Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Surging Sparks in January 2026

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Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: pokemon, pokemon cards, Scarlet & Violet, Surging Sparks

Pokémon TCG Value Watch: Surging Sparks in January 2026

Our monthly Pokémon TCG Value Watch series observes the Pikachu-themed set Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks in January 2026.

Published Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:12:04 -0600
by Theo Dwyer
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Article Summary

  • Track the latest market trends for Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks in January 2026.
  • Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare leads as the top chase card, though its value has dropped over $65.
  • Latias ex SIR and Milotic ex SIR cards remain strong, showing high value stability amid market changes.
  • Advice for collectors on timing purchases, covering singles vs. packs, with data from TCGPlayer prices.

The Pokémon TCG is an ever-changing and unpredictable market. Over the past year, we have witnessed a significant surge of renewed interest in the hobby. The hype around the Alternate Arts of the Sword & Shield era and the Illustration Rares of the Scarlet & Violet era now continues in the new era, Mega Evolution. The Mega Evolution era continues the popular Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards while introducing Gold Hyper Rares as the rarest type of card that can be pulled from a booster pack. As packs become more and more difficult to get, it seems that the hobby is more popular than ever. Every month, I will do an installment of this series, Pokémon TCG Value Watch, to track the collector's market of modern sets. This series is not financial advice but is rather a way to help collectors know the trajectory of a card's availability so that Pokémon TCG completionists like myself know when to strike. Should you buy singles or packs? Is that chase card obtainable? Let's find out. Today, let's see how the cards of Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks, which came out in November 2024, are doing now in January 2026.

Surging Sparks top card. Credit: Pokémon TCG

Here are the top valued cards of Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks, with market values observed on TCGPlayer as of this writing:

  1. Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare 238/191: $271.12
  2. Latias ex Special Illustration Rare 239/191: $159.57
  3. Milotic ex Special Illustration Rare 237/191: $94.79
  4. Pikachu ex Gold Hyper Rare 247/191: $48.45
  5. Hydreigon ex Special Illustration Rare 240/191: $36.82
  6. Lisia's Appeal Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 246/191: $28.97
  7. Alolan Exeggutor ex Special Illustration Rare 242/191: $27.39
  8. Latios Illustration Rare 203/191: $21.95
  9. Durant ex Special Illustration Rare 236/191: $19.78
  10. Pikachu ex Full Art 219/191: $18.66
  11. Jasmine's Gaze Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 245/191: $18.48
  12. Ceruledge Illustration Rare 197/191: $15.54
  13. Night Stretcher Gold Hyper Rare Trainer Item 251/191: $11.32
  14. Archaludon ex Special Illustration Rare 241/191: $10.59
  15. Clemont's Quick Wit Special Illustration Rare Trainer Supporter 243/191: $8.32

Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare has dropped again this month. While it still remains a monster chase card, a loss of over $65 like this is notable. The rest of the top cards in Surging Sparks largely held their value, only losing a few dollars at most. Notably, Latias ex Special Illustration Rare was rocksteady despite its high value.

Be sure to check Bleeding Cool every day to follow our in-depth Pokémon TCG coverage as we explore the hobby's past, present, and even future with upcoming set reveals.

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