Pokémon Card Market Update: Index Up 91%, But Modern Cards Are Cooling

Card Ladder's Pokémon index has had a huge few months. On 8 November 2026 it sat at 164,595, up 91.64% across the three-month view. Dig one layer deeper, though, and the picture is more mixed: the Modern and Ultra Modern Pokémon indexes both finished lower over their own windows.

Here's what the three charts show, what we think the split means, and how buyers and sellers in Newcastle and right around Australia might use it.

Data: Card Ladder, screenshots taken 8 Nov 2026. Card Ladder indexes are composites of tracked card values shown as index points, not dollar prices. The timeframes differ (3 months, 1 month and 3 months), so compare the direction of each chart rather than lining the percentages up against each other.

The headline number: Pokémon index up 91.64% in three months

Over the three-month view, the main Pokémon index climbed from 85,888 to 164,595, a real change of 78,707 points. It tracks 9,619 cards, and its average over the period was 132,099.

The shape matters as much as the percentage. The line climbed in steady steps, peaked at 179,310, then eased back to 164,595. So the index is still close to double where the window started, but it's sitting about 8% below its high. That looks more like a market taking a breather after a big run than one still sprinting.

Modern Pokémon (2003–2016): down 5.46% in a month

Card Ladder's Modern Pokémon index covers cards released between 2003 and 2016. Over one month it slipped from 115,622 to 109,312, down 5.46%, across 1,355 tracked cards.

It was a choppy month, with a couple of spikes and drops between a low of 109,143 and a high of 116,837. It finished close to that low. One month is a short window, so we wouldn't call this a trend on its own, but it's clearly not riding the same wave as the main index.

Ultra Modern Pokémon (2017 on): down 6.41% in three months

The Ultra Modern index tracks 1,820 cards released from 2017 onwards. Over the same three-month window as the main index, it drifted down in steps from 8,234 to 7,706, a fall of 6.41%. The range was tight (low 7,693, high 8,285), and it finished almost on its three-month low.

No crash here, just a slow leak. For anyone who's been buying recent sets and chase cards at their peak, that's worth knowing.

So where is the growth coming from?

This is the interesting bit. The overall index nearly doubled, while both the 2003–2016 and 2017+ indexes went backwards. Card Ladder's screenshots don't break down what's driving the main index, so we can't say for certain. But one likely read of the numbers is that the gains are concentrated outside those two eras, which points to older, pre-2003 vintage doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Two things in the data support that read. The main index tracks 9,619 cards, while Modern and Ultra Modern together cover 3,175, so most of what the main index tracks sits outside those two segments. And the index levels are very different (164,595 for the main index against 7,706 for Ultra Modern), which suggests higher-value cards carry a lot of weight in the headline number. Treat this as an inference, not a fact.

What it means for singles vs sealed

These indexes track card values, so they speak most directly to singles and graded cards. They don't measure sealed boxes or booster packs, and sealed product can move on its own schedule, with reprints, release timing and retail supply all playing a part.

For singles, the message is simple: "Pokémon is up" doesn't mean every Pokémon card is up. If you're buying modern or ultra-modern singles, the recent softness gives you a bit more room to be patient and pick your price. If you're chasing vintage, expect to be paying into strength.

For sealed, we'd buy because you want to open it or hold it long term, not because a card index went up. A headline index move doesn't automatically flow through to every box on the shelf.

Buying opportunities at current levels

If the Modern and Ultra Modern pullbacks continue, that could be a better entry point for collectors who've been waiting on specific cards. A few ways to approach it:

• Buy the card, not the hype. Pick cards you actually want in your collection, and know your number before you buy.
• Check recent comps. Look at recent sold prices for the exact card, set, language and condition, not asking prices or one outlier sale.
• Condition is everything. Raw and graded copies of the same card can sell at very different prices, and so can different grades. Our graded cards range is a good place to compare.
• Stagger your buys. Indexes that drift down in steps can keep drifting. Spreading purchases out lowers the risk of buying the top of a bounce.
• Buy from sources you trust. A hot market brings out fakes. Our guide on how to spot fake Pokémon cards covers the checks worth doing.

You can browse our Pokémon singles, the wider Pokémon range or all TCG singles.

Holding vs selling

If you're holding vintage, this kind of run is often when it pays to have a plan. With the main index about 8% off its 179,310 high, it's worth deciding now which cards you'd sell into strength and which you're keeping no matter what. Selling part of a position while demand is strong is a reasonable middle ground.

If you're holding modern or ultra-modern, a 5–6% dip isn't a reason to panic. If you bought cards because you love them, nothing has changed. If you bought purely to flip, be realistic about current comps rather than what the card was worth at its high.

Thinking about selling a collection? We buy Pokémon and sports card collections in Newcastle NSW. See how selling to Urban Empire works.

Key takeaways

• Card Ladder's Pokémon index rose 91.64% in three months to 164,595, but has eased from its 179,310 high.
• Modern Pokémon (2003–2016) fell 5.46% over one month, and Ultra Modern (2017+) fell 6.41% over three months.
• With both modern segments down, the overall gains look to be coming from elsewhere, most likely older vintage.
• Modern and ultra-modern buyers may have more room to be patient. Vintage holders may want a plan for selling into strength.
• Whatever you buy, check recent comps, condition and who you're buying from.

Got questions about a card or a collection? Get in touch with the team in Newcastle. We ship Australia-wide.

Data: Card Ladder, screenshots 8 Nov 2026. This post is general information, not financial advice. Card values can go down as well as up.