Posted in: Card Games, Games, Heritage Sponsored, Pokémon TCG, Sponsored, Tabletop | Tagged: heritage, pokemon, pokemon cards, raichu, sponsored

The First Ever Secret Rare Pokémon Card Hits Auction

Published Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:10:30 -0600

by Theo Dwyer

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Secret Rare Pokémon cards have become a constant in the Pokémon TCG. What makes a Secret Rare card special is that its numbering is greater than that of the total set. For example, the most recent expansion, Sword & Shield: Vivid Voltage, "officially" had 185 cards, but collectors will be able to find cards such as the Pikachu VMAX Rainbow Rare numbered 188/185 and the Telescopic Sight Gold Trainer card numbered 203/185. Sets these days often have over a dozen Secret Rares, but that wasn't always the case. The very first Secret Rare Pokémon card debuted in the fifth main expansion, Team Rocket. Numbered 83/82, the Dark Raichu card introduced the idea of this special kind of pull, which has now impacted the collector's market for over twenty-three years. Routinely, these cards are the most coveted in their sets due to their rarity. Now, at a time when Pokémon TCG is skyrocketing with investors and collectors alike, prices on vintage cards, including these Secret Rares, is on the rise. What better time, then, to act and get a graded version of Dark Raichu, the first-ever Secret Rare, while it is still obtainable? Today, this card can be yours thanks to Heritage Auctions.

Dark Raichu Secret Rare for auction. Credit: Heritage

Pokémon Dark Raichu #83 Unlimited Team Rocket Set Rare Hologram Trading Card (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) BGS MINT 9.

The Team Rocket Set was released on April 24, 2000 and it sure was a special one! The thing that made this set so iconic was that it was the first time the Pokémon Trading Card Game featured a secret rare card, Dark Raichu 83/82! You guessed it, that is the card featured in this lot, Dark Raichu graded by BGS MINT 9. The subgrades are centering (9.5), edges (9), corners (8.5), and surface (9). The artwork is done by Mitsuhiro Arita. BGS has certified 35 copies of this card to date, with 13 earning MINT 9 grade and 8 graded higher. Not listed on the SMR Price Guide. Make sure you don't overlook this iconic card!

Bid for Dark Raichu now over at Heritage Auctions.