Base Set Raichu is gaining value faster than other holos from the same set because of its low population reports in top grades, strong recent price spikes, and growing collector demand for under-the-radar Kanto icons. Collectors chase it for its classic holographic art featuring Raichu in a dynamic pose, but unlike mega-stars like Charizard or Blastoise, it stays more affordable while surging ahead. Check out recent sales data at TCGPlayer where Raichu holo prices jumped from $2.42 in early December to $2.54 by mid-month, showing steady climbs week by week.https://www.tcgplayer.com/content/article/The-Biggest-Price-Spikes-in-Pok%C3%A9mon-this-Week-11-26-2025/cba9da6a-6022-4d45-8823-b591b121d643/ This outpaces many other Base Set holos that have plateaued after years of hype.
Part of the appeal comes from grading scarcity. High-grade 10s for Base Set Raichu are tough to find due to centering issues and print quality from the 1999 run, making PSA 9s and 10s premium buys. Videos from investors highlight similar Kanto electrics like Pikachu with pops of just 3,295 in 10s, but Raichu edges it with even tighter supply driving faster growth.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFl5uAaGSVg Nostalgia plays a big role too. As a evolved form of Pikachu, Raichu taps into 90s Christmas tree memories without the insane premiums of top holos, pulling in new collectors who want Base Set pieces under $100.https://www.aol.com/articles/15-pok-mon-trading-cards-163114731.html
Market trends favor sleepers like this over saturated holos. While Charizard holds steady at peak prices, Raichu benefits from fresh hype in 2025 investing talks, similar to how Japanese promo versions trade low but hint at crossover demand.https://www.pokeinvest.io/card/japanese-start-deck-100/raichu-128 Blogs note chase cards from modern sets like Surging Sparks or Stellar Crown spiking too, but vintage Base Set holos like Raichu gain faster from sealed pack scarcity and no reprints.https://rarecandy.com/blog Packs from old sets like Base Set are sealed gold for profit, outshining newer ones with endless print runs.https://www.eneba.com/hub/play-to-earn/best-pokemon-packs-to-buy-for-profit/
Sources
https://www.pokeinvest.io/card/japanese-start-deck-100/raichu-128
https://www.aol.com/articles/15-pok-mon-trading-cards-163114731.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFl5uAaGSVg
https://www.tcgplayer.com/content/article/The-Biggest-Price-Spikes-in-Pok%C3%A9mon-this-Week-11-26-2025/cba9da6a-6022-4d45-8823-b591b121d643/
https://rarecandy.com/blog
https://www.eneba.com/hub/play-to-earn/best-pokemon-packs-to-buy-for-profit/
