Are the best Mew Pokemon cards worth checking out?

Mew has always been one of the most popular of the original 151 Pokémon, especially as it played a major part in the first movie.

As the last of the first-generation Pokémon, it’s near-mythical status was confirmed when it was wrapped in holo foil for the purposes of a famous promotional card. 

Here’s a list containing five of the best Mew Pokemon cards, along with buying/selling advice if you’re looking at graded copies. 

The Best Mew Pokemon Cards

Typically, it’s worth checking a Pokémon’s earliest cards, but that isn’t necessarily the case with Mew. 

5. 2000 Pokemon Game Promo Ancient Mew (eBay)

Wizards of the Coast produced numerous exclusive Pokémon cards for promotional events such as tournaments in the early 2000’s. 

The 2000 Ancient Mew was one such card. It was given out with the purchase of a ticket for the theatrical run of the second movie in the United States and other countries worldwide at participating cinemas within the first week of release.

I remember just how popular this card was at the time, with some kids going to see the film multiple times to grab an extra Mew or two. 

There’s also a Japanese version, with a border pattern on the international print that is more pronounced as it does not extend to the card edge due to the wider border.

However, it was produced at insane rates, with 4,278 PSA 9 grades, and a whopping 1,432 cards having achieved a PSA 10. 

4. 2006 Pokemon EX Dragon Frontiers Gold Star Holo Mew #101 (eBay)

Next up is an option from the fifteenth main expansion of cards from the EX Series of the Pokémon TGC.

Amongst the Generation III Pokémon you’ll find Mew, and this is the only card that doesn’t feature a purple background to highlight it’s prime psychic powers. (The Pokémon actually pops out past the border at the top.) 

The 2006 Pokémon EX Dragon Frontiers Mew is far rarer than the Ancient version seen above. For example, there are just 64 PSA 10s at the current time of writing. 

3. 1999 Pokemon Japanese Promo Southern Island Mew #151 (eBay)

The oldest card to make the list, the 1999 Southern Island Mew is a Japanese promo item. 

It has a simple illustration showing the Pokémon leaping through the air, with a Charizard in the distance. 

(It’s not to be confused with the holo background version, which sells for a fraction of the price compared to the real deal.)

There are currently only 57 gem mint copies according to the PSA registry, which makes it one of the more expensive options overall. The price drops rapidly with lower grades, even for PSA 9 copies. 

2. 2006 Pokemon EX Holon Phantoms Mew EX #100 (eBay)

From the 2006 EX series, this expansion was set in Holon. It was one of the first to feature the plain “refractor” Holofoil on the background of the artwork.

This is arguably the best Mew card from an artistic perspective, with their giant tail taking up a large section. It also highlights the overall increase in quality when compared to the older cards seen above. 

EX cards are variants of the base versions, standing for ‘EXtra’. 

1. 2015 Pokemon Art Academy Competition Mew #151 (eBay)

The Pokémon Art Academy held an international illustration contest in 2015. It gave entrants the opportunity to be featured on specially created Pokémon TCG cards.

This version of Mew is one such card from the Europe and Oceania competition, designed by Phanpy. 

Interestingly, each of the winners received 100 copies of the card featuring their illustration. This means that it’s one of the rarest on the planet, and it’s scarcely available at auction. 

Mew Pokémon Cards: Buyers Guide 

Mew is one of the more popular first-gen Pokémon to make the list. It is instantly recognisable for any fan of the series. Here’s what we think about their cards from a buyer’s perspective. 

You might have expected the ‘best’ affordable option to be the 2000 Ancient Mew, especially if you’re sticking with graded versions.

However, it’s worth noting that it used to sell for thousands of dollars, and can now be found for next to nothing. This is arguably due to the sheer number of graded copies available.

Instead, we’d stick with a PSA 9 copy of the Southern Island Mew.

With a hypothetical unlimited budget, we’d opt for the 2015 Art Academy Mew card. 

The rarity can’t be disregarded. It could end up providing a significant ROI in the future given the current state of the Pokémon card market. Of course, you’ll have to wait for one to be listed up on the likes of eBay first. 

Final Thoughts

Mew has always been unique, whether due to its mythical status in the anime, or it’s addition as the 151st Pokémon from the original set. 

This is still true roughly 22 years after the first gen was released, especially if you take a look at the number of bids the average graded Mew card receives.

It looks to be another solid long-term investment option if you’re interested in the best Pokémon cards. It’s also available for a fraction of the price of a slabbed shadowless Charizard. 

Shiny versions are always popular, and it’s one of the more recognizable Pokemon from the trading card game. Japanese cards tend to be a cheaper alternative. 

From a selling perspective, we’d wait for another bubble in prices before cashing in on any expensive cards from your collection.