The most expensive Melmetal Pokemon TCG cards

As one of the latest additions to the Pokemon TCG, Melmetal stands out as an unusual Steel-type Mythical Pokemon with a nut for a face. ​​​​​​While there aren't years and years of vintage Melmetal cards to sift through and track down, this Pokemon still boasts some pretty rare and desirable cards among the best.

While valuable Pokemon like Jirachi set a good precedent for what Melmetal cards can expect in the future, this Pokemon doesn't have the cuteness factor that boosts Jirachi's value. Despite​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​lack​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In it out, the lack of special features, Melmetal's career in the TCG is supported by one of the best steel types, Lucario.

Maps are ordered according to their TCGPlayer market price, what you could pay on average for a copy of the cards below.

A solid solo start

Melmetal is off to a strong start considering it joined the Pokemon TCG during the Sword and Shield era where there were a lot of valuable cards. ​​​​​​While Melmetal's modest price doesn't guarantee it a place among the best cards of its era, most debuting Pokemon start off slow and then rise in value as they get better cards, otherwise the demand for them will increase.

However, despite the relatively affordable price, this Melmetal card is expensive given the low popularity of Melmetal and the lack of great art. Unfortunately, the Melmetal VMAX has seen better days once sat closer to $11, but had sunk below the plateau and seemed not yet ready to break through it again.

The last single art

Pre-release promo cards that build hype for upcoming sets tend to remain highly sought-after over time, rising in value if they're particularly flashy or feature a popular Pokemon. Unfortunately, Melmetal doesn't have any differences, but this is one of the few Melmetal promo cards you can get.

However, Melmetal could use some help increasing its value as this promo card doesn't grow as fast as some others. However, this promotion remains rare, with only two recent sales as its price looks poised to bounce back to the $12 mark after down to about eight dollars in mid-2024.

Holding on tight

Melmetal finally gets a little help from its friend when Lucario and Melmetal team up to form the perfect partnership, even if their value isn't high enough to earn them a place among the most valuable cards in Unbroken Bonds. Despite the stiff card competition in Unbroken Bonds, Lucario & Melmetal GX uses Lucario's presence to gain a slight edge over its counterparts.

This card is one of Melmetal's most desired cards, along with its promos, as sales of this card have continued to increase since early 2024. This card started at around $8.50 in late 2023 and was just under $11 by the end. October 2024, salary about a 30 percent increase in prices.

Combining partnership with exclusivity

Many of the most valuable cards from the Age of Sun and Moon feature two Pokemon joining forces to form a powerful team, like this fantastic promo card. Lucario returns to help Melmetal secure a solid valuation, finally breaking through the glass ceiling and soaring above $11.

Lucario's popularity is a large part of why Melmetal cards are able to maintain positive momentum without new reasons to enjoy Melmetal.

Just like the previous Melmetal, this wonderful promotional trend is on the rise, rising from around $9 in late 2023 to nearly $13 in November 2024. An increase of four dollars may not seem like much, but it is almost A 50 percent increase included in the cost of this card in about 12 months.

Growth with a rainbow

Secret Rare Lucario & Melmetal GX earned its crown as the most valuable Melmetal card, although this card would have a hard time competing with the most expensive Lucario cards. ​​​​​​While it's hard to appreciate the design of each Pokemon with a rainbow color palette, the rarity of this card helps drive up the price.

Unfortunately, this Melmetal card doesn't show the same upward trend as the previous two entries, with cards in weak play (LP) extended drop from $22 to around $20. Almost mint though (NM) cards carry a slight premium, reaching highs of $26 at the top of the range.