Paldea’s additions to thePokemon TCGbegin their careers during an excellent period of excitement and support for collecting and playing Pokemon. Chien-Pao – one of the members of the Swords of Ruin legendary quartet – is a spectacular new Ice-type Pokemon that has a solid group of cards to tout as its most valuable.
While Chien-Pao has a lot of ground to make up if it wants to catch up tothe most expensive cards in the Scarlet & Violet generation,there’s plenty of time for its cards to age like a fine wine. While it will take years for some cards to naturally appreciate, some of the best Chien-Pao cards are likely to remain near the top over time.
Cards are ordered according to theirTCGPlayerMarket Price,which is what you might pay on average for a copy of the cards below.
5Chien-Pao Ex: Paldea Evolved (Ultra Rare) – $4.87
A Perfect Icy Background
This Chien-Pao offers the perfect introduction to the Ice-type legendary Pokemon, with asilvery-blue backgroundproviding an exceptionally complementary design toaccentuate Chien-Pao’s most noticeable features.
Chien-Pao ex is a mainstay among the most valuable Chien-Pao cards, with its name remaining unchanged, though each card boasts distinct features or entirely different art.
When it comes to a Pokemoncard’s value, the devil is in the details, as this card’s price ranges depending on the time of year, losing ground from its former $9.98 high, and crashing down to $4.87 after several dips in price succeeded incutting its value in half.
4Chien-Pao Ex: S&V Promo Cards (Promo) – $5.04
Simple, But Fierce
Promo cardscan often deviate in price from standard versions, though this depends on how difficult it is to locate the promo in question. Luckily, while you won’t find this Chien-Pao in Paldea Evolved’s standard set, this card isn’t very difficult to find, and won’t cost much if you just want to buy it individually.
This card was distributed as a promo inclusion in select Scarlet & Violet products during the first half of the generation.
While this Chien-Pao also shares a similar downward trend to the last entry, this promo card’s decline isn’t nearly as drastic, asits drop from $7.86 was followed by a massive resurgencethat broke that high before falling back down toward the five dollar mark.
3Chien-Pao Ex: Paldea Evolved (Hyper Rare) – $5.12
A Golden Chance
While this version doesn’t boast a high enough value to be included amongthe most valuable cards in Paldea Evolved,the bright gold background announces Chien-Pao’s presence to the world with itsbrilliant, unmissable shine.
Another Chien-Pao with gold accents is coming up, as it will come down to preference to choose the best version. However, unlike the two previous cards, the one to come carries a notably larger price tag.
This Chien-Pao mirrors the downward trend this legendary Pokemon is experiencing, asmost of its cards are in their awkward post-release slumpand haven’t had the time needed to rebound in most cases.This card’s slide from $11.86 continues,as the dramatic dip leaves it with a price tag only a few cents higher than the Chien-Pao ex promo.
2Chien-Pao Ex: Paldean Fates (Hyper Rare) – $9.28
Subverting Expectations
Paldean Fates is an excellent set featuring valuable cardslike this gorgeous Hyper Rare that paints a golden silhouette of Chien-Pao on a teal background. This unusual color combination sets Chien-Pao apart from other Hyper Rare cards, as Paldean Fates offers a special color palette.
Now is a good time to buy Chien-Pao as it sits at relatively cheaper prices than ever before.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing Chien-Pao can do to escape the difficult down period it’s currently stuck in, as this card once sat well above $12, only for it to fall to the $8.74 mark before beginning the rally that sees it slowlyinching back up toward the double digits.
Thisshould get back to the double digits, but there’s no telling how Chien-Pao’s popularity may evolve over time.
1Chien-Pao Ex: Paldea Evolved (Special Illustration Rare) – $23.02
The Top Of The Mountain
You’re going to need a moment to really sink your teeth into this card, as the art can be difficult to distinguish from far away, especially through a screen. Take a closer look, and you’ll noticeChien-Pao on the top of a mountainas a snowy wind swirls around it. The detail in each snowflake is breathtaking, with dark and light shading existing in harmony.
Not even this outstanding artwork can save Chien-Pao from the clutches of a downward price trend, though this card’s value started high enough that it doesn’t threaten its place among the best Chien-Pao cards.
This card’s life has been full of ups and downs thus far, with an initial drop bringing it from $27 to about $17, where Chien-Pao jumped back into the 20s,reaching as high as $28 before settling back down to the low 20s.While $23 is a fair price for this card right now, the future is as difficult to see as Chien-Pao among the dark and light details of the snowy mountains.
