“You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.”

One of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, Thanos is the main antagonist in the Infinity Saga.

First introduced in a 1973 edition of The Invincible Iron Man, he’s seen as one of the greatest film villains of all-time.

We’ve come up with a list containing five of the best Thanos cards ever produced, including serial numbered options and the rarest releases. 

The Best Thanos Cards

For the purposes of this list, we’re looking at PSA graded copies. They have the greatest resale value, and they have to be seen as the optimal investment pieces. 

5. 2018 Marvel Masterpieces Thanos/Nova/Star Lord #BS-2 (eBay)

2018 Upper Deck Marvel Masterpieces is up first. We’re looking at the Battle Spectra subset, which was originally released at a rate of one per hobby box. 

Thanos shares the card with Nova and Star Lord, as they do battle in an illustration by Simone Bianchi.

Battle Spectra cards also have Gem parallels numbered to 99, with the serial number located on the reverse. 

• Parallels: Gems #/99

Check prices of 2018 Marvel Masterpieces Thanos card on Ebay 

4. 1990 Marvel Universe Thanos #79 (eBay) 

The 162-card 1990 Impel Marvel Universe release is seen as a primer for the many sets that came afterwards. It features classic artwork, with Thanos found in the ‘Super Villains’ section of the comprehensive collection. 

As the set was released back in 1990, there are no parallels to look out for, and Thanos wasn’t included as one of the rare Hologram inserts.  

Check prices of 1990 Impel Marvel Universe Thanos card on Ebay 

3. 2015 Fleer Retro Marvel Precious Metal Gems Thanos /100 #36 (eBay)

2015 Fleer Retro Marvel trading cards take a trip back to the 1990s, celebrating early releases like the Impel collection seen above. 

In terms of Thanos cards, the pick of the bunch has to be located in the Precious Metal Gems subset, featuring brightly colored cards with Red, Green and Blue parallels of the Metal portion of the set.

As with all PMG cards, the finish is especially prone to chipping, making it tough to locate if you’re looking for pristine copies. Expect to pay a high premium to add a copy to your personal collection. 

• Parallels: PMG Blue #/50, PMG Green #/10, PMG Gold 1/1

Check prices of 2015 Fleer Retro Marvel PMG Thanos card on Ebay 

2. 2015 Fleer Retro Marvel Universe ‘90 Impel Thanos #12 (eBay)

Sticking with the same 2015 Fleer Retro Marvel set as the PMG card seen above, every pack contains one Retro card. 

These are based on memorable sets like 1990 Impel Marvel Universe, the third series that came in 1992, 1994 Flair and 1995 Marvel Metal Blasters.

In a style evoking the Retro name, Thanos is pictured while sitting on his throne. 

Check prices of 2015 Fleer Retro Marvel Universe ‘90 Impel Thanos card on Ebay 

1. 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel Precious Metal Gems Thanos /100 #39 (eBay)

The second Precious Metal Gems Thanos card to make the list, this time it’s found in 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel. 

The 2013 Thanos PMG card features a close up shot of the Mad Titan, with power brimming from his wrists. 

Once again, the finish is especially prone to chipping, making it tough to locate if you’re looking for pristine copies. 

Expect to pay a high premium to add a copy to your personal collection, especially if you’re looking at the Blue or Green versions. 

• Parallels: PMG Blue #/50, PMG Green #/10

Check prices of 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel PMG Thanos card on Ebay 

Thanos Cards: Buyers Guide 

Thanos is featured in various sets throughout the years, and is one of the more popular Marvel villains of all-time. What’s the market like for his best cards? 

The 1990 Impel set Thanos card is one of the most affordable overall, even when looking at graded versions. 

Either of the PMG cards have to be seen as some of the best Thanos investment cards on the market right now. They’re limited in number, and feature one of the best villains in recent memory. The only potential issue is a high asking price. 

Final Thoughts

Thanos has been a major part of the MCU so far, even if his chapter is now complete for the most part. 

There’s still a massive market for Marvel memorabilia, with plans already laid for phase 4. 

As such, we think that the market for Thanos cards is reasonably strong, and they could be one of the better investment options long-term.