{
  "url": "https://www.moonstonehq.com/articles/pokemon-card-gifts-that-keep-their-value",
  "slug": "pokemon-card-gifts-that-keep-their-value",
  "title": "Pokemon Card Gifts That Keep Their Value: 30 Picks at $25, $50 and $100 That Held Their Price and Kept Selling",
  "summary": "We went through a year of Near Mint prices on 1,855 English cards. At their latest reading in the first half of November, these 30 were worth at least what they cost a year earlier. None sat more than 20% below that price along the way, and each had a recorded Near Mint sale at TCGplayer in at least 51 of the last 52 weeks. The cards that were brand new last holiday went nowhere: their median change is -0.4% (+2.9% on our stricter rule), while older cards at the same prices rose a median 41.4%.",
  "section": "Buyer's Guide",
  "published": "2026-11-15",
  "readMinutes": 8,
  "publisher": "moonstone",
  "findings": [
    {
      "value": "30",
      "measures": "picks at $25, $50 and $100",
      "basis": "ten at each, 29 with a recorded sale in all 52 weeks"
    },
    {
      "value": "+40.1%",
      "measures": "the typical card's year",
      "basis": "median change on 583 cards that cost $20 to $30, $40 to $60 or $80 to $120 last November"
    },
    {
      "value": "-0.4% vs +41.4%",
      "measures": "last holiday's new cards against older ones",
      "basis": "median change at the same three prices, mid-November 2025 to now; +2.9% for new cards on our stricter rule"
    },
    {
      "value": "11 of 11",
      "measures": "new special illustration rares are lower",
      "basis": "against 3 of 14 new illustration rares, a difference we noticed after looking, not one we tested for"
    }
  ],
  "tables": [
    {
      "title": "Near Mint $20 to $30, held a year, a sale in 39 or more of 52 weeks: the top 10 of 74, by recorded sales",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Card",
        "Set",
        "Near Mint now (2026)",
        "A year ago",
        "Change",
        "Deepest dip",
        "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Card": "[Lillie's Determination](/card/me01-169)",
          "Set": "[Mega Evolution](/set/mega%20evolution)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$21.34 (Nov 12)",
          "A year ago": "$21.08 (Nov 13, 2025)",
          "Change": "+1.2%",
          "Deepest dip": "-10.2%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "4,880"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Card": "[Pikachu ex](/card/sv08-219)",
          "Set": "[Surging Sparks](/set/surging%20sparks)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$24.53 (Nov 5)",
          "A year ago": "$18.54 (Nov 6, 2025)",
          "Change": "+32.3%",
          "Deepest dip": "-10.0%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,786"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Card": "[Mew ex](/card/sv03.5-193)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$27.31 (Nov 7)",
          "A year ago": "$21.71 (Nov 7, 2025)",
          "Change": "+25.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-9.2%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,495"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Card": "[Tatsugiri](/card/sv06-186)",
          "Set": "[Twilight Masquerade](/set/twilight%20masquerade)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$21.95 (Nov 9)",
          "A year ago": "$19.12 (Nov 10, 2025)",
          "Change": "+14.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-11.1%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,151"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Card": "[Arceus V](/card/swshp-SWSH204)",
          "Set": "[SWSH Black Star Promos](/set/swsh%20black%20star%20promos)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$21.91 (Nov 7)",
          "A year ago": "$19.79 (Nov 7, 2025)",
          "Change": "+10.7%",
          "Deepest dip": "-18.1%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,016"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Card": "[Pikachu VMAX](/card/swsh11.5tg-TG29)",
          "Set": "[Lost Origin Trainer Gallery](/set/lost%20origin%20trainer%20gallery)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$21.77 (Nov 12)",
          "A year ago": "$14.96 (Nov 13, 2025)",
          "Change": "+45.5%",
          "Deepest dip": "-3.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "927"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Card": "[Durant ex](/card/sv08-236)",
          "Set": "[Surging Sparks](/set/surging%20sparks)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$29.17 (Nov 7)",
          "A year ago": "$20.18 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Change": "+44.5%",
          "Deepest dip": "-8.4%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "914"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Card": "[Golisopod ex](/card/sv04-246)",
          "Set": "[Paradox Rift](/set/paradox%20rift)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$23.63 (Nov 11)",
          "A year ago": "$16.10 (Nov 12, 2025)",
          "Change": "+46.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-4.3%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "906"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Card": "[Entei](/card/basep-34)",
          "Set": "[Wizards Black Star Promos](/set/wizards%20black%20star%20promos)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$26.77 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$20.33 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+31.7%",
          "Deepest dip": "-15.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "902"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Card": "[Simisear VSTAR](/card/swsh12.5gg-GG37)",
          "Set": "[Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery](/set/crown%20zenith%20galarian%20gallery)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$29.41 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$26.64 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+10.4%",
          "Deepest dip": "-16.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "718"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Near Mint $40 to $60, held a year, a sale in 39 or more of 52 weeks: the top 10 of 50, by recorded sales",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Card",
        "Set",
        "Near Mint now (2026)",
        "A year ago",
        "Change",
        "Deepest dip",
        "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Card": "[Mew ex](/card/svp-053)",
          "Set": "[SVP Black Star Promos](/set/svp%20black%20star%20promos)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$59.87 (Nov 12)",
          "A year ago": "$51.63 (Nov 13, 2025)",
          "Change": "+16.0%",
          "Deepest dip": "-10.8%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "2,586"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Card": "[Charmeleon](/card/sv03.5-169)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$50.66 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$34.16 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+48.3%",
          "Deepest dip": "-5.4%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,575"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Card": "[Pikachu](/card/sv03.5-173)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$51.71 (Nov 14)",
          "A year ago": "$34.85 (Nov 15, 2025)",
          "Change": "+48.4%",
          "Deepest dip": "-6.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,482"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Card": "[Bulbasaur](/card/sv03.5-166)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$54.03 (Nov 9)",
          "A year ago": "$40.07 (Nov 10, 2025)",
          "Change": "+34.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-11.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,474"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Card": "[Wartortle](/card/sv03.5-171)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$43.20 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$31.01 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+39.3%",
          "Deepest dip": "-5.3%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,461"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Card": "[Alakazam ex](/card/sv03.5-201)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$55.47 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$44.77 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+23.9%",
          "Deepest dip": "-6.6%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,290"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Card": "[Mew](/card/cel25-25)",
          "Set": "[Celebrations](/set/celebrations)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$49.33 (Nov 7)",
          "A year ago": "$46.18 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Change": "+6.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-12.5%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "838"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Card": "[Pikachu ex](/card/sv08.5-179)",
          "Set": "[Prismatic Evolutions](/set/prismatic%20evolutions)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$43.33 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$41.68 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+4.0%",
          "Deepest dip": "-11.8%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "760"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Card": "[Gengar ex](/card/sv05-193)",
          "Set": "[Temporal Forces](/set/temporal%20forces)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$50.09 (Nov 7)",
          "A year ago": "$36.53 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Change": "+37.1%",
          "Deepest dip": "-7.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "713"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Card": "[Chi-Yu ex](/card/sv02-259)",
          "Set": "[Paldea Evolved](/set/paldea%20evolved)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$42.49 (Nov 12)",
          "A year ago": "$32.02 (Nov 13, 2025)",
          "Change": "+32.7%",
          "Deepest dip": "-12.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "645"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Near Mint $80 to $120, held a year, a sale in 39 or more of 52 weeks: the top 10 of 28, by recorded sales",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Card",
        "Set",
        "Near Mint now (2026)",
        "A year ago",
        "Change",
        "Deepest dip",
        "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Card": "[Charmander](/card/sv03.5-168)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$80.05 (Nov 9)",
          "A year ago": "$54.49 (Nov 10, 2025)",
          "Change": "+46.9%",
          "Deepest dip": "-5.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,537"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Card": "[Blastoise ex](/card/sv03.5-200)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$104.06 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$77.70 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+33.9%",
          "Deepest dip": "-12.5%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,498"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Card": "[Venusaur ex](/card/sv03.5-198)",
          "Set": "[151](/set/151)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$87.53 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$83.78 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+4.5%",
          "Deepest dip": "-16.4%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "1,329"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Card": "[Squirtle](/card/sv07-148)",
          "Set": "[Stellar Crown](/set/stellar%20crown)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$85.33 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$74.32 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+14.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-14.0%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "990"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Card": "[Gastly](/card/sv05-177)",
          "Set": "[Temporal Forces](/set/temporal%20forces)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$86.06 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$60.80 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+41.5%",
          "Deepest dip": "-12.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "765"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Card": "[Ancient Mew](/card/miscp-001)",
          "Set": "[Miscellaneous Promos](/set/miscellaneous%20promos)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$108.17 (Nov 13)",
          "A year ago": "$96.26 (Nov 14, 2025)",
          "Change": "+12.4%",
          "Deepest dip": "-18.5%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "667"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Card": "[Groudon](/card/sv04-199)",
          "Set": "[Paradox Rift](/set/paradox%20rift)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$88.12 (Nov 10)",
          "A year ago": "$86.06 (Nov 11, 2025)",
          "Change": "+2.4%",
          "Deepest dip": "-19.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "551"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Card": "[Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR](/card/swsh12.5gg-GG68)",
          "Set": "[Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery](/set/crown%20zenith%20galarian%20gallery)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$119.11 (Nov 3)",
          "A year ago": "$86.79 (Nov 6, 2025)",
          "Change": "+37.2%",
          "Deepest dip": "-8.1%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "543"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Card": "[Umbreon VMAX](/card/swsh9.5tg-TG23)",
          "Set": "[Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery](/set/brilliant%20stars%20trainer%20gallery)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$88.00 (Nov 11)",
          "A year ago": "$76.66 (Nov 12, 2025)",
          "Change": "+14.8%",
          "Deepest dip": "-13.9%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "490"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Card": "[Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR](/card/swsh12.5gg-GG67)",
          "Set": "[Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery](/set/crown%20zenith%20galarian%20gallery)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$90.36 (Nov 8)",
          "A year ago": "$74.56 (Nov 9, 2025)",
          "Change": "+21.2%",
          "Deepest dip": "-13.7%",
          "Near Mint sales, 52 weeks": "480"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Mega Evolution cards that cost $20 to $30, $40 to $60 or $80 to $120 in mid-November 2025 and pass our price checks, all 8, ranked by change",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Card",
        "Rarity",
        "A year ago",
        "Near Mint now (2026)",
        "Change"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Card": "[Marshadow](/card/me01-146)",
          "Rarity": "Illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$21.25 (Nov 7, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$8.30 (Nov 7)",
          "Change": "-60.9%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Card": "[Lillie's Determination 184/132](/card/me01-184)",
          "Rarity": "Special illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$100.98 (Nov 15, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$42.30 (Nov 14)",
          "Change": "-58.1%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Card": "[Lt. Surge's Bargain](/card/me01-185)",
          "Rarity": "Special illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$25.36 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$12.46 (Nov 7)",
          "Change": "-50.9%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Card": "[Mega Absol ex](/card/me01-180)",
          "Rarity": "Special illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$81.20 (Nov 15, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$41.11 (Nov 14)",
          "Change": "-49.4%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Card": "[Mega Kangaskhan ex](/card/me01-182)",
          "Rarity": "Special illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$80.92 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$51.47 (Nov 7)",
          "Change": "-36.4%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Card": "[Ivysaur](/card/me01-134)",
          "Rarity": "Illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$21.88 (Nov 8, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$15.45 (Nov 7)",
          "Change": "-29.4%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Card": "[Wally's Compassion](/card/me01-186)",
          "Rarity": "Special illustration rare",
          "A year ago": "$24.87 (Nov 10, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$17.58 (Nov 9)",
          "Change": "-29.3%"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Card": "[Lillie's Determination 169/132](/card/me01-169)",
          "Rarity": "Ultra Rare",
          "A year ago": "$21.08 (Nov 13, 2025)",
          "Near Mint now (2026)": "$21.34 (Nov 12)",
          "Change": "+1.2%"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "charts": [],
  "sections": [
    "Ten gifts for $20 to $30",
    "Ten gifts for $40 to $60",
    "Ten gifts for $80 to $120",
    "Last holiday's new cards went nowhere while older ones rose 41%"
  ],
  "method": [
    "Who's in it. Every English card in our card screener on November 15, 2026 with a price of $10 to $250: 5,363 catalog rows, which is 5,338 products once rows that share a TCGplayer product id are counted once (25 rows collapsed, the lower card id kept). Where the prices come from. The Near Mint price history our data provider returns for each card and printing, with a count of Near Mint sales on each reading, as stored in our own cache. This is a different series from the weekly prices our drawdown studies use. We picked it because it carries sales counts and a full year on modern cards. A product sold in more than one printing is read only from that printing's own history. The checks, in order, and how many cards each removed. No stored history: 1,061. Last reading before November 1, 2026: 1,574. Near Mint check failed, meaning the last reading was more than 10% away from our own recorded Near Mint price or from the provider's own Near Mint quote: 321, plus 17 with nothing to check against. No reading within 10 days of 364 days before the last reading: 69. History starting less than 8 weeks before that year-ago reading, so a release-week price can't be the starting point: 441. That leaves 1,855. Budget is the last Near Mint reading: $20 to $30 (277 cards), $40 to $60 (242) and $80 to $120 (168). Held its price means the last reading is 0% to 50% above the year-ago reading and no reading in between is more than 20% below it. 95, 77 and 58 cards pass at the three budgets. The 50% cap matters in a year like this one: 128, 115 and 94 cards rose more than that. Sells often means at least one recorded Near Mint sale in 39 or more of the 52 seven-day weeks counting back from the last reading. A reading with no sales count is treated as not recorded, never as zero. 200, 147 and 74 cards pass. Both tests: 74, 50 and 28. The lists rank by recorded Near Mint sales in those 52 weeks, then by selling weeks, then by card id. 29 of the 30 had a recorded sale in all 52 weeks and one, Durant ex, in 51. The sales figure is the sum of the counts on each reading in those weeks; readings came about every two days over that year, and earlier in the history, when they came every two weeks, each count was larger, which is how a count of sales since the previous reading behaves. At a looser rule (no more than 5% down, no dip past 25%, no cap, a sale in 26 of 52 weeks) the counts would be 213, 171 and 103. The year-ago comparison. Here the population widens to English cards priced $3 to $1,000 today (9,811 rows, 9,746 products), with the same checks except a 3-week start rule instead of 8 weeks. We changed that rule after a first run with 8 weeks and an August 1 cut left only three new cards at the three prices, which can't say anything. 3,082 of the 9,746 pass the checks. Cards are chosen by their price a year ago. 583 cost $20 to $30, $40 to $60 or $80 to $120 then, and their median change is +40.1% (we take the upper middle on even counts). New last holiday means a price history that starts on or after July 1, 2025, which in practice is the cards from Black Bolt, White Flare and Mega Evolution plus one Mega Evolution promo and one 2025 championship staff card: 28 cards, 15 lower, 11 down 20% or more, median -0.4%. Under the 8-week rule the lists use, 21 of those 28 still qualify, 9 of the 21 are lower and the median is +2.9%. The 555 older cards are the same under both rules: median +41.4%, 87 lower. The rarity gap (all 11 special illustration rares lower against 3 of 14 illustration rares, 7 of 7 against 1 of 12 on the 8-week rule) was found after looking at the list, not set as a test in advance. Acerola's Mischief from Mega Evolution is left out by the Near Mint check. Cards that fell under $3 or rose past $1,000 aren't in that comparison, so the very worst falls in both groups are missing. No Phantasmal Flames card is in it. The handful that cost those amounts were first priced in early November 2025, before the set's November 14 release, so their year-ago prices are preorder prices, and the start rule or our other checks leave them out. What the prices are. TCGplayer Near Mint market prices, which follow recent sales. They aren't asking prices and they aren't graded sales. Each card's page shows our daily price, which on these 30 differs from the reading quoted here by up to about 7%."
  ],
  "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."
}