The Lab Letter

2a:T552d, The Lab Letter

The Lab Letter · week ending Oct 18, 2026

Pokemon market up 1.76% this week

Three cards worth a look

The week's biggest risers at $5 and up, each with real sales behind the move. Tap a card for its price history.

Meditite

EX Power Keepers

▲ +204% · $18.84 · 5 sold this week

Magmortar

Call of Legends

▲ +178% · $6.42 · 19 sold this week

Gyarados

HeartGold SoulSilver

▲ +174% · $166.11 · 24 sold this week

Cheaper this week

Cards at $20 and up that fell, with sales behind the drop. Worth a look if one is on your list.

Dragonair

Base Set (Shadowless)

▼ -49% · $100.00 · 8 sold this week

Dark Charizard (4)

Team Rocket

▼ -49% · $62.35 · 10 sold this week

Pokemon sealed products: booster box, Elite Trainer Boxes, booster bundle, tin and packs

The market · 10/11 to 10/18

The Pokemon market is ▲ up 1.76% this week across 38,537 cards: 13,488 rose, 11,568 fell.

Booster boxes

Boxes were roughly flat this week. The Lab Booster Box Index is at 129.2: -0.6% this week, -2.2% over a month, +16.9% over a year, -2.5% from its peak, across 55 boxes.

Pictured: Phantasmal Flames, Pitch Black and Chaos Rising booster boxes.

Live chart and every box →

What's next

Oct 24 · Delta Reign: Prerelease (Build & Battle Box)

Oct 30 · 30th Celebration: Battle Decks

Nov 6 · 30th Celebration: Ultra-Premium and premium collections

Worth watching

The uploads and posts that got the biggest reaction this week from the competitive, investing and collecting creators we follow.

Competitive on X: OmniPoke
Today we're launching our second type of article for the Pokemon TCG, the behind the scenes to our Mega Rayquaza ex… → 21 likes

Investing on X: Collectr
Two massive PSA 10 Lugia sales on Fanatics Collect: Lugia EX from Plasma Storm: $660,000 (Pop 21) Lugia ex from Unseen… → 86 likes

Collecting on X: Pokemon TCG Restocks & News
First look at Exclusive Misty's Psyduck Art Rare from Chinese Gem Pack Vol. 7 Releasing November 6th! ✨ #Pokemon… → 2,248 likes

Seller corner

Ship cheap when the order allows it

Orders under about $20 can go in a plain white envelope for under a dollar. Anything above that gets a tracked bubble mailer. The shipping guide has the rule for every order size.

Read the shipping guide →

Full market report →

Every mover, sealed products, set analysis and the volatility watch

Some links earn The Lab a commission from TCGplayer, eBay or BCW, at no extra cost to you.

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Last Sunday's Lab Letter

The cards that moved this week, every Sunday