Image via The Pokémon Company
At long last, the Mega Rayquaza-themed Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution – Delta Reign expansion has been released here in the United States. Per usual, that means people are trying their luck at actually getting ahold of product, with mixed results. But for those who have managed to snag some Delta Reign packs, they’ll no doubt be hoping to secure at least a few elusive chase cards.
Personally, my chase cards tend to be whatever’s cute or features one of my favorite Pokémon. But for many, the chase cards in any given Pokémon TCG expansion come down to what’s rare and placed at a high value on the resale market. Sometimes, a card’s aesthetics don’t overlap with its purported value as a chase card. That’s where I come in with another round of highly subjective rankings for the top chase cards in Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution – Delta Reign.
As I did for 30th Celebration, I’ll be looking at the most expensive cards on the resale market right now and ranking them not on price, but on vibes. Are they cool, cute, or otherwise a card I’d genuinely be excited to pull before ever cross-checking its value on TCGPlayer? Or are they only chase cards because of rarity alone? Let’s find out!
7th Place: Mega Rayquaza ex Mega Hyper Rare
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – these Mega Hyper Rare designs might be elusive, but they don’t really showcase their star Pokémon to full effect. I will say, this Mega Rayquaza rendition is less washed out than some prior Mega Hyper Rares, and the heavy outline helps the Pokémon actually stand out a bit more here, which I appreciate. Still, the full gold card look just doesn’t do it for me.
Of course, if we’re going on sheer resale value alone, this one ranks near the top. At the time I’m writing this, the Mega Rayquaza ex Mega Hyper Rare is going for around $275 on average, ungraded. That makes it the second most valuable chase card from Delta Reign so far, ranking just above unsealed product for resale value. But to be honest, I’d rather pull a card with more interesting artwork.
6th Place: Mega Golurk ex Special Illustration Rare
I’ve got to admit, there’s some steep competition with the full arts in Delta Reign. Pretty much all of the top chase cards are also pretty visually appealing, so ranking them was tough. But in the end, I opted to leave Mega Golurk pretty low on the list compared to the other top-value cards in this expansion. The artwork is gorgeous, but the Pokémon itself is a bit static compared to some of the other depictions in the competition. And I do feel like Golurk itself could stand out just a bit more here, perhaps with slightly different coloring for the background.
As one of the Super Illustration Rares in the set, it’s no surprise that Mega Golurk ex is among the top-valued chase cards for Delta Reign. At the time I’m writing this, ungraded versions of this card are going for around $28, making it the 5th most valuable card just above the Eevee Illustration Rare.
5th Place: Zinnia’s Trust Special Illustration Rare
Don’t get me wrong, this is a visually stunning card. I’m just personally more partial to Pokémon cards that feature, well… Pokémon. Even Trainer cards can have a Pokémon in view with their beloved trainer, but this one opts to focus on Zinnia herself. It’s gorgeous, but since she’s not among my all-time favorite characters, it just doesn’t quite stack up as a chase card for me. If you’re a big Zinnia fan, though, congrats, because this is a beautiful card!
Price-wise, this is a clear standout Trainer card in the set. That’s likely due to its status as a Special Illustration Rare, making it more elusive than some of the other cards on this list. Currently, the full art Zinnia’s Trust card is running at about $28.50 ungraded, placing it as the 4th most valuable chase card in the set.
4th Place: Mega Rayquaza ex Super Illustration Rare
This is currently the highest value chase card from Delta Reign, and I can definitely see why. Rayquaza is the star of the show for this expansion and also an incredibly popular Pokémon in general. And this is a stunning depiction of the legendary, showcasing it in full action mode, gearing up for an impressive attack. It’s just that I personally have never liked Rayquaza’s design. I know that’s an unpopular opinion, but the whole futuristic robot dragon vibe doesn’t do it for me, and that’s even more pronounced in its Mega evolution. So for me, this is a very cool Rayquaza card, but I don’t care much for Rayquaza.
I’d still probably be happy to pull this one because it could nab me some serious extra grocery budget, though. Currently, Mega Rayquaza ex is going for around $320 ungraded. And the few PSA 10 cards in circulation have fetched upwards of $1700 so far. So, yeah, I wouldn’t be mad to pull this one, but I probably also wouldn’t be putting it in my all-time favorites binder.
3rd Place: Raikou ex Super Illustration Rare
Raikou may not be my favorite of the legendary dogs, but it’s still a solid legendary Pokémon. And this card is my favorite kind of full art, showing Raikou fully in action, leaping across a series of rocks with charged electricity surrounding it. The background contrasts beautifully with the brightly colored Pokémon, making it stand out. All around, a solid Super Illustration Rare.
Clearly, I’m not the only one who thinks so. The Raikou ex Super Illustration Rare is trending at around $90 ungraded, making it the 3rd most valuable single card from Delta Reign after the two Rayquaza ex cards. Not a bad showing for one of the oldest legendary Pokémon in the books.
2nd Place: Kecleon Illustration Rare
Why is Kecleon pole dancing? I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care. This card art is absolutely iconic, and I am immediately obsessed with it. This is the kind of artwork that can make you really appreciate a Pokémon you don’t typically care about. I’ve never been a huge Kecleon fan, but this shows a fun-loving side to its personality while paying homage to its ability to blend into the background. The colors in the background match Kecleon, but don’t let it fully blend in, showing off the Pokémon as a focal point while still paying homage to its lore. It’s a vibe.
Price-wise, this is the 7th most valuable chase card in the Delta Reign expansion. At around $26 ungraded, it’s just below the Eevee Illustration Rare in resale value. And it also happens to fall just below Eevee as my personal favorite full art from the set.
1st Place: Eevee Illustration Rare
Did I expand this list to a top 7 instead of top 5 partly just so I could include this card? Yes, yes, I did. But honestly, how could I not want to put this adorable full art Eevee at the top of my personal chase card list? Eevee is iconic, and this card is adorable. It features Eevee hiding out in a handbag, with a safari hat beside it. This cutie is clearly having a little picnic break with their trainer, and it is perfection.
Currently, ungraded versions of this card are trending at around $27, placing it just slightly below Mega Golurk as the 6th most valuable single card in Delta Reign. But in my heart? This Eevee card is one of the best bits of art in the latest Pokémon TCG expansion, and it’s going on my personal list of all-time chase cards.
Looking for more Pokémon TCG goodness? Check out our review of the 30th Celebration expansion.
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