Why Is Base Set Machamp Getting More Expensive Over Time?
If you have been tracking Pokemon card prices on PokemonPricing.com, you have probably noticed something about the original Base Set Machamp holo card number 8. Its value keeps climbing, especially for higher grades. Right now, a PSA 9 version sits around $189.50, up $9.50 recently, while a PSA 10 can fetch $1,925, with a recent jump of $154.74.[1] Ungraded copies are pulling in nearly $10 each, with steady sales every day.[1] This is not just a quick spike. Prices for graded Machamp from the 1st Edition Base Set have shown upward trends over months and years.
One big reason starts with its history. The 1999 Base Set kicked off the whole Pokemon TCG hobby. It was the first set, full of mystery and excitement with no pull rates or population reports back then. Kids everywhere pulled Machamp because Wizards of the Coast stuffed it into every starter deck.[4] Those two-player starter sets made sure almost every new player had one. People traded binders for it, gave it as birthday gifts, and even lost friends over it.[4] That widespread ownership means tons of nostalgia hits hard today. Collectors chase it as a piece of Pokemon history.
Rarity plays a part too. This is a rare holo from the early prints like 1st Edition and Shadowless. High-grade examples are tough to find in gem mint condition after 25 years of play and storage. Look at recent sales: a BGS 9.5 1st Edition Shadowless sold for $1,750 in July 2024, and a CGC 9.5 went for $475 in June 2024.[1] Lower grades like BGS 2.5 have sold cheap in the past, around $12 to $22 back in 2021 and 2022, but even those show the card’s baseline demand.[1] As supply of pristine copies dries up, prices push higher.
The market is heating up overall for vintage Base Set cards. Population reports matter here. Fewer PSA 10s exist compared to superstar cards like Charizard, but demand grows as investors eye undervalued gems. Machamp volumes stay solid: one sale per day for ungraded, a couple per month for PSA 9 and 10.[1] Other Machamp versions, like the promo number 43, hold steady but do not match this climb, with PSA 10s around $80.[2] Base Set’s cultural pull keeps it ahead.
New collectors entering the hobby add fuel. Pokemon’s boom brings fresh money chasing originals. Prices for near mint copies hit 28 pounds in early 2025 on some UK trackers.[3] With low-volume sales for top grades, each big auction bumps the chart up.[1] If you own one, check its condition. A quick grade could turn a beater into real value as this trend rolls on. Keep watching sales data here on PokemonPricing.com to spot your moment.
