Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Destined Rivals, pokemon, pokemon cards, Scarlet & Violet

Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Destined Rivals in January 2026

Our monthly Pokémon TCG Value Watch series observes the Team Rocket-themed set Scarlet & Violet - Destined Rivals in January 2026.

The Pokémon TCG is an ever-changing and unpredictable market. Over the past year, we have witnessed a significant surge of renewed interest in the hobby. The hype around the Alternate Arts of the Sword & Shield era and the Illustration Rares of the Scarlet & Violet era now continues in the new era, Mega Evolution. The Mega Evolution era continues the popular Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards while introducing Gold Hyper Rares as the rarest type of card that can be pulled from a booster pack. As packs become more and more difficult to get, it seems that the hobby is more popular than ever. Every month, I will do an installment of this series, Pokémon TCG Value Watch, to track the collector's market of modern sets. 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. Should you buy singles or packs? Is that chase card obtainable? Let's find out. Today, let's see how the cards of Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals, which came out in May 2025, are doing now in January 2026.

Here are the top valued cards of Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Destined Rivals, with market values observed on TCGPlayer as of this writing:

1. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex Special Illustration Rare 231/182: $413.26
2. Cynthia's Garchomp ex Special Illustration Rare 232/182: $193.67
3. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex Special Illustration Rare 230/182: $143.79
4. Team Rocket's Moltres ex Special Illustration Rare 229/182: $115.58
5. Team Rocket's Nidoking ex Special Illustration Rare 233/182: $91.13
6. Team Rocket's Crobat ex Special Illustration Rare 234/182: $66.74
7. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex Gold Hyper Rare 240/182: $51.42
8. Ethan's Adventure Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 236/182: $42.79
9. Misty's Psyduck Illustration Rare 193/182: $41.46
10. Cynthia's Garchomp ex Gold Hyper Rare 241/182: $28.43
11. Team Rocket's Giovanni Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 238/182: $27.12
12. Arven's Mabosstiff ex Illustration Rare 235/182: $25.15
13. Team Rocket's Ariana Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 237/182: $24.66
14. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex Gold Hyper Rare 239/182: $24.55
15. Ethan's Typhlosion Illustration Rare 190/182: $22.66

While the Mega Evolution-era chase cards are decreasing a bit in value this month, this late Scarlet & Violet-era set has seen a slight increase in its top card, Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex Special Illustration Rare. It increased in value by just $8 but still, it goes against the trend of newer sets evening out with dropping values within their first year on the market. Most of the rest of the set's top 15 most valuable cards retained their value as well, either dropping or increasing by a few dollars.

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.

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