Loading...
Loading...
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 released in September 2023 as a special subset celebrating the original 151 Kanto Pokemon with modern Scarlet & Violet era artwork. The set contains 165 main cards plus secret rares totaling 207 cards, and it became an instant hit with collectors who grew up with the original generation. Every Pokemon from Bulbasaur through Mew received new illustrations, with the chase cards being the Special Art Rares (SARs) and Illustration Rares featuring stunning full-bleed artwork.
The set bridges nostalgia and modern collecting in a way few sets have achieved. Cards like Charizard ex, Mew ex, and the Erika's Invitation SAR became immediate market movers. The Illustration Rares and SARs feature textured surfaces that distinguish them from standard cards and add a tactile quality that resonates with collectors.
For grading purposes, SV 151 benefits from improved modern quality control compared to earlier Sword & Shield sets, but print lines and centering issues remain common enough that pre-screening before submission is worthwhile. The textured full art cards require careful surface inspection under angled light.
SV 151 has been heavily submitted to PSA due to its nostalgic appeal and strong secondary market. PSA 10 rates on SARs and Illustration Rares hover around 40-60%, which is typical for modern sets but still means a significant number of cards fall short. The texture on full art cards can mask minor surface issues but also introduces texture inconsistency as a grading factor.
Modern Scarlet & Violet card stock is noticeably thinner than WOTC-era cards but more consistent in cut quality. Full Art, Illustration Rare, and SAR cards feature a raised textured surface that covers the entire card face. Standard holos use a linear pattern rather than the cosmos holo of vintage sets. The card backs are the standard modern Pokemon back with slightly different color saturation than WOTC-era prints.
Average 4.4x return for PSA 10 on SARs and Illustration Rares
| Card | Ungraded | Grade 9 | PSA 10 | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charizard ex SAR #183 | $130 | $200 | $550 | 4.2x |
| Mew ex SAR #205 | $85 | $140 | $380 | 4.5x |
| Erika's Invitation SAR #203 | $110 | $175 | $500 | 4.5x |
| Zapdos ex SAR #202 | $55 | $90 | $240 | 4.4x |
| Alakazam ex SAR #201 | $40 | $68 | $180 | 4.5x |
| Charizard ex #6 | $28 | $45 | $120 | 4.3x |
| Mew ex IR #151 | $65 | $105 | $280 | 4.3x |
| Venusaur ex SAR #198 | $35 | $58 | $160 | 4.6x |
| Blastoise ex SAR #200 | $38 | $62 | $170 | 4.5x |
| Bulbasaur IR #166 | $30 | $48 | $130 | 4.3x |
| Arcanine ex #167 | $12 | $22 | $55 | 4.6x |
| Gengar ex #168 | $15 | $25 | $65 | 4.3x |
| Dragonite ex #181 | $14 | $24 | $60 | 4.3x |
| Snorlax IR #179 | $18 | $30 | $75 | 4.2x |
| Pikachu ex #174 | $10 | $18 | $45 | 4.5x |
Price data from PriceCharting as of February 15, 2026. Prices are approximate and may vary.
Set-specific tips for maximizing your grade on Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 151 cards.
SARs and Illustration Rares in SV 151 have a textured surface that can hide scratches but also reveals print lines. Hold the card at a 30-degree angle under a bright LED and slowly rotate. Print lines appear as thin, slightly raised or depressed lines running across the texture. These are the most common reason modern textured cards miss PSA 10.
Full art and SAR cards extend the artwork to the card edge, making centering harder to eyeball. Use a centering tool and measure the thin silver border on all four sides. The border on SV 151 SARs is narrow enough that even slight misalignment becomes noticeable and can push centering beyond the 60/40 PSA 10 threshold.
Modern Pokemon card stock is thinner and more prone to edge whitening during pack extraction. The tight pack fit in SV 151 booster packs means cards can pick up edge wear during opening. Inspect all four edges under magnification, paying special attention to the top and bottom where cards slide against the pack wrapper.
SV 151 cards occasionally have microscopic nicks or dents at corner tips from the cutting and packaging process. These are not from handling but are factory defects. Use 10x magnification on all corners — even one compromised corner can drop a grade from PSA 10 to PSA 9.
The textured coating on SARs should be uniform across the entire card face. Some SV 151 SARs have areas where the texture is flattened, smudged, or inconsistent — particularly near the card edges. Run your finger lightly across the surface to feel for smooth spots in what should be a consistently textured area.
Do not neglect the card back. Modern Pokemon backs can shift independently from the front print. Flip the card and measure the border on all sides. A perfectly centered front with a visibly off-center back will still lose points at PSA.
Manufacturing defects and wear patterns specific to this set and era.
Thin lines running across the textured surface of SARs and Illustration Rares are the most common defect in SV 151. These are printing artifacts from the texture application process and appear as slightly raised or depressed lines visible under angled light.
The thin modern card stock picks up white marks along the edges during pack opening. SV 151 booster packs have tight card fit, making this especially common on cards adjacent to energy cards or code cards in the pack.
The narrow silver border on SAR cards makes centering issues visually obvious. Even minor shifts in the print alignment create a noticeable difference between left-right or top-bottom borders.
Some SV 151 holos and ex cards show tiny dimples or indentations on the holo surface. These are thought to be caused by air bubbles during the foil application process and are visible under direct light.
Microscopic nicks at corner tips from the die-cutting process. More common on the bottom-right corner of SV 151 cards based on the sheet orientation during manufacturing.
Yes, for the higher-value chase cards. A Charizard ex SAR goes from around $130 ungraded to $550 in PSA 10, justifying the $20-$50 grading fee. However, lower-value cards ($10-$20 ungraded) only make sense to grade if you have strong PSA 10 candidates, since the multiplier is similar but the absolute dollar return is smaller.
Modern Pokemon sets typically see PSA 10 rates of 40-60% for carefully selected submissions. SV 151 is on the higher end due to generally good quality control, but print lines on textured cards remain the primary barrier. Pre-screening with a loupe or digital grading tool helps identify your best candidates.
The SARs feature full-bleed illustrations of the original 151 Pokemon reimagined by top artists. The combination of Kanto nostalgia with modern illustration techniques and textured card surfaces creates strong emotional appeal. Erika's Invitation, Charizard ex, and Mew ex SARs are the most sought after.
Regular ex cards (not SARs or Illustration Rares) have lower raw values and modest PSA 10 premiums. A standard Charizard ex #6 goes from $28 to around $120 in PSA 10, which works at economy grading tiers. Most standard ex cards under $15 raw are not worth the grading investment.
Print lines are the most common reason SV 151 textured cards miss PSA 10. They appear as thin lines running across the textured surface and are caused by the printing process. PSA considers them a surface defect. Cards with visible print lines under normal lighting typically max out at PSA 9. Faint lines visible only under angled light may still achieve PSA 10 at the grader's discretion.
SV 151 has strong long-term potential due to its nostalgic appeal covering all original 151 Pokemon. However, modern sets are printed in high volume, keeping raw prices lower than vintage. The grading play works best on the top chase cards where PSA 10 premiums are highest in absolute dollar terms.