DALLAS, TEXAS.- A sealed Pokémon booster box sold for $264,000 to lead Heritage Auctions' Trading Card Games SignatureŽ Auction to $2,026,326 Dec. 2-3. Nearly 1,200 global bidders joined in on the event, which generated perfect sell-through rates of 100% by value and by lots sold.

"The Pokémon market has been on a downward trend for most of 2022, so it was pleasurable to see a rebound," says Jesus Garcia, Consignment Director of Trading Card Games at Heritage Auctions. "First Edition booster boxes like this are becoming increasingly rare, especially those that are still sealed and in such good condition, and the $60,000 increase from since June reflects that."

The Pokémon First Edition Base Set Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) drew more than a dozen bids as it raced past its pre-auction estimate. When first released, the game featured 102 cards, including the über-popular Charizard card. The rarity of booster boxes like the one offered in this auction can be attributed, at least in part, to the low print run. Few remain sealed, and even more elusive are those that ever make it to market.

One of the most desirable cards in the Pokémon TCG, a Pokémon Charizard 4 Shadowless Base Set PSA Trading Card Game GEM MT 10 (The Pokémon Company, 1999) Rare, Holo nearly tripled its pre-auction estimate when it brought a winning bid of $72,000. The card features the hottest Pokémon in the franchise, Charizard, and is from the second print run of the Base Set known as "Shadowless," a description applied because cards like this one do not have the traditional shadow — added for the Unlimited Edition — on the right and bottom border of the picture area.

Another top Pokémon lot and one of the rarest of all Pokémon cards was the Pokémon Family Event Kangaskhan Trophy Card Promo 115 Parent/Child Mega Battle PSA Trading Card Game MINT 9 (The Pokémon Company, 1998) that drew 22 bids before closing at $66,000. The tournament was unique because it paired parents with their children on teams; teams that won a specified number of battles were awarded this card. The Pokémon showcased on the card is Kangaskhan, who carries its infant inside its pouch, a perfect fit for the tournament's theme. The card is one of a select few that features the original Pocket Monsters Trading Card Game logo as the set symbol, intended only to be used on the rarest of all Pokémon cards.

Thirty-nine bids poured in for a 2013 Pokémon World Championships No. 1 Trainer Trophy Card PSA Trading Card Game MINT 9 (The Pokémon Company, 2013) Holo until it reached $63,000. This card is one of the rarest and most sought-after cards in the Pokémon TCG, one of six cards awarded to the first-place winners of the 2013 World Championships. The stunning artwork shows a triumphant Pikachu holding the first-place gold trophy. The half-art style used here was used from 2004 through 2013, making this the last example of the style before it changed to full-art in 2014.

Magic: The Gathering
Pokémon, of course, is not the only trading card game that drew collectors to the event. A Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Limited Edition (Alpha) BGS Trading Card Game MINT 9 (Wizards of the Coast, 1993) Rare — part of the most powerful group of cards in the entire game, known as the "Power Nine" — rode the momentum of 30 bids all the way to $174,000. With a print run of 1,100 copies, this card is scarce in any condition, let alone in MINT condition. BGS has certified 68 copies earning MINT 9 grade and 46 graded higher. A Magic: The Gathering Limited Edition (Alpha) Sealed Starter Deck (Wizards of the Coast, 1993) drew a winning bid of $81,000 — the same result price paid for a Magic: The Gathering Antiquities Edition Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 1994); "Antiquities" is the second expansion set to be released for the Magic: The Gathering game.

Also drawing the attention — and bids (39) — of those taking part in the auction was a Magic: The Gathering Collectors' Edition Artist Proof Uncut Sheets Group of 3 (Wizards of the Coast, 1993) Rare, Uncommon, Common, which sold for $105,000. The lot includes three sheets: rare, uncommon and common. It is worth noting that the rare sheet contains the "Power Nine" cards, the most powerful in the MTG game. The sheet also contains all of the dual land cards, which are highly sought by many collectors. The white backing on the sheets verifies that they are artist-proofs.

Yu-Gi-Oh!
The auction included 64 lots from the trading card game based on the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Takahashi. Top lots from the game included, but were not limited to:

A Dark Magician EN001 KC Grand Tournament 2nd Place Prize Card Trading Card Game (Konami, 2021) Extra Secret Rare: $38,400

A First-Edition Legend of Blue Eyes Set Sealed Booster Box (Konami, 2002): $18,000

An Exodia the Forbidden One 120-124 First-Edition Legend of Blue Eyes Group of 5 PSA Trading Card Game GEM MT 10 (Konami, 2002) Ultra Rare: $13,200

A Cyber-Stein EN001 Shonen Jump Championship Series PSA Trading Card Game GEM MT 10 (Konami, 2004) Ultra Rare: $12,600.

Complete results can be found at HA.com/7291.