{
  "url": "https://www.moonstonehq.com/articles/the-species-premium",
  "slug": "the-species-premium",
  "title": "The Species Premium: What a Pokemon Name Is Worth",
  "summary": "Hold the set and the printed rarity fixed and the creature still moves the price. Across 302 species Gengar asks 11.31x its cohort, and Charizard is third.",
  "section": "Quant research",
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "readMinutes": 10,
  "publisher": "moonstone",
  "findings": [
    {
      "value": "302",
      "measures": "species ranked against their own cohorts",
      "basis": "20,246 English products in 604 set-and-rarity cohorts, September 22 2026"
    },
    {
      "value": "11.31x",
      "measures": "Gengar, second on the straight ranking and first when sets weigh equally",
      "basis": "43 printings across 32 sets, 42 of them above their cohort"
    },
    {
      "value": "8.96x",
      "measures": "Charizard, third",
      "basis": "83 printings across 47 sets, 79 of them above their cohort"
    },
    {
      "value": "120",
      "measures": "species whose median printing asks LESS than its cohort",
      "basis": "167 sit above parity and 15 sit exactly on it"
    }
  ],
  "tables": [
    {
      "title": "Species by median cohort premium, ranks 1 to 20 of 302",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Species",
        "Printings",
        "Sets",
        "Premium",
        "Middle half",
        "Above cohort",
        "Median ask"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Species": "[Ditto](/card/ex6-4)",
          "Printings": "26",
          "Sets": "16",
          "Premium": "11.78x",
          "Middle half": "3.27x to 30.94x",
          "Above cohort": "24 of 26",
          "Median ask": "$54.13"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Species": "[Gengar](/card/ex6-108)",
          "Printings": "43",
          "Sets": "32",
          "Premium": "11.31x",
          "Middle half": "7.18x to 24.21x",
          "Above cohort": "42 of 43",
          "Median ask": "$54.45"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Species": "[Charizard](/card/neo4-107)",
          "Printings": "83",
          "Sets": "47",
          "Premium": "8.96x",
          "Middle half": "3.68x to 16.24x",
          "Above cohort": "79 of 83",
          "Median ask": "$52.49"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Species": "[Umbreon](/card/swsh7-215)",
          "Printings": "41",
          "Sets": "26",
          "Premium": "8.19x",
          "Middle half": "5.00x to 12.76x",
          "Above cohort": "41 of 41",
          "Median ask": "$73.03"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Species": "[Mew](/card/ex15-101)",
          "Printings": "40",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Premium": "7.63x",
          "Middle half": "3.67x to 16.22x",
          "Above cohort": "38 of 40",
          "Median ask": "$101.69"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Species": "[Squirtle](/card/sv07-148)",
          "Printings": "30",
          "Sets": "25",
          "Premium": "6.66x",
          "Middle half": "3.02x to 11.64x",
          "Above cohort": "30 of 30",
          "Median ask": "$4.86"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Species": "[Snorlax](/card/ex7-104)",
          "Printings": "53",
          "Sets": "44",
          "Premium": "6.55x",
          "Middle half": "3.30x to 10.82x",
          "Above cohort": "53 of 53",
          "Median ask": "$17.33"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Species": "[Psyduck](/card/ecard2-104)",
          "Printings": "34",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Premium": "6.23x",
          "Middle half": "1.94x to 17.16x",
          "Above cohort": "33 of 34",
          "Median ask": "$9.84"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Species": "[Dragonite](/card/ecard1-9)",
          "Printings": "45",
          "Sets": "30",
          "Premium": "6.12x",
          "Middle half": "2.06x to 9.25x",
          "Above cohort": "41 of 45",
          "Median ask": "$36.45"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Species": "[Lugia](/card/ecard2-149)",
          "Printings": "36",
          "Sets": "25",
          "Premium": "5.90x",
          "Middle half": "2.57x to 13.03x",
          "Above cohort": "32 of 36",
          "Median ask": "$43.51"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "11",
          "Species": "[Rayquaza](/card/swsh7-218)",
          "Printings": "52",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Premium": "5.89x",
          "Middle half": "2.60x to 11.80x",
          "Above cohort": "52 of 52",
          "Median ask": "$75.91"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "12",
          "Species": "[Bulbasaur](/card/sv07-143)",
          "Printings": "28",
          "Sets": "23",
          "Premium": "5.51x",
          "Middle half": "2.16x to 9.83x",
          "Above cohort": "27 of 28",
          "Median ask": "$8.42"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "13",
          "Species": "[Sylveon](/card/sv08.5-156)",
          "Printings": "31",
          "Sets": "17",
          "Premium": "4.82x",
          "Middle half": "2.06x to 13.45x",
          "Above cohort": "31 of 31",
          "Median ask": "$23.94"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "14",
          "Species": "[Pikachu](/card/ex13-104)",
          "Printings": "187",
          "Sets": "84",
          "Premium": "4.68x",
          "Middle half": "2.07x to 12.01x",
          "Above cohort": "166 of 187",
          "Median ask": "$12.86"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "15",
          "Species": "[Arceus](/card/dpp-DP56)",
          "Printings": "26",
          "Sets": "8",
          "Premium": "4.54x",
          "Middle half": "2.48x to 6.53x",
          "Above cohort": "24 of 26",
          "Median ask": "$36.66"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "16",
          "Species": "[Giratina](/card/swsh11-186)",
          "Printings": "21",
          "Sets": "14",
          "Premium": "4.15x",
          "Middle half": "2.62x to 10.26x",
          "Above cohort": "18 of 21",
          "Median ask": "$25.52"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "17",
          "Species": "[Mimikyu](/card/sm8-226)",
          "Printings": "30",
          "Sets": "19",
          "Premium": "3.86x",
          "Middle half": "2.00x to 8.78x",
          "Above cohort": "29 of 30",
          "Median ask": "$14.68"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "18",
          "Species": "[Eevee](/card/bwp-BW97)",
          "Printings": "85",
          "Sets": "53",
          "Premium": "3.86x",
          "Middle half": "2.05x to 7.35x",
          "Above cohort": "84 of 85",
          "Median ask": "$4.92"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "19",
          "Species": "[Espeon](/card/neo4-4)",
          "Printings": "35",
          "Sets": "24",
          "Premium": "3.68x",
          "Middle half": "1.96x to 7.51x",
          "Above cohort": "33 of 35",
          "Median ask": "$27.16"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "20",
          "Species": "[Greninja](/card/sv06-214)",
          "Printings": "29",
          "Sets": "16",
          "Premium": "3.56x",
          "Middle half": "1.78x to 6.31x",
          "Above cohort": "25 of 29",
          "Median ask": "$14.67"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Set-balanced ranking, median of each species' per-set medians, ranks 1 to 12",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Species",
        "Sets",
        "Set-balanced premium",
        "Rank on the straight median"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "1",
          "Species": "[Gengar](/card/base3-5)",
          "Sets": "32",
          "Set-balanced premium": "14.68x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "2"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "2",
          "Species": "[Charizard](/card/base1-4)",
          "Sets": "47",
          "Set-balanced premium": "11.85x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "3"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "3",
          "Species": "Umbreon",
          "Sets": "26",
          "Set-balanced premium": "8.71x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "4"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "4",
          "Species": "Squirtle",
          "Sets": "25",
          "Set-balanced premium": "8.43x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "6"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "5",
          "Species": "Rayquaza",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Set-balanced premium": "7.86x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "11"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "6",
          "Species": "Mew",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Set-balanced premium": "7.63x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "5"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "7",
          "Species": "Dragonite",
          "Sets": "30",
          "Set-balanced premium": "7.59x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "9"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "8",
          "Species": "Pikachu",
          "Sets": "84",
          "Set-balanced premium": "7.09x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "14"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "9",
          "Species": "Snorlax",
          "Sets": "44",
          "Set-balanced premium": "6.55x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "7"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "10",
          "Species": "Lugia",
          "Sets": "25",
          "Set-balanced premium": "6.28x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "10"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "11",
          "Species": "Psyduck",
          "Sets": "29",
          "Set-balanced premium": "6.28x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "8"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "12",
          "Species": "Bulbasaur",
          "Sets": "23",
          "Set-balanced premium": "5.62x",
          "Rank on the straight median": "12"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "The same ranking under four rebuilds, top five of each; the last three report a species at ten printings, not twenty",
      "columns": [
        "Rebuild",
        "1st",
        "2nd",
        "3rd",
        "4th",
        "5th"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rebuild": "As published, 302 species",
          "1st": "Ditto 11.78x",
          "2nd": "Gengar 11.31x",
          "3rd": "Charizard 8.96x",
          "4th": "Umbreon 8.19x",
          "5th": "Mew 7.63x"
        },
        {
          "Rebuild": "Set-balanced, 302 species",
          "1st": "Gengar 14.68x",
          "2nd": "Charizard 11.85x",
          "3rd": "Umbreon 8.71x",
          "4th": "Squirtle 8.43x",
          "5th": "Rayquaza 7.86x"
        },
        {
          "Rebuild": "WotC cards only, 19 species at 10+ printings",
          "1st": "Charizard 8.55x",
          "2nd": "Pikachu 6.74x",
          "3rd": "Mewtwo 4.04x",
          "4th": "Haunter 2.59x",
          "5th": "Growlithe 2.56x"
        },
        {
          "Rebuild": "SV, SWSH and Mega only, 170 species at 10+",
          "1st": "Gengar 10.15x",
          "2nd": "Charizard 8.18x",
          "3rd": "Mew 7.90x",
          "4th": "Umbreon 6.70x",
          "5th": "Lugia 5.56x"
        },
        {
          "Rebuild": "Commons and uncommons only, 355 species at 10+",
          "1st": "Ditto 30.97x",
          "2nd": "Squirtle 8.55x",
          "3rd": "Pikachu 8.16x",
          "4th": "Bulbasaur 6.77x",
          "5th": "Psyduck 6.28x"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Species by median cohort premium, ranks 293 to 302 of 302",
      "columns": [
        "Rank",
        "Species",
        "Printings",
        "Premium",
        "Above cohort",
        "Median ask"
      ],
      "rows": [
        {
          "Rank": "293",
          "Species": "[Lanturn](/card/ecard2-H15)",
          "Printings": "25",
          "Premium": "0.56x",
          "Above cohort": "5 of 25",
          "Median ask": "$1.04"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "294",
          "Species": "[Malamar](/card/xy4-115)",
          "Printings": "21",
          "Premium": "0.55x",
          "Above cohort": "4 of 21",
          "Median ask": "$0.49"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "295",
          "Species": "[Shiftry](/card/ex16-97)",
          "Printings": "23",
          "Premium": "0.54x",
          "Above cohort": "3 of 23",
          "Median ask": "$1.48"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "296",
          "Species": "[Heatran](/card/ru1-4)",
          "Printings": "24",
          "Premium": "0.52x",
          "Above cohort": "2 of 24",
          "Median ask": "$1.82"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "297",
          "Species": "[Bronzong](/card/hgss4-15)",
          "Printings": "29",
          "Premium": "0.50x",
          "Above cohort": "5 of 29",
          "Median ask": "$0.41"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "298",
          "Species": "[Toxicroak](/card/dpp-DP41)",
          "Printings": "21",
          "Premium": "0.49x",
          "Above cohort": "3 of 21",
          "Median ask": "$0.44"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "299",
          "Species": "[Forretress](/card/ecard3-H08)",
          "Printings": "21",
          "Premium": "0.48x",
          "Above cohort": "2 of 21",
          "Median ask": "$1.34"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "300",
          "Species": "[Bronzor](/card/sv05-170)",
          "Printings": "23",
          "Premium": "0.47x",
          "Above cohort": "2 of 23",
          "Median ask": "$0.14"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "301",
          "Species": "[Claydol](/card/ex16-93)",
          "Printings": "22",
          "Premium": "0.45x",
          "Above cohort": "4 of 22",
          "Median ask": "$0.63"
        },
        {
          "Rank": "302",
          "Species": "[Camerupt](/card/ex9-92)",
          "Printings": "26",
          "Premium": "0.44x",
          "Above cohort": "4 of 26",
          "Median ask": "$1.20"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "charts": [
    {
      "title": "The twelve highest species premiums, median ask against the same set and rarity",
      "unit": "x",
      "note": "302 species with 20 or more printings in a cohort, English asks, September 22 2026",
      "points": [
        {
          "label": "Ditto",
          "value": 11.78,
          "basis": "26 printings, 10 of them from one set"
        },
        {
          "label": "Gengar",
          "value": 11.31,
          "basis": "43 printings, 32 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Charizard",
          "value": 8.96,
          "basis": "83 printings, 47 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Umbreon",
          "value": 8.19,
          "basis": "41 printings, 26 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mew",
          "value": 7.63,
          "basis": "40 printings, 29 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Squirtle",
          "value": 6.66,
          "basis": "30 printings, 25 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Snorlax",
          "value": 6.55,
          "basis": "53 printings, 44 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Psyduck",
          "value": 6.23,
          "basis": "34 printings, 29 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Dragonite",
          "value": 6.12,
          "basis": "45 printings, 30 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lugia",
          "value": 5.9,
          "basis": "36 printings, 25 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Rayquaza",
          "value": 5.89,
          "basis": "52 printings, 29 sets"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bulbasaur",
          "value": 5.51,
          "basis": "28 printings, 23 sets"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sections": [
    "The method, in one sentence",
    "The top twenty, in order",
    "Why Ditto is first and why that is a warning",
    "Three ways this could be wrong",
    "The bottom of the list",
    "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. 63,600 catalog rows; 11,881 carry no TCGplayer product id and cannot be priced; the remaining rows collapse to 50,507 products after deduplicating the 1,212 product ids that two catalog rows each claim. 21,422 English products carry an ask. Prices are ASKS, the most recent daily market figure for the product, and 52,309 of the 52,656 priced products across both languages were written on day 20718 itself, so the evaluation day is complete rather than stitched. Cohort: every other English priced product in the same `set_name` at the same `rarity` label, with a null rarity forming its own per-set cohort; a product needs ten other members to receive a ratio, which admits 20,246 products in 604 cohorts and drops 1,176. The ratio is the product's ask divided by the leave-one-out median of its cohort, so the population median ratio is 1.0000 by construction. Species: the 1,025 names in our `pokemon_indices` table, with both the dex name and the card name folded to one canonical key (NFD, accents stripped, the gender signs folded to f and m, apostrophes, periods and colons deleted, other non-alphanumeric runs collapsed to a single separator), parenthetical catalog annotations removed first, and the longest key consumed first. 17,852 English priced products name exactly one species, 3,441 name none (trainers, energy, items and stadiums) and 129 name two or more and are excluded. A species is reported at twenty or more printings inside a cohort, which gives 302. The median ask column in every table here is taken over a species' MEASURED printings rather than over every priced printing it has, which is why Eevee reads $4.92 in this study and $4.98 in [every Eeveelution ranked](/articles/eeveelutions-ranked-raw-and-graded), where the same column is defined over all priced printings. Medians are upper-middle on even samples, quartiles are nearest-rank, and ties in every ranking break on the species key ascending. The set-balanced ranking covers the same 302 species at the same twenty-printing bar, and so does the drop-the-dearest-printing check. The other three rebuilds apply the identical construction to a filtered population and rebuild the cohorts inside it rather than reusing the full-population ratios, but they report a species at TEN printings rather than twenty, and that single changed parameter is what produces the 19, 170 and 355 species counts beside them. At the published twenty-printing bar those three rebuilds report one species (Unown, 0.94x), eleven species (led by Charizard at 8.18x, with Gengar short of the bar) and 94 species (led by Squirtle at 8.55x, with Ditto short of it); the figures printed above are the ten-printing versions and are labelled as such. 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."
}