June’s biggest climbers came from the supporting cast
Holon Phantoms Corphish, card number 63, led the June rally with a gain of 289.0%, reaching $20.54, which is a strange result on paper. Corphish never carried the franchise the way Pikachu (Fig. 2) or Charizard did, however the crab had a proper comedic career in anime, with a bad temper and more confidence than common sense. That type of character stays with viewers because it brings a traveling group to life.
Emerald ralts, card #61, rose 269.6% to $40.65. Dragon Shuppet, card #43, rose 263.6% to $79.98. Ralts has always had a strong emotional pull because his line of evolution turns a small, nervous creature into Gardevoir, one of the most well-known psychic figures in the series.
Shuppet comes from the weirder side of Pokémon, where a little ghost can be funny in one scene and disturbing in the next. June’s leaders suggest that collectors were paying attention to the personality and artistry of vintage cards, rather than pursuing only the biggest names in the franchise. It proves that a familiar face isn’t always famous.
The great legends had a bad June
The steepest drop belonged to HS—Undaunted’s Kyogre & Groudon LEGEND, card #87, which fell 57.4% to $212.70. It’s a dramatic move for a card built around one of the franchise’s biggest conflicts. Kyogre and Groudon are not background monsters. Their fight is the central story of the Hoenn disaster, with sea and land pushing against each other until Rayquaza intervenes. The card itself requires two halves to complete the scene, giving it the feel of a wide shot of an important battle.
Core Set Zapdos, card #16, fell 45.9% to $324.50. Deoxys Normal Forme from Legends Awakened, card #1, fell 43.9% to $44.58. Zapdos belongs to the original legendary group of the first generation.
Deoxys introduced an extraterrestrial visitor to the usual Pokémon creature folklore. Both have a serious fan history, but the price drop doesn’t erase that attraction. It’s possible that collectors have been chasing something else during June, or that the cards have simply been priced too high for the month-long sales happening right now.