ThePokemon TCGoften features a distinct style or type of cards in each given generation, withthe X&Y era’s most valuable setsboasting a diverse collection of legendary Pokemon, Primal Reversions, and other full arts. As the set’s name hints, this set celebrates the ancient struggle between Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza – the guardians of water, ground, and air, respectively.
The best cards from Ancient Origins stick out from their peers as special, with legendary Pokemon receiving equally impressive designs among the top chase cards. Don’t worry if you prefer more unusual cards, like Trainers and Items, as Ancient Origins delivers on all fronts.
The cards are ordered according to theirTCGplayermarket price, which is subject to change.
10Steven (Full Art) – $23.07
A Champion’s Pose
Steven slides into the top ten with one of the most suave poses you’ll ever see from a Pokemon Champion. While there area host of high-value Trainer full arts, Steven’s price is relatively modest considering the values of some of his peers.
Steven is the Champion of Hoenn, explaining his appearance in thisX&Y era set with a focus on Hoenn and Johto.
Steven trades in a decently steady range, jumping up from the $18 mark to now mostly selling for $20–24, indicating that this card is seeing fluctuating demand, but is still desirable at the right price.
9Tyranitar EX (Full Art) – $24.08
Johto’s Ruler
Tyranitar is an intimidating Pokemon on its own, but this artwork perfectly leans into the ferocious nature of thispowerful Dark-type Pokemon.
There’s more to come from Tyrnaitar, but this card offers a great start for this pseudo-legendary.
While Tyranitar has fallen off significantly after touching the $30 plateau, it secures its place on this list, butit may be in jeopardy if this card’s value falls into the $23 range.
8M Sceptile EX (Full Art) – $29.90
The First Of Many Megas
Mega Sceptile kicks things off for Mega Pokemon in X & Y, as the Generation Six signature mechanic revitalized several Pokemon and gave a triumphant debut to a few others. Among the older Pokemon to receive a Mega Evolution was Sceptile, who gained aterrifyingly powerful tail and the Dragon typing.
Mega Sceptile’s march toward $30 hasn’t been easy, as it dropped toward $22 from $25 before it eventually reached its current value. This card is unlikely to move up or down the list as things stand, but there’s no telling what the future holds.
7Giratina EX (Full Art) – $34.92
Dueling In Darkness
The Giratina EX Full art is the best Giratina card in this set, and the artwork depicts the Ghost-type legendary perfectly,highlighting its bright colors while utilizing the darker background to contrast them.
Giratina is locked in a hotly contested battle for placement among the most expensive Ancient Origins cards, so this card’s steady increase from $28 to $35 must continue if it hopes to move past another shadowy competitor.
Giratina’s price appears to be plateauing for the moment, so it will need to rely on a bit of luck to move up in value above the next card.
6M Tyranitar EX (Full Art) – $35.11
A Close Battle Between Dark And Ghost
Tyranitar is back with even better artwork, as the Mega Evolution full art gives this Rock and Dark-type monster a massive makeover. The yellow accents anduse of lighting highlight Tyranitar’s best qualities,making it the star of the show.
This Tyranitar shares a similar rocky road with Mega Sceptile, as this card soared around $36 before a massive dip to below $30 and then another sudden jump into the mid-30s.
The card’s market price volatility is somewhat due to the condition of the card sold, so remember tocheck the details on each sale before buying a raw card.
5Energy Retrieval (Secret Rare) – $39.74
Usurping A Tyrant
Energy Retrieval is the lone item card among the most valuable cards in Ancient Origins, stopping just short of the $40 mark,creating a stark gulf in value between it and the cards to come.
Energy Retrieval’s placement is a huge surprise if you’ve followed the price history of this card, as it once traded at around $10 before an incredible surge that saw it skyrocket through the 20s and 30s to its current value. This card continues to climb, so look out for more.
4Lugia EX (Full Art) – $62.70
A Fierce Lugia Art
Despite an incredibly unlikely run for the Energy Switch item card, it’s time for the legendary Pokemon to take over the show, with Lugia, one of Johto’s strongest legendaries, taking the spotlight.
Much like the last few cards, this Lugia EX has made some upward moves to bump it from $55 into the 60s, as this popular Pokemon rivals the incredible array of legendary Pokemon still to come. Lugia impresses as one of the best cards in Ancient Origins.
3Primal Kyogre (Shiny Full Art) – $84.31
Swimming Into The Top Three
Primal Kyogre pounces at the chance to claim one of the top spots among Ancient Origin’s most valuable cards, but it’s a familiar story of falling short of its rival, Groudon, as it did in the battle for supremacy amongthe most expensive Primal Clash cards.
This Shiny Full Art boasts a booming price trend, as it continues to increase in value, catapulting into the mid-80s after hovering around $65 for a long time. Despite the huge jump, Kyogre’s peers held it off, reflecting similarly impressive price jumps.
2Primal Groudon (Shiny Full Art) – $93.19
Breaking New Ground
Primal Groudon proves that the Ground behemoth reigns supreme over the Water whale, at least when it comes to their TCG values. This Groudon stands out with incredible yellow shading to juxtapose a more mutated red as its primary color.
When Kyogre was sitting around $65, Groudon only had a few dollars head start on its counterpart, but itcontinued its momentum well past the $85 mark, where Kyogre’s current ceiling seems to be.For now, Groudon and its incredible artwork reign as the victors – unless Rayquaza has something to say about it.
1M Rayquaza EX (Shiny Full Art) – $186.00
Ruler Of Them All
This Mega Rayquaza EX appears prime to fly off the cardboard, as this dynamic, vibrant artwork makes use of every inch of available canvas. While it can’t hold a candle to some of thebest Rayquaza cards you may find in valuable EX-era products, this incredible artwork boasts a style unique to the X&Y era.
As the eternal mediator who keeps Kyogre and Groudon’s raging battle from destroying everything in its path, Rayquaza commands immense power and equal Pokemon TCG popularity. Little needs to be said about the most expensive card in Ancient Origins, asthis artwork speaks for itself.
