The original Base Set Magneton from the 1999 Pokemon TCG, card number 9/102, is seeing its price climb across all grades like raw, PSA 8, PSA 9, and PSA 10. This holo rare features the three floating magnets with electric sparks, a classic from the very first set that kicked off the collecting craze.
One big reason for the rise is simple supply and demand. Base Set cards are over 25 years old now, and high-grade copies in PSA 10 or BGS 9.5 are super rare because early print runs had issues like centering problems and print defects. As more collectors chase perfect gems, prices for even mid-grades like PSA 7 or 8 shoot up too. Check sites like TCGPlayer, where the market price for the Base Set holo sits at $15.47, with listings starting from $3.75 but raw near mint copies often fetching more in auctionshttps://www.tcgplayer.com/search/pokemon/all?q=Magneton+Base&productLineName=pokemon&setName=all&view=grid&page=1.
Nostalgia plays a huge part. Kids who grew up with Base Set in the late 90s are now adults with money to spend. They remember opening packs for Magneton as part of the Magnemite evolution line, tying into electric decks that were strong back then. This wave of “adult collectors” bids up everything from shadowless versions to 1st edition, pushing costs across grades.
Recent market trends show steady growth. While newer sets like 2025 Mega Evolution Magneton #046/132 have flat prices with no sales or $0 changes in raw lightly playedhttps://www.sportscardinvestor.com/cards/magneton-pokemon/2025-mega-evolution-base-046-132, the original Base Set keeps climbing because it’s irreplaceable. Graded populations are low, so when a fresh PSA 9 or 10 pops up, it sells fast at premiums. Even reverse holo modern variants stay cheap, highlighting how vintage ruleshttps://www.sportscardinvestor.com/cards/magneton-pokemon/2025-mega-evolution-reverse-holo-046-132.
Pokemon’s ongoing popularity helps too. Games like Pokemon TCG Pocket feature Magneton as a high-rarity card needing 1200 Shinedust to trade, sparking interest in its real-world versionshttps://game8.co/games/Pokemon-TCG-Pocket/archives/476099. Plus, related cards like Magnemite 1st Edition PSA 9 list high, showing the whole line gains valuehttps://www.walmart.com/ip/2025-Pokemon-136-131-Eri-Ultra-Rare-PSA-10/17696303619.
Investors watch this closely, as Base Set commons and rares alike rise when the hobby heats up. All grades benefit because raw cards get slabbed, tightening supply further.
Sources
https://www.sportscardinvestor.com/cards/magneton-pokemon/2025-mega-evolution-base-046-132
https://www.sportscardinvestor.com/cards/magnezone-pokemon/2025-mega-evolution-base-047-132
https://www.tcgplayer.com/search/pokemon/all?q=Magneton+Base&productLineName=pokemon&setName=all&view=grid&page=1
https://www.sportscardinvestor.com/cards/magneton-pokemon/2025-mega-evolution-reverse-holo-046-132
https://www.walmart.com/ip/2025-Pokemon-136-131-Eri-Ultra-Rare-PSA-10/17696303619
https://pokecardvalues.co.uk/cards/magneton-059-191-reverse-holo-unlimited-surging-sparks/sv8-059-3-1/
https://game8.co/games/Pokemon-TCG-Pocket/archives/476099
