Celebration, Trading Card Game Classic, Pokemon Rumble, Alternate Art Promos, First Partner, Best of game, Southern Islands, EX Battle Stadium or Kalos Starter Set; the Battle Academy clause matches no set in the priced English population and removes nothing), removes 2,627 products, and rebuilds every cohort inside the remaining 18,795 before recomputing; its species count falls to 233 because the twenty-printing bar bites harder on a smaller population. Medians are upper-middle on even samples, quartiles are nearest-rank, and ties break on the species key ascending. Not financial advice."
  ],
  "terms": "Figures are moonstone's own recorded measurements, dated as published. Quote them with the population stated beside them. The article at `url` is the human form of this file."
}