Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: , , , ,


Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Darkness Ablaze In January 2023

Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Darkness Ablaze sees the Charizard VMAX drop as other cards slightly rise in this relatively weak set.


The Pokémon TCG is an ever-changing and unpredictable market. Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more. For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became difficult to find. Now that the hype is settling down, let's see where modern sets stand. Every month, I will do an installment of this series, Pokémon TCG Value Watch. This series is not financial advice but is rather a way to help collectors know the trajectory of a card's availability so that Pokémon TCG completionists like myself know when to strike. Today, let's see how the cards of Sword & Shield – Darkness Ablaze, which came out in August 2020, are doing now in January 2023.

Darkness Ablaze logo and card. Credit: Pokémon TCG
Darkness Ablaze logo and card. Credit: Pokémon TCG

Here are the top valued cards of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Darkness Ablaze with market values observed on TCGPlayer as of this writing:

  1. Charizard VMAX 020/189: $41.16
  2. Capture Energy Gold Secret Rare 201/189: $10.92
  3. Eternatus VMAX Rainbow Rare 192/189: $9.80
  4. Salamence VMAX Rainbow Rare 194/189: $8.97
  5. Scizor VMAX Rainbow Rare 193/189: $7.97
  6. Butterfree VMAX Rainbow Rare 190/189: $7.73
  7. Shiny Rillaboom Gold Secret Rare 197/189: $7.87
  8. Charizard V 019/189: $7.54
  9. Centiskorch VMAX Rainbow Rare 191/189: $6.64
  10. Big Parasol Gold Secret Rare 199/189: $6.08

Charizard VMAX is the only thing even close to a chase card in this set and, before now, was the only card in the set over $40. As of last month, it sat at $41. It has now fallen $6, putting it in the mid-$30s.

The rest of the cards in this set are up between $1 and $2 except for the Charizard V which remains steady. If you are hoping to complete this set by purchasing the cards as singles, there is no need to wait. This set cannot possibly crash further. As the weakest main series set of the Sword & Shield era, these prices don't seem intent on rising.


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Theo DwyerAbout Theo Dwyer

Theo Dwyer writes about comics, film, and games.
Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.