Pokemon TCG Online Fair Trading Guide

Pokemon TCG Online Fair Trading Guide by Zekrom311

I’ve made a similar post a couple months ago in regards to how to make and/or recognize a good or fair trade. Since the Pokemon TCGO is no longer in CLOSED BETA and we are now in OPEN BETA, we now have alot of new players. Most of which are indeed either new to Pokemon or new to the latest version of the game. One of the things that makes Pokemon a fun game is the trading aspect. I remember when i first started playing the game it was during the DIAMOND & PEARL era,….and silly me, I traded away (at a real life tournament) my UXIE LVL. X for a regular Salamence, a Empoleon and a Infernape. Oh yeah on paper it looked good, 3 rares for 1 rare LVL. X. oh yeah that was until i found out that the Uxie lvl. x was one of the RAREST of all lvl x. cards and had a value at the time of almost $75 dollars. OUCH!!!! Well lucky for me I was able to get two more, one thru a costly trade on my end, and the other in a booster pack. Anyways my point is I’m not wanting others to fall into the same mishap I did. So I am hoping this post helps not only the newer players to Pokemon TCGO, but to anyone and everyone.

Rule number 1: Every rare (star card) isnt valued on the same level. Just because you are being offered a rare card for a rare card doesnt mean per say that their values are the same. Serperior (regular) for Zoroark is not a good deal folks sorry. So its important for you to know the value of not only YOUR cards but the cards based on what the market of trade has set.

Rule number 2: Quanity never tops quality. You would be surprise at how many times in public trade forum people assume they can offer you 10 commons/uncommons for a rare card and think that its ****** trade. NO COMMON/UNCOMMON IS WORTH ANY RARE, ever!!! Now if you are just feeling generous, or perhaps you have a great deal of multiples of a specific rare that you just dont care about trading away then so be it.

Rule number 3: Beggers cant be stingy. Look I’ve always felt that if I was offering a deal for a card I wanted, it was my job as the “initiating trader” to always try and “sweeten the deal a bit. It helps with possibly being able to trade with others more on the regular as well as build up your reputation as a good trader. For instance, a FULL ART ZEKROM for a FULL ART RESHIRAM is ****** one-for-one deal. But if I’m the one initiating the trade, and its the full art Zekrom that I’m wanting,….I will offer my full art Reshiram, along with lets say a Judge Supporter with maybe another rare card like a regular Typhlosion or regular Samurott.

Rule number 4: Pokemon with abilities, poke-powers, and/or poke bodies hold higher value over pokemon that do not. Some of you may or may not have noticed,….but Serperior/Emboar/Samurott although a rare cards are not of equal value to its Serperior/Emboar/Samurott with ability counterparts, so edge on the side of caution when doing trades where the other person is asking for your pokemon that has these qualities. From my observation most NON PRIME cards that have abilities, poke-powers, or poke-bodies warrant at least getting 3 decent rare cards for them. Some like Emboar w/ ability could possibly get you up to FIVE (yes!!!) FIVE rares for just that one card alone.

Rule number 5: Some cards you just may need to mortgage your house for. Obviously thats a joke, but listen, if you happen to own any of these cards,….feel very good about yourself because the value of these cards are extremely high. I call them the FAB FIVE..*PLEASE NOTE, THIS LIST DOESNT INCLUDE CARDS FROM THE EMERGING POWERS RELEASE because at present time the market has yet to be set for most of these cards in POKEMON TCGO. But again if you have either or multiples of these five cards, then be happy that you do, be VERY HAPPY!…5.Double Colorless Energy 4.Emboar with ability 3.(tie) Yanmega Prime & Rare Candy 2. Gengar Prime 1.Magnezone Prime. Honorable mentions are any of the Reshirams/Zekroms, Zoroark, Pokemon Collectors, Machamp Prime, Judges and Cincinno. Any of these cards can land you between 4-6 good RARES easily.

Anyways I hope this helps, happy gaming,…and definitely happy trading as well.