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


Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Darkness Ablaze In May 2023

Our monthly Pokémon TCG Value Watch notes a slight drop in value for the Charizard VMAX from Darkness Ablaze in May 2023.


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 May 2023.

Darkness Ablaze top card. Credit: Pokémon TCG
Darkness Ablaze top 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: $28.93
  2. Salamence VMAX Rainbow Rare 194/189: $8.72
  3. Eternatus VMAX Rainbow Rare 192/189: $8.51
  4. Scizor VMAX Rainbow Rare 193/189: $7.88
  5. Butterfree VMAX Rainbow Rare 190/189: $7.74
  6. Centiskorch VMAX Rainbow Rare 191/189: $7.25
  7. Shiny Rillaboom Gold Secret Rare 197/189: $6.76
  8. Shiny Coalossal Gold Secret Rare 198/189: $6.01
  9. Capture Energy Gold Secret Rare 201/189: $4.24
  10. Charizard V 019/189: $4.01

Charizard VMAX is the closest thing to a chase card, and has now fallen under $30. This comes after a $4 drop last month. The other cards of this set have also dropped a bit, but that can be chalked up to market oscillation. This set has mostly bottomed out. We have yet to see any major rise as Sword & Shield – Darkness Ablaze starts to become an older Pokémon TCG set.

Be sure to check Bleeding Cool every day to follow our in-depth Pokémon TCG coverage as we explore the hobby's past, present, and even future with upcoming set reveals.


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.