With Pokémon Trading Card Game's Destined Rivals set beginning pre-sale events ahead of its May 30th, 2025, release, the equivalent Japanese releases provide some early indication of what the most valuable cards in the set will be. Centered around Team Rocket, it's no surprise that most of the cards are focused on Team Rocket and their Pokémon.

Unfortunately, while there's no classic Jessie and James in sight, there are still plenty of incredible cards to collect. From Giovanni's Mewtwo to Cynthia's Garchomp, this elite trainer-filled set is going to be a hot item, so you'll want to get your hands on it as soon as possible before scalpers and other factors raise the prices. That being said, don't expect this set to reach the same numbers as the Prismatic Evolutions, as that one was easily one of the most valuable recent sets for Pokémon TCG.

10 Ethan's Ho-Oh Ex Hyper Rare

Card 239/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: aky CG Works

Kicking things off is, unsurprisingly, Ethan's Ho-Oh Hyper Rare. Given that Hyper Rares often fall below most of the Special Illustration Rares, it's no shock to see this trailing behind so many others. That being said, this is still nothing to scoff at. With Ho-Oh being a legendary from Gen 2 and this card being one of the rarest in the set, this is undoubtedly going to maintain a bit of value throughout the lifespan of Pokémon TCG's Destined Rivals set.

Featuring a full-body shot of Ho-Oh in the foreground over a close-up of Ethan surrounded by gold, this shiny card is currently showing a market value of about $40, specifically for its Japanese edition, on TCGPlayer. While we don't have formal numbers for the English version yet, as pre-release events have only just begun and the set won't officially be released until May 30th, it's unlikely this will move any further up the list than it is, even if the specific value amount fluctuates.

9 Cynthia's Garchomp Ex Hyper Rare

Card 241/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: 5ban Graphics

Rounding out the bottom of this list is yet another Hyper Rare from Destined Rivals, Cynthia's Garchomp ex. While the card's rarity and what it is certainly earned it a spot as one of the most valued in the set, the design is a key indicator as to why it falls so low on the list overall. The gold design of the Hyper Rares is already a bit overwhelming in general, but Cynthia's golden hair certainly didn't do this design any favors, as she's almost entirely overshadowed by the brightness surrounding her.

Destined Rivals is primarily made of a combination of cards from the Japanese sets of Heat Wave Arena and Glory of Team Rocket, so looking at the prices for the Japanese editions of these cards can help get an idea of where Destined Rivals values may fall.

That being said, Garchomp is a standout on its own, and the fact that they managed to get a full shot of it as opposed to a close-up like some of the others makes this design overall still pretty solid. The Japanese edition of this powerful Pokémon is currently at a market value of about $50 on TCGPlayer, but we should see some fluctuation in that price for the Destined Rivals edition, and whether it will be higher or lower is something nobody can say for sure.

8 Ethan's Adventure Special Illustration Rare er

Card 236/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: Kariya

As the only er trainer card on this list, Ethan's Adventure is certainly a standout. While there's also an Ultra Rare version of this card available in Destined Rivals, the latter simply features a close-up shot of Ethan and is nothing too special. The Special Illustration Rare, however, features a stunning design of Ethan running through a Pokémon forest alongside Pichu, Cyndaquil, and Slugma in this lively illustration.

The Japanese version of this card is currently seeing a market value of around $75 on TCGPlayer, which is pretty impressive considering some of the Hyper Rares in the set are going for nearly this amount. That being said, once Destined Rivals is formally released, this could change things, so keep an eye on it during pre-release events to help gauge community interest.

7 Team Rocket's Mewtwo Ex Hyper Rare

Card 240/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: aky CG Works

While the Hyper Rares fall mostly at the bottom end of this list, Mewtwo is, of course, the most valuable of the bunch. Featuring the classic golden card design, Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex card showcases Mewtwo and Giovanni side by side. In some ways, I'd almost argue that this design is better than the odd angle for Mewtwo on the Special Illustration Rare, but the design is unfortunately overwhelmed by the golden color, which brings it down a fair bit.

At the moment, despite being the most valuable Hyper Rare from the Destined Rivals set, the Japanese edition of this card is only going for around $75 on TCGPlayer. While that would be pretty significant for a more common card in the set, it's certainly not what you'd hope for when talking about one of the rarest cards. This is all the more reason to ensure you take a look at value when trading or pricing cards, as rarity does not necessarily equate to value.

6 Team Rocket's Nidoking Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 233/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: Uninori

Featuring a destructive Nidoking trampling through rocks as Giovanni guides it, Team Rocket's Nidoking is another of Team Rocket's Pokémon to make the list of the most valuable cards in this set. Since the set is centered around Team Rocket in general, it's no surprise that their Pokémon, especially ones that also feature Giovanni in the design as opposed to a random Team Rocket member, will be the ones to grab.

Currently, the Japanese edition of the card has a market value of about $100 on gorgeous as Prismatic Evolutions, the primary reason for cards reaching significant value is likely due to the popular trainers featured in this set. That being said, things change as sets are released, so we'll have a more accurate idea of value once the set formally launches.

5 Team Rocket's Crobat Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 234/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: cochi8i

Sometimes, there's a bit of curiosity as to why some cards are deemed more valuable than others in the eyes of the public. Pokémon TCG card rarity, while playing a factor, is never the ultimate determination, as often, the Hyper Rare cards end up being less valuable to collectors than the Special Illustration Rares or just regular Illustration Rares. Similarly, whether the Pokémon is a massive fan-favorite can play a hand too, which is why Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Eeveelutions almost always hold some sort of value, but as for Team Rocket's Crobat ex, it's a mystery.

While the design, featuring a closeup of Crobat surrounded by Team Rocket , Zubats, and Golbats, is incredibly well done, it's also something I would toss up to Crobat fans and not much else. All that to say that you can never truly anticipate which cards in a set will hold the most value, and Team Rocket's Crobat ex is one of them for Destined Rivals. The Japanese version is currently valued at around $100 on TCGPlayer, so while it's not breaking records, it's certainly one of the highest price points in the set.

4 Ethan's Ho-Oh Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 230/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: Atsushi Furusawa

Following behind the iconic legendary birds of Gen 1 is another legendary bird from Gen 2, Ho-Oh. While Ho-Oh isn't nearly as widely beloved as Moltres, Articuno, or Zapdos, legendaries in general are always hot picks for any Pokémon set, which is why this Special Illustration Rare tops out higher than some of the others in the set. Featuring Ethan's Ho-Oh specifically, this card, designed by Atsushi Furusawa, showcases a beautiful wing-spread shot of Ho-Oh flying over Ethan.

While we don't have official numbers for the Destined Rivals version of this card, the Japanese version of it from their Heat Wave Arena set has a current market value of nearly $150 on TCGPlayer. As pre-release events begin, and we approach the release of Destined Rivals, there should be a better idea of how this card will compare to its Japanese twin in value.

3 Team Rocket's Moltres Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 229/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: AKIRA EGAWA

Being one of the iconic Gen 1 legendary birds, Moltres is likely to be on everyone's radar when grabbing this set. Aside from who this Pokémon is, it's also fair to say this is easily one of the best designs in the entire set. While the other cards at the top of this list would likely be there regardless of their design, simply because of who and what they are, this is one that likely nudged its way to the top because of details in its artwork.

The majority of the design features Moltres' fiery wings as it flies into the frame, while a Team Rocket member appears in the background in uniform. The design is intense, beautiful, and perfectly represents the power and elegance of Moltres, which should make it a must-have for collectors. Currently, the Japanese version of this card has a market value of about $175 on TCGPlayer, but time will tell whether the English Destined Rivals version can meet or exceed that value.

2 Cynthia's Garchomp Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 232/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: HICO KIM

While she's no Giovanni, Cynthia has always been a top priority trainer when it comes to collecting, and this card, featuring her and her Garchomp, is no exception. It's not a trainer card, but Destined Rivals seems to be going the route of making the trainers front and center with their Pokémon in each of the full art designs featured in this set. Between Garchomp's intense attack stance and Cynthia's focused expression, it's hard to deny that this is one of the best-looking cards in the set.

Right now, the Japanese version of Cynthia's Garchomp has a market price of around $230 on TCGPlayer. With pre-sales kicking off for Destined Rivals, however, we should soon see how the English version of the card will compare. Whether or not the price is higher or lower, this is still likely to remain one of the top cards for the set and one you won't want to miss getting your hands on.

1 Team Rocket's Mewtwo Ex Special Illustration Rare

Card 231/182 in Destined Rivals | Illustrator: Iwamoto05

It shouldn't shock anyone that Mewtwo, especially Giovanni's Mewtwo, is the most desired card in this set. Despite initial divided opinions about the design, Mewtwo itself is a popular Pokémon collector's choice for most merchandise, making it a top seller regardless. This Special Illustration Rare features a nice texture and design by Iwamoto05, depicting a close-up of Giovanni standing in the foreground, with a full-body power shot of Mewtwo taking up most of the design.

As always, these numbers are based on an average of completed sale prices and can vary drastically based on how much information is available. The rarer the card, the less information there is likely to be available. These numbers are not guaranteed values, but more of a general estimate that can fluctuate day-to-day.

Currently, the Japanese version of this card has a market value of around $400 on TCGPlayer. While that number won't be exactly the same for the Destined Rivals version of the card, it is anticipated that this will remain the most valuable card in the set. However, card prices fluctuate as sets are released to the public, and the available stock continues to grow, so if you're hoping to get your hands on this card, it's always best to keep an eye on market values, especially in those first few weeks of a new Pokémon TCG set's release.

Source: TCGPlayer