Mega Evolution Chase Cards: Prices in Rand and What to Grade

By Mitchell Taljaard · 23 Oct 2026

"Mega Evolution" is two things at once. It's the name of the current Pokémon TCG era. It's also the name of the era's first English set, released on 26 September 2025. This post is about that first set, the one with Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex on the boxes.

We're Cuppas Cards, a PCG submission service for South African Pokémon collectors. We don't grade cards ourselves: PCG (Premier Card Grading) in the UK assigns every grade. Below you'll find the set's chase cards, what they're worth in rand and which are worth grading. All prices are as of 15 October 2026. For where this era fits in the bigger picture, see our history of the Pokémon TCG.

What is the Mega Evolution set?

It's the first English set of the Mega Evolution era. It released on 26 September 2025 (ICv2, July 2025).

Here are the basics:

Sources: release date and rarity counts from ICv2 (11 July 2025). Card totals and the two Mega Hyper Rares from TCGdex.

Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex are the headline Pokémon. The Elite Trainer Box even came in two versions, one for each (ICv2). The English set draws its cards from two Japanese sets, Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia.

What are the Mega Evolution chase cards?

The chase sits at the top two rarities. There are only two gold Mega Hyper Rares, #187 Mega Gardevoir ex and #188 Mega Lucario ex (TCGdex). Below them sit the set's ten Special Illustration Rares, #177 to #186. The table shows the eight most valuable.

Source: illustrators from TCGdex card data.

The Mega Absol ex is worth a second look for the artist alone. Mitsuhiro Arita is one of the best-known names in the hobby. Our post on Pokémon card artists covers his work and the other big names.

What are the chase cards worth in rand?

The gold Mega Lucario ex is the most valuable card in the set, at about R3,700. Prices below are near-mint raw market prices on 15 October 2026, converted at R16.41 per US$ (Trading Economics, 20 October 2026).

Source: TCGplayer market prices via the pokemontcg.io database, 15 October 2026. Cardrake showed a similar $223.63 for #188.

One oddity stands out. The gold Mega Gardevoir ex now sits slightly below its own Special Illustration Rare on TCGplayer. Gold isn't automatically the top card, so check the current price of the exact version you pulled.

How far have prices fallen since launch?

A long way. Both gold cards peaked soon after release, the gold Lucario within three weeks, and have dropped by about two thirds since.

Sources: launch and November 2025 figures from Wargamer (updated 9 November 2025), citing TCGplayer. October 2026 figures are TCGplayer market prices via the pokemontcg.io database.

The gold Lucario was already down to $544 by 31 October 2025, according to the same Wargamer report. So about a third of the fall came by the end of October 2025, and close to half by early November. Those launch figures are 2025 prices, not today's values.

What are the Mega Evolution pull rates?

The Pokémon Company doesn't publish pull rates, so all of these are community estimates. The best early figures come from TCGplayer's count of more than 5,000 packs, as reported by Wargamer (updated 2 October 2025).

These were preliminary numbers from the first weeks after release. Treat them as a rough guide, not a promise of what's in your next booster box. The odds of pulling one particular gold card are lower still, since two cards share that slot.

Which Mega Evolution cards are worth grading from South Africa?

Grade a card when a slab is likely to protect or add more than it costs. From South Africa, PCG Standard grading through us is R593 per card plus 3% insurance (R495 service including PCG's £15 fee and DHL both ways, plus about R98 customs and VAT). Our grading cost breakdown has the full detail.

Here's how the chase cards line up against that cost:

1. Clearly above the cost: the two gold cards (#187 and #188) and the Gardevoir, Lucario and Venusaur SIRs (#178, #179, #177). At about R2,230 to R3,700 raw, the all-in cost is roughly a fifth to a third of the card's value. On #188, the 3% insurance adds about R110.
2. Marginal, only if clean: Mega Latias ex (#181), Mega Kangaskhan ex (#182), Lillie's Determination (#184) and Mega Absol ex (#180). At about R800 to R1,160, grading eats a big slice of the value. Send one only if it looks sharp, or if you want it slabbed for your collection.
3. Usually not worth it: Acerola's Mischief, Wally's Compassion and Lt. Surge's Bargain. At R230 to R450, grading costs more than the card is worth.

Don't grade on launch hype. The gold Lucario lost roughly two thirds of its price in about a year. A card's value at launch is a poor guide to its value by the time the slab comes home.

No grade is guaranteed, and a slab doesn't guarantee a higher sale price. This isn't investment advice. If you're unsure what each grade means for value, our guide to what card grades mean explains the 1 to 10 scale.

What should you check before sending one in?

Check the centering, corners, edges and surface, as you would with any card. Our pre-grading checklist walks through each check step by step.

FAQ

Is Mega Evolution a set or an era?

Both. Mega Evolution is the name of the current era of the Pokémon TCG and of its first English set, released on 26 September 2025. Later sets in the era, like Delta Reign, have their own names.

What is the rarest card in the Mega Evolution set?

The two gold Mega Hyper Rares, #187 Mega Gardevoir ex and #188 Mega Lucario ex, sit at the top rarity. Community estimates put a Mega Hyper Rare at about 1 in 1,260 packs. The gold Lucario is also the set's most valuable card, at about R3,700 raw.

Is the Mega Absol ex SIR worth grading?

Only if it's clean. At about R800 raw, grading costs most of the card's value. It can still make sense for collectors who want an Arita card slabbed for keeps.

Pulled one of the big ones? Sleeve it, put it in a semi-rigid card holder and start a submission when you're ready.