Pokémon Alt Art Cards: Illustration Rare Values
Special illustration rares, illustration rares and trainer gallery cards, priced from live market data. Updated Oct 5, 2026.
Most valuable alt art cards right now
How to tell if a card is an alt art
- Art that runs past the frame. On an alt art the illustration fills the whole card. There is no separate picture box.
- Collector number above the set count. Illustration rares and special illustration rares are numbered after the main set, for example 199/165.
- Rarity symbol. Scarlet & Violet uses one gold star for illustration rares and two gold stars for special illustration rares.
- TG prefix. Trainer Gallery cards from Sword & Shield sets are numbered TG01 to TG30.
Alt art cards by type
| Type | Cards | Typical value | Top card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special illustration rares | 232 | $30.96 | $1,200 |
| Illustration rares | 511 | $10.17 | $315.17 |
| Trainer Gallery cards (Sword & Shield) | 80 | $3.39 | $54.32 |
Typical value is the median raw price across every priced card of that type.
Special illustration rares
Special illustration rares are full-card artworks, usually of an ex Pokémon or a trainer, printed with textured foil. They are the chase cards of every Scarlet & Violet and Mega Evolution set.
Illustration rares
Illustration rares give a regular Pokémon a full-art scene that runs past the frame. They are pulled far more often than special illustration rares, so most sell for a few dollars, with a handful of popular Pokémon well above that.
| Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magikarp #203 | Paldea Evolved | $315.17 | $2,778 |
| Seismitoad #105 | Black Bolt | $189.16 | $1,708 |
| Groudon #199 | Paradox Rift | $99.82 | $463.52 |
| Magikarp #PAL203 | 30th Celebration | $97.87 | - |
| Raichu #211 | Paldea Evolved | $86.59 | $806.26 |
| Squirtle #148 | Stellar Crown | $83.97 | $269.16 |
| Bulbasaur #143 | Stellar Crown | $83.87 | $254.76 |
| Gastly #177 | Temporal Forces | $82.80 | $493.42 |
| Maushold #226 | Paldea Evolved | $81.59 | $1,348 |
| Charmander #168 | 151 | $79.53 | $67.23 |
| Eevee #188 | Twilight Masquerade | $77.18 | $230.38 |
| Squirtle #170 | 151 | $76.85 | $343.68 |
| Oshawott #105 | White Flare | $74.98 | $805.82 |
| Pikachu #173 | 151 | $68.11 | $156.94 |
| Bulbasaur #166 | 151 | $67.18 | $61.86 |
| Zoroark #143 | White Flare | $66.49 | $356.66 |
| Persian #78 | Shrouded Fable | $64.01 | $313.00 |
| Tyranitar #222 | Paldea Evolved | $63.48 | $558.20 |
| Chandelure #103 | White Flare | $60.26 | $224.79 |
| Haxorus #147 | Black Bolt | $55.58 | $320.75 |
| Psyduck #175 | 151 | $52.76 | $96.75 |
| Wartortle #171 | 151 | $52.49 | $79.16 |
| Volcarona #100 | Black Bolt | $51.86 | $909.09 |
| Morpeko #206 | Paradox Rift | $51.50 | $191.32 |
| Drowzee #210 | Scarlet & Violet | $50.32 | $666.96 |
Trainer Gallery cards (Sword & Shield)
Trainer Gallery cards show a Pokémon with its trainer in a full-art scene. They appeared in Brilliant Stars, Astral Radiance, Lost Origin and Silver Tempest, numbered with a TG prefix.
| Card | Set | Raw | PSA 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mew #GG10 | Crown Zenith | $54.32 | $451.89 |
| Gengar #TG06 | Lost Origin | $40.07 | $467.57 |
| Pikachu #GG30 | Crown Zenith | $36.84 | $356.54 |
| Pikachu #TG05 | Lost Origin | $33.19 | $577.01 |
| Charizard #TG03 | Lost Origin | $23.22 | $317.81 |
| Lapras #GG05 | Crown Zenith | $14.42 | $276.37 |
| Vaporeon #TG02 | Brilliant Stars | $14.18 | $310.10 |
| Flareon #TG01 | Brilliant Stars | $13.79 | $373.05 |
| Snorlax #TG10 | Lost Origin | $13.41 | - |
| Eevee #TG11 | Brilliant Stars | $13.19 | $288.50 |
| Ditto #GG22 | Crown Zenith | $12.79 | $632.86 |
| Latias #GG20 | Crown Zenith | $11.91 | $348.44 |
| Keldeo #GG07 | Crown Zenith | $11.16 | $134.32 |
| Miltank #GG24 | Crown Zenith | $11.13 | $250.45 |
| Zekrom #TG05 | Brilliant Stars | $10.92 | $291.59 |
| Deoxys #GG12 | Crown Zenith | $10.68 | $301.36 |
| Jolteon #TG04 | Brilliant Stars | $10.65 | $257.18 |
| Kingdra #TG03 | Astral Radiance | $8.03 | $358.87 |
| Magmortar #GG03 | Crown Zenith | $6.91 | $172.77 |
| Altaria #GG19 | Crown Zenith | $6.71 | $205.59 |
| Turtwig #GG31 | Crown Zenith | $6.69 | $263.56 |
| Riolu #GG26 | Crown Zenith | $6.62 | $113.54 |
| Electivire #GG08 | Crown Zenith | $5.68 | $245.32 |
| Absol #GG16 | Crown Zenith | $5.23 | - |
| Gardevoir #TG05 | Silver Tempest | $5.18 | $158.78 |
Sets with the most valuable alt art cards
| Set | Alt art cards | Combined value |
|---|---|---|
| Prismatic Evolutions | 32 | $4,017 |
| Ascended Heroes | 55 | $3,688 |
| Black Bolt | 76 | $1,865 |
| White Flare | 76 | $1,712 |
| Paldea Evolved | 51 | $1,467 |
| 151 | 23 | $1,311 |
| Destined Rivals | 34 | $1,206 |
| Paldean Fates | 11 | $1,201 |
| Twilight Masquerade | 32 | $942.44 |
| 30th Celebration | 29 | $901.91 |
| Paradox Rift | 49 | $888.55 |
| Surging Sparks | 34 | $843.11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable alt art Pokémon card on October 5, 2026?
Umbreon ex #161 from Prismatic Evolutions leads at about $1,200 raw and $5,233 in PSA 10. Prices on this page refresh hourly.
What is an alternate art Pokémon card?
An alternate art, often called an alt art, shows a Pokémon or character in a distinctive scene instead of using the set's standard artwork. The term is informal and covers several official rarities from different eras. Collectors commonly use it for Sword and Shield alternate arts, Scarlet and Violet illustration rares, and similar visually focused cards.
What is the difference between an illustration rare and a special illustration rare?
In Scarlet and Violet sets, illustration rares usually feature Pokémon with full card artwork and a single gold rarity star. Special illustration rares generally feature Pokémon ex or Supporter cards with textured artwork and two gold stars. Check the rarity symbol near the collector number, since visual appearance alone can be misleading.
Are Trainer Gallery cards considered alt arts?
Many collectors group Trainer Gallery cards with alt arts because they feature full card scenes involving Pokémon and Trainers. Officially, Trainer Gallery is a special subset found in certain Sword and Shield expansions. Its cards have numbers beginning with TG, such as TG01, rather than the numbering used by the expansion's main set.
How can I tell if a Pokémon card is an alt art?
Start with the card name, collector number, rarity symbol, and set symbol. Search that exact combination in the set checklist. Alternate artwork often depicts a detailed scene and may have a collector number beyond the regular set total, but that is not universal. Compare the card with other versions of the same Pokémon rather than relying only on its artwork.
What is the difference between Trainer Gallery and Galarian Gallery cards?
Trainer Gallery cards appear in selected Sword and Shield sets and use TG collector numbers. Galarian Gallery cards are exclusive to Crown Zenith and use GG numbers. Both galleries include scene based Pokémon artwork and cards featuring Trainers, but they are separate subsets with different checklists, pull rates, and market values. The prefix is the quickest way to distinguish them.
Why do Pokémon alt art card values change so much?
Alt art values react to collector demand, pull difficulty, available supply, featured Pokémon, competitive use, and grading results. Prices can also move when a set leaves stores or receives a reprint. Use recent sold listings for the exact language, set number, and condition. Asking prices are less reliable because they show what sellers want, not what buyers paid.
Does condition matter more for alt art Pokémon cards?
Condition can have a major effect because alt arts are often collected for display and grading. Check the front and back for whitening, scratches, dents, print lines, edge wear, and poor centering. A small dent can matter more than light corner wear. Sleeve valuable pulls promptly, but remember that pack fresh cards are not automatically gem mint.
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