Last time, we featured an article that gained traction lately about why Moonbreon is so expensive.
But with the growing number of expansions from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, people are now talking about a particular card from the Twilight Masquerade set—the special illustration rare Greninja ex.
If you’ll try to check the current market prices for this card, you’ll likely get curious, as well as why is Greninja ex so expensive.
So, for this post, we’re going to uncover every piece of information and detail that you need to know about Greninja ex, including the reasons behind its price surge.
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More About Special Illustration Rare Greninja ex
Greninja ex cards (we are specifically referring to the ex versions alone) have been a part of various Pokemon TCG expansions, especially during the Scarlet and Violet era.
However, the most valuable Greninja ex that we’ve seen so far is the special illustration rare copy from the Twilight Masquerade set, which is known for its vibrant and colorful full art cards.
Twilight Masquerade was released in May 2024, and just seven months later, special illustration rare Greninja ex is already one of the most sought-after cards in the market, reaching a price of around $300.
Without a doubt, special illustration rare Greninja ex currently takes the top seat not only among the most expensive cards in Twilight Masquerade but also among all the cards in the Scarlet and Violet era.
As of writing this article, this Greninja ex card is even more expensive than the fan favorite Charizard ex from Obsidian Flames.
Now, on to the Question: Why Is Greninja ex So Expensive?
Here are the most probable reasons that can explain the skyrocketing prices of special illustration rare Greninja ex cards:
Reason #1: Superb Artwork
For starters, this card is undeniably cool to look at, and Greninja ex’s color scheme is something that you don’t usually see on a Pokemon card, making it quite interesting and likeable for many TCG fans.
While Twilight Masquerade also boasts a number of beautiful cards, like the special illustration rare copies of Carmine and Perrin, Greninja ex’s artwork still managed to stand out among the rest in its imposing Tera form.
Reason #2: Extremely Low Pull Rate
Just like Moonbreon, this Greninja ex also came from a set with a terrible pull rate.
According to data from TCGplayer, the pull rate for a random special illustration rare in Twilight Masquerade is one in 86 packs. If you aim to pull a specific special illustration rare like Greninja ex, you will get even slimmer chances at one in 941 packs.
Here’s a YouTube video from NXT LVL POKE getting the prized special illustration rare Greninja ex after opening 72 booster packs, which was close to TCGplayer’s estimated pull rates:
Reason #3: Greninja’s Superstar Reputation
Introduced as the final form of one of the Gen 6 starters, Greninja captured the hearts of many Pokemon fans after Ash used his Greninja against Alain in the Kalos League.
While Ash’s Greninja failed to take the victory in that fateful battle, this Pokemon became known as one of Ash’s most powerful mons in the entire series.
Going back to Pokemon TCG, Greninja also gained lots of attention after the release of its Radiant form in the Astral Radiance set of the Sword and Shield series.
The Radiant Greninja card became a staple for many meta decks today, thanks to its Concealed Cards ability, a draw engine that benefits even non-Water-type decks.
Since it’s safe to say that most Pokemon TCG enthusiasts are familiar with Greninja, it only took a well-designed and elusive card to cement Greninja ex’s reputation as one of the most iconic cards in every collector’s binder.
Reason #4: People Talking About Greninja ex
Based on Greninja ex’s market price history, this card’s price started to spike around June 17-18, less than a month after the release of Twilight Masquerade. Before this time period, it’s possible that a few transactions between sellers and buyers influenced the card’s price surge.
On top of those transactions, people on social media, especially on YouTube and Reddit, started flexing their Greninja ex pulls, making everyone jealous and hyping up the desire of having the card.
And considering the low pull rate of this card, many failed to get a single Greninja after opening a bunch of booster packs, and the rest is history.
By applying the law of supply and demand in this scenario, it’s logical to assume that many collectors are eyeing the special illustration rare Greninja from Twilight Masquerade, and its rising demand and rarity led to its current price.
Conclusion
If you made it this far in the article, you’re probably itching to grab some Twilight Masquerade booster packs right now. There’s nothing bad about aiming to pull a Greninja ex, but manage your expectations first, since we already talked about the card’s pull rate to save you from disappointment if you failed to find one.
Fortunately, Twilight Masquerade still holds many memorable cards, many of which are based on Pokemon species and characters present in Kitakami.
Similar to Moonbreon’s situation, collectors will probably hold copies of this card to prevent its price from crashing, so if you’re lucky enough to get a special illustration rare Greninja ex, you’ll get the option of having it graded and sell it for possibly an even higher price in the future.
We hope this article gives you all the information you need to answer the question about why is Greninja so expensive. For more Pokemon TCG-related contents, check out more of our pages here at PokeCardHQ.
