As we mentioned on the podcast, the Pokémon market in 2025 delivered one of its most fascinating years yet. With eBay’s enormous volume of card sales to draw from, we finally have a clear snapshot of which characters truly drove the hobby—and the story the data tells is one longtime collectors will appreciate.
Below is a breakdown of the Top 50 Pokémon characters by total eBay sales in 2025, along with several standout trends that emerged from the numbers. The dataset covers January through November and pulls from both GemRate and Card Hedge. A few of the most interesting takeaways include…
- Generation 1 Still Reigns Supreme
Out of the top 50 characters, 28 come from Generation 1. Nearly 30 years after the franchise began, the original roster continues to anchor the hobby. Nostalgia, iconic designs, and the sheer volume of early-era cards all play a role in keeping Gen 1 at the top. - Popularity Drops After Generation 4
Only six Pokémon beyond Gen 4 cracked the top 50, reinforcing the idea that the earliest designs remain the most unique and culturally embedded. The newer gen that made the list are Sylveon (G6), Reshiram (G5), Greninja (G6), Mimikyu (G7), Zekrom (G5), and Zoroark (G5). - Every Eeveelution Made the Cut
Eevee and all eight of its evolutions appear in the top 50. That’s a clean sweep for one of the most consistently popular families in the franchise. Whether it’s Vaporeon, Umbreon, Sylveon, or the others, Eeveelutions continue to be some of the most collected cards in the hobby. - The Original Starters (and Their First Evolutions) Are All Here
All nine appear in the top 50, proving once again that the Kanto starters remain the backbone of Pokémon card collecting.
Here is the full list for you to check out…