Every year offers the opportunity to celebrate the Pokemon TCG during the holidays, especially if you’re lucky enough to find the special Countdown Calendar, originally released in 2008. This limited release is the perfect holiday gift for a friend or loved one, or the ideal way to collect unusually valuable promo cards.
While this special holiday calendar was originally released as a novelty item, the rare promo cards contained within have become a highly sought-after curiosity for collectors. If someone gifts you this box for the holidays, take good care of it – and make sure to thank them profusely for an incredibly rare, precious gift.
Cards are ordered according to their TCGplayer market prices, which are subject to change.
8
Abomasnow (19/123) – $53.00
Abomasnow stomps onto the scene with this showstopping depiction that captures the Pokemon’s massive step forward in the middle of an apparent snowstorm. The background and Pokemon are fairly plain, with mostly white details to contrast the small amount of green on Abomasnow’s limbs.
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Gengar’s Turn To Eat.
While the design itself might lack the same level of intrigue and contrast as some of the other best Countdown Calendar cards, the small golden snowflake in the bottom right corner offers a clear indication of where this card is from.
7
Piplup (72/100) – $57.59
Piplup holds a noticeable price advantage over Abomasnow, but its visual superiority is where the biggest divide is, with the detail in this card offering a more nuanced, slice-of-life scene than the cold blizzard background. Piplup stands out as one of the most popular Pokemon from the Diamond and Pearl era, so its appearance here comes as little surprise.
However, considering its popularity, Piplup falls well short of the other valuable Countdown Calendar cards in the set, losing out to both old favorites and surprise inclusions. Sometimes it’s hard to find a reason why certain cards don’t seem to be as in high demand as others, and this Piplup card is one such anomaly, especially compared to the Pokemon that surpasses it.
6
Shinx (98/123) – $70.00
Don’t get it wrong, Shinx is an adorable Pokemon with plenty of reasons to enjoy it, but it comes as a shock to see this Pokemon leapfrog Piplup’s price by a significant margin. This depiction of Shinx leans into the Pokemon’s whimsical nature and focuses on depicting a warm, cozy scene in nature, as Shinx takes a stroll among a beautiful array of colorful flowers.
While this Pokemon and the card design don’t exactly scream holiday vibes, the warm positivity radiating in this illustration is a feeling that all of us deserve to experience during the holiday season. Even if it’s not a snowy scene, this Pokemon’s cozy moment can melt the ice away from even the coldest hearts.
5
Bidoof (73/123) – $79.99
Bidoof has catapulted into stardom, as its status as a meme-worthy Pokemon has endeared it to Pokemon fans and led to a longstanding joke about Bidoof being the strongest Pokemon. Memes aside, this Pokemon’s incredible price tag is nothing to laugh at, as you can expect to shell out roughly $80 to secure a copy of this card.
Bidoof crawls out of the green bush on another sunny day, carrying on the same vibes as Shinx, while veering away from the chilly, snow-covered scene that Abomasnow led off with. Don’t expect Bidoof to match this value with its other cards, as the primary reason this card costs so much money is due to the high cost associated with the Countdown Calendar as a whole.
4
Turtwig (78/100) – $150.00
Turtwig’s baffling price tag towers over Piplup’s by nearly a $100 margin, indicating that this Diamond and Pearl starter has quite a few fans to support such a high cost. This artwork, like all cards from the Countdown Calendar, originally appeared in another set contemporary to the release date.
Unfortunately, Chimchar misses the cut and is the only starter Pokemon from the generation to fall short of the $50 mark. Time will be Chimchar’s best ally, as it will likely rise further, but it may never catch its peers.
In Turtwig’s case, this art originally appeared in Majestic Dawn, which boasts one of the most impressive rosters of valuable cards from the era. This is easily the most verdant scene we’ve seen from the set thus far, and the golden snowflake in the bottom right sticks out clearly as a result. Despite failing to include some real snow in the background, the stamp strangely benefits from the primarily green background.
3
Happiny (52/123) – $180.00
Happiny sits calmly in this claymation-style scene that soars toward the $200 mark with one of the simplest illustrations in the set. Sometimes less is more, as this card demonstrates thanks to its dark, muted background and relatively standard depiction of this baby Pokemon.
This artwork from Mysterious Treasures might not blow you away with stunning visuals, but the price tag absolutely will, especially if you weren’t aware of this set’s rarity. Chansey and Blissey might be known for their Lucky Eggs, but this card offers luck of a different kind if you were lucky enough to keep a copy for yourself shortly after the Countdown Calendar’s October 2008 release.
2
Riolu (61/130) – $200.00
Riolu stands out thanks to both its cuteness and its star status as the pre-evolution of Lucario, a beloved Pokemon. While this promo card might not be the most expensive in the TCG, a $200 price tag is nothing to scoff at. Riolu is ready to fight in this action shot, which places all the attention squarely on the Pokemon’s design, using a blurred, softer background that lets Riolu shine.
If you didn’t originally pick up this artwork when it appeared in 2007’s Diamond and Pearl base set, you’ll be exasperated to see that this version costs more than you could ever expect its twin version to. On the flip side, this card’s price tag is a huge motivation to sell it if you don’t mind ‘downgrading’ to get this artwork in its original debut appearance.
1
Pikachu (DP16) – $219.99
Pikachu’s roster of valuable cards definitely didn’t need yet another expensive promo card to add to the list, but this card’s existence solidifies the mascot’s status as one of the most sought-after Pokemon in the entire TCG. This card strikes the perfect balance of intrigue, with its eye-catching color palette and adorable scene that captivates your attention in a suspenseful moment.
Waiting for Pikachu’s leap that will never come feels surprisingly natural, as this scene perfectly captures the moment of anticipation and even gives us another Pikachu in the background. While you might be waiting forever for Pikachu to take the leap, you shouldn’t wait much longer to get this card if you’ve been contemplating buying it.
Rare promo cards like this expensive Countdown Calendar Pikachu tend to trend upward on the price charts over time, as supply dwindles, and it becomes harder to find a copy.
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Megas. Megas, everywhere.
