Every generation, thePokemon TCGchanges things up by offering a new signature style or theme that is prevalent throughout the entire generation. For example, some ofthe best EX-era productsfeature cards with an -ex suffix, while many ofthe most valuable cards from Sun & Moonare Secret Rares with rainbow color palettes.
The best Raging Bolt cards might never have existed if not for the introduction of Paradox Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet, opening the door to some creatively re-imagined designs of popular existing Legendary Pokemon. Raging Bolt, the spiritual precursor to Raikou, bears a striking similarity to the iconic Legendary Beast, giving the best Raging Bolt cards a feeling of familiarity.
Cards are ordered according to theirTCGPlayerMarket Price,which you might pay on average for a copy of the cards below.
5Raging Bolt: Best Buy Exclusive Cosmo Holo (Rare) – $4.62
A Sneaky Exclusive
Exclusive promo cards are always desirable in some capacity, and this Raging Bolt card is a gorgeous example of one that’s likely to maintain and increase in price over time. This card is a stamped Stellar Crown promo that youreceived for free with each $15 purchase at Best Buy for a limited time.
All promo cards are limited, so you mustkeep an eye out for the latest promotionsif you want to get a copy yourself.
This card began its life on release with a ten-dollar estimated value and has quickly sunk to below five dollars, withsome copies selling for as little as $3.40.While it’s normal that cards drop sharply in value immediately following release, this card’s future is bright, as exclusive promo cards are limited in nature andoften command more value as they become harder to find.
4Raging Bolt Ex: Temporal Forces (Double Rare) – $6.32
Fighting For Every Penny
Most of the best Raging Bolt cards in the Pokemon TCG thus far are from Temporal Forces, but this set is still too new to accuratelyreflect the value that cards will have in the long term.However, this Raging Bolt experienced a catastrophic crash from about eight dollars down to roughly a dollar beforemaking a massive comeback.
Given this card’s use in modern TCG decks, its value skyrocketed back toward the eight-dollar plateau, but was unable to maintain it, eventually dropping to its current market price where it bounced up and down. Shifts in the metagame will likely drive this card back down once it falls out of favor, sosell now if you want to capitalize.
3Raging Bolt Ex: Temporal Forces (Ultra Rare) – $6.90
Regardless of how you feel aboutRaikou and its fabulous roster of valuable cards,Raging Bolt is an entirely different beast despite the clear similarities. The elongated giraffe-like neck is a big enough change to draw the chagrin of purists, but the details are nearly identical, forcing this Pokemon to earn the label “Raikou, but with a long neck”.
While the design’s quality is often debated, there’s no arguing with the relatively stable value that this card has commanded thus far. Following the post-release crash, this card slid from $12 to its current market price, but it seems to have asolid support base of around six dollars.
2Raging Bolt Ex: Temporal Forces (Hyper Rare) – $15.71
Better In Gold
Don’t worry, your device didn’t lag – this Raging Bolt offers us the exact art as the prior version, but this time with a vibrant gold background to match this Pokemon’s main color. While golden backgrounds often ignite debate, this version provides the perfect color match for this Paradox Pokemon, as itsroyal purple and white accents combine beautifully with the gold.
The Hyper Rareversion extends its neck further in front of the Ultra Rare, commanding almost ten dollars more than its nearly identical twin.
However, the synergy of this design isn’t enough to make it immune from the post-release price drop that comes for all modern Pokemon sets, sliding from $22 to its current price just above $15.
1Raging Bolt Ex: Temporal Forces (Special Illustration Rare) – $66.62
Extending To The Sky
Raging Bolt’s stunning Special Illustration Rare still stands tall, despite the downward trend that most Raging Bolt cards are currently experiencing. Some cards transcend the norms, as evidenced by the unusual journey of this amazing Raging Bolt card.
While certain cards, like Raging Bolt’s, might suffer dips in their value a few months after release,the best cards,like this one,will reverse the trend and rise to new heightsonce these sets go out of print.
This card began its life at a lower value than it currently sits, as its pre-sale price set the marketaround $50,but this card soondoubledin price,skyrocketing to about $100 at its peak.
While Raging Bolt has backed off from its all-time high, this card’s ability to buck the typical downward trend so early in its life is indicative that itwill continue to rise in valueand compete to be one ofthe most valuable cards in the Scarlet & Violet era.
