Pokémon TCG Hot/Cold List for the Week of May 12, 2026

Mega Greninja ex #114 (Chaos Rising, Mega Hyper Rare)

Greninja has spent years at the top of Pokémon popularity polls, and now that Mega Greninja ex has arrived in the TCG, the market is responding with the kind of fervor usually reserved for a first-edition Charizard.

The Mega Hyper Rare, the gold, full-art crown jewel of Chaos Rising, is currently commanding a market price of approximately $300 based on early Japanese data.

Once the card hits tables on May 22, that number could move in either direction fast.

Pull rates are punishing, with roughly six booster boxes of opening required to statistically pull one copy. This is the undisputed chase card of the spring, and the market knows it.

*Buy Mega Greninja ex cards on TCGPlayer and eBay

Rayquaza V #194 (Evolving Skies, Alternate Full Art)

Not every card making noise this week has a 2026 set stamp on it.

Rayquaza V from Evolving Skies has climbed a fair bit in the last month, with near mint copies now selling in the $325 range.

This is the Chaos Rising effect working in reverse, the renewed dragon hype and the broader Mega Evolution era is sending collectors back to the definitive dragon card of the modern era.

Evolving Skies is out of print, supply of high-grade copies is not coming back, and Ryuta Fuse’s breathtaking alternate art remains one of the most celebrated pieces of illustration in the hobby’s history.

If Chaos Rising keeps dragon-type Pokémon in the conversation all summer, this card has nowhere to go but up.

*Buy Rayquaza V cards on TCGPlayer and eBay

N’s Zekrom #31 (Ascended Heroes, Pokémon Center Exclusive Promo)

N’s Zekrom, the Pokémon Center Exclusive promo bundled inside Ascended Heroes ETBs, is sitting at approximately $104 for near mint copies.

This is a story about fixed supply meeting growing demand. As a promo-only print, there is no reprint path and no additional product wave coming for buyers who missed MSRP.

N has one of the most passionate fanbases in the franchise, and pairing his signature legendary with a 30th Anniversary release created a card worth nearly 60 percent of the box it came in. The window to buy at a reasonable price is closing fast.

*Buy N’s Zekrom cards on TCGPlayer and eBay

Meowth ex (Perfect Order, Special Illustration Rare)

Meowth ex is not a Mega Pokémon, not the flagship chase of Perfect Order, and yet week after week it sits at or near the top of the set’s most expensive singles.

The cozy, food-centric artwork has struck a chord with collectors who are increasingly prioritizing vibe over competitive power.

Add in the timeless appeal of the original Persian-line Pokémon and you have a card that has no business outperforming the Mega Hyper Rares it shares shelf space with, yet here we are.

*Buy Meowth ex cards on TCGPlayer and eBay

Rosa’s Encouragement (Perfect Order, Special Illustration Rare)

Rosa’s Encouragement came out of the gate hot. Early market data trended favorably, driven by the card’s competitive utility in Stage 2 decks and excitement around Rosa’s collector-grade debut.

That early hype is where the good news stops. The card has since settled at a far more typical price point for an alternate art Supporter, and the Chaos Rising prerelease window is not helping.

With collector dollars funneling toward Greninja and Gardevoir this week, Rosa is getting the quiet treatment.

It has the bones for a long-term hold, but the short-term momentum is not there. This one goes on the watch list, not the buy list, until the Chaos Rising fever breaks.

*Buy Rosa’s Encouragement cards on TCGPlayer and eBay