Kecleon isn't a headline character, which is exactly why this move matters. It says the market is hunting condition-sensitive cards with room to run, not just mascot names. PSA 10 average is $103.22, so even after the jump, the spread still attracts graders.
The Journal
Zubat Reverse Holo looks absurd on paper.Zubat [Reverse Holo] · Pokemon Delta SpeciesNM$20.74PSA 10$764.37+8.7%
Raichu BREAK still has real slab juice.Raichu BREAK · Pokemon BREAKthroughNM$10.67PSA 10$667.60+16.6%
Daily Market Brief
Sep 16, 2026No. 1696 min read
Scarce singles keep running while ripping stays bad
Vintage oddballs and hard PSA 10s lead again, while pack EV stays stuck at 0.73x
The same split market from yesterday is still in place, and it's getting harder to ignore. Scarce singles, especially weird vintage names and low-supply modern cards with real slab upside, kept ripping higher, while opening sealed product still looks like a losing bet with the best pack EV stuck at just 0.73x for Destined Rivals and Journey Together.
That combo tells you collectors are paying for rarity and grading potential, not for rip value. When Beedrill from Base Set can nearly triple in a month while newer chase variants like Groudon Master Ball get cut in half, the market is choosing scarcity over hype very clearly.
Top stories
Older low-pop singles are still the cleanest winners.
Liepard from White Flare jumped 148.28% in 30 days to $46.18, with PSA 10s averaging $367.62. Sunkern from Skyridge climbed 149.57% to $9.89, and Base Set Beedrill rose 147.62% to $6.12. These aren't random spikes from one corner of the market. They fit the same pattern we saw yesterday, buyers are reaching for cards that feel scarce, look cheap raw, and have a much bigger ceiling in a slab.
Modern and recent promo losers are getting repriced fast.
Groudon Master Ball from Prismatic Evolutions fell 48.62% to $10.31. Mega Lucario ex promo dropped 48.72% to $10.35. That's not a small cooldown, that's a hard reset. The market is punishing cards that ran ahead of actual collector conviction, especially if supply keeps showing up or the card doesn't have enough long-term set prestige behind it.
Japanese nostalgia names are soft, not strong, right now.
Jirachi GX from Tag All Stars fell 48.37% to $83.17. Lickitung from Japanese Southern Island dropped 48.75% to $13.69. Pikachu 1st Edition from Japanese 20th Anniversary slid 48.74% to $16.11. Normally those names can hold attention on character strength alone, but today's tape says buyers are being picky. If a Japanese card isn't truly scarce or doesn't have fresh demand behind it, it's getting sold.
Sealed math still isn't helping booster demand.
Destined Rivals and Journey Together both sit at a 0.73x pack EV ratio, with negative 27.0% margin. Crown Zenith is lower at 0.65x, with a negative 35.0% margin. That's a big reason singles are acting better than boxes. If ripping a pack still destroys value on average, buyers who want specific cards are better off buying the single, and sellers cracking product need a monster hit rate just to stay even.
Social chatter is thin, but what little there is leans cautious.
Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle was the only item with improving sentiment, scoring 80.0, though on just one mention. On the flip side, Blastoise Staff, Yveltal EX, Pikachu Reverse Holo, and Magikarp & Wailord GX all showed negative sentiment shifts. The sample is tiny, so this isn't a broad crowd signal yet, but it does match the price action, collectors are not blindly chasing every recognizable card right now.
Today's movers90 day trend
Gainers
Groudon Master Ball, Prismatic Evolutions, $10.31, down 48.62%Groudon [Master Ball] · Pokemon Prismatic EvolutionsNM$10.31PSA 10$220.73+0.7%
Vintage commons and uncommons from tough sets are still getting picked over. A sub-$10 Skyridge card with a PSA 10 average of $252.98 will keep drawing attention as long as collectors believe near-mint copies are scarcer than the sticker price suggests.
Groudon Master Ball, Prismatic Evolutions, $10.31, down 48.62%Groudon [Master Ball] · Pokemon Prismatic EvolutionsNM$10.31PSA 10$220.73+0.7%This looks like a hype unwind more than a collapse in long-term interest. The raw got crushed, but PSA 10 average is still $220.73. That gap is huge. If raw copies settle and condition quality is decent, this may turn into a better grading story than a singles hold story.
Decliners
Liepard, White Flare, $46.18, up 148.28% in 30 daysLiepard · Pokemon White FlareNM$46.18PSA 10$367.62-5.7%
Mega Lucario ex promo, $10.35, down 48.72%Mega Lucario ex · Pokemon Mega Evolution PromoNM$10.35PSA 10$103.80-51.6%
Liepard, White Flare, $46.18, up 148.28% in 30 daysLiepard · Pokemon White FlareNM$46.18PSA 10$367.62-5.7%This is the kind of move that gets dismissed as random until it happens for a month straight. The raw is no longer cheap, but with PSA 10s averaging $367.62, buyers are still underwriting slab upside. If clean raws dry up, this can hold higher than people expect.
Mega Lucario ex promo, $10.35, down 48.72%Mega Lucario ex · Pokemon Mega Evolution PromoNM$10.35PSA 10$103.80-51.6%Promos can fall fast when early excitement fades. At this raw level, though, a PSA 10 average of $103.80 keeps it relevant. I wouldn't chase loose copies blindly, but clean promos at this price start to look worth sorting through.
Grading spotlight90 day trend
Zubat Reverse Holo looks absurd on paper.Zubat [Reverse Holo] · Pokemon Delta SpeciesNM$20.74PSA 10$764.37+8.7%Raw copies average $20.74, while PSA 10s average $764.37. That's a 792% ROI before grading fees and shipping, with a 26.0% gem rate. The gem rate isn't easy, but it isn't impossible either. This is exactly the kind of card bulk box hunters should be pulling aside.
Raichu BREAK still has real slab juice.Raichu BREAK · Pokemon BREAKthroughNM$10.67PSA 10$667.60+16.6%Raw is $10.67, PSA 10 average is $667.60, and implied ROI sits at 782%. The gem rate is 28.9%, which is actually better than some of the other big spread candidates on today's list. That's a strong mix of low entry price and realistic PSA 10 odds.
Also worth checking if you already own them.
Alakazam sits at $14.99 raw versus $426.07 in PSA 10, a 788% ROI, though the gem rate is a tougher 22.4%. Spearow Reverse Holo is $10.89 raw and $669.44 in PSA 10, also 782% ROI, but with a rougher 18.5% gem rate. Great upside, just be picky.
Community Pulse
Conversation looks light this morning, but the tone is telling. The only positive swing came from Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle, and even that was based on just one mention, so I wouldn't overreact.
Most of the named chatter leaned negative, with Blastoise Staff, Yveltal EX, Pikachu Reverse Holo, and Magikarp & Wailord GX all slipping in sentiment. That lines up with the broader mood, collectors are still engaged, but they're buying selectively and cutting cards that don't feel scarce enough or special enough.
Pokemon TCGSeptember 16 2026Liepard White FlareGroudon Master BallPokemon card gradingsealed pack EVSkyridge SunkernPSA 10 spreads
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