As a long-time Pokémon trading card enthusiast, the question I get asked most often by new collectors is: "Is Card X rare?" People are keen to know if they‘ve stumbled upon a valuable find in their latest booster pack opening. One card generating a lot of buzz right now is Lucario V from the Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest expansion.
In this article, I‘ll provide an in-depth look at Lucario V to help you understand its rarity status. You‘ll learn key factors like print run size, pull rates, market value, and collector demand that determine how rare and valuable this card really is. Let‘s dive in fellow Pokéfans!
Quick Primer – What is Lucario V?
For those unfamiliar, Lucario V is an ultra rare Pokémon V card featuring the popular Fighting and Steel-type monster Lucario. It was first released in February 2022 in the Japanese set VSTAR Universe before making its international debut in August 2022 as part of the Silver Tempest expansion.
As a Stage 1 card, Lucario V evolves from Riolu and can further evolve into Lucario VSTAR. It has the Strafe Rush attack doing 70 damage plus 10 more for each Benched Pokémon you have in play.
The card features Lucario launching an aura sphere attack with the V series‘ signature black color scheme on the borders. It also has the special V foil treatment that gives it a textured holographic shine.
Print Run Size – A Key Scarcity Factor
The main thing that determines a trading card‘s rarity is its print run size. Simply put – how many copies of a particular card were produced? Print runs for Pokémon cards vary greatly depending on the rarity tier.
While The Pokémon Company does not release exact print run data, hobby experts have reverse engineered the likely numbers based on booster box mapping and overall population reports.
Here‘s a look at estimated print runs for different rarity tiers:
| Rarity Tier | Print Run Size |
|---|---|
| Common | ~50,000 copies |
| Uncommon | ~20,000 copies |
| Rare | ~10,000 copies |
| Ultra Rare (V) | ~5,000 copies |
| Secret Rare (VMAX) | ~1,000 copies |
With an estimated print run of around 5,000 copies, Lucario V falls into the ultra rare tier. Now let‘s compare it to some other card types:
| Card Type | Print Run |
|---|---|
| Common | ~50,000 |
| Amazing Rare | ~10,000 |
| Full Art V | ~2,000 |
| Gold Secret Rare | ~500 |
As you can see, Lucario V has a smaller supply compared to commons, rares, and amazing rares. But it has higher availability versus fuller art Vs and gold secret rares.
Pull Rates – The Odds of Finding Lucario V
The next factor determining Lucario V‘s rarity is its pull rate – how often you can expect to open this card from Silver Tempest booster packs. These are the official pull rates:
- Regular Lucario V – 1 in 72 packs
- Rainbow Rare Lucario VMAX – 1 in 144 packs
- Gold Secret Rare Lucario VSTAR – 1 in 288 packs
So on average, you‘ll pull the regular Lucario V card once every 3-4 booster boxes. It will take 6-8 boxes to get the rainbow rare, and around 12 boxes for the gold secret rare.
Here‘s how Lucario V‘s pull rates stack up against other hit cards from the Silver Tempest set:
| Name | Pull Rate |
|---|---|
| Regular V | 1:72 packs |
| Full Art V | 1:300 packs |
| Alt Art V | 1:600 packs |
| Regular VMAX | 1:144 packs |
| Rainbow Rare VMAX | 1:360 packs |
| Gold Secret Rare | 1:288 packs |
As expected, the alternate art and rainbow rare versions are harder to pull. But among regular V cards, Lucario has average ultra rare pull luck.
Market Value – What Lucario V Cards Sell For
Rarity directly impacts market prices for Pokémon cards. Lower supply and harder pull rates mean higher valuations. Let‘s look at real-world price data for Lucario V:
| Name | Market Price |
|---|---|
| Regular Lucario V | $10-$25 |
| Rainbow Rare Lucario VMAX | $40-$60 |
| Gold Secret Lucario VSTAR | $80-$120 |
Contrast this with a common card which sells for under $1 and a gold secret rare VSTAR at over $80. As an ultra rare, Lucario V commands a respectable mid-range price point.
The alternate art and fuller art Lucario Vs trade for about 2X the regular version, reflecting their increased rarity. Prices also vary based on card condition, 1st edition vs unlimited, and whether they are professionally graded.
Why Lucario Remains So Popular
Beyond its rattity status, Lucario‘s enduring popularity amongst fans helps drive up demand. It has gained mainstream notoriety as a featured Pokémon in movies, the anime series, and video games.
As a cool-looking fighting dog with Steel typing, Lucario hits all the right notes for Pokémon enthusiasts. It also has a great competitive battle pedigree, being a frequent top tier pick in the video games and trading card game metagame.
Since its debut in 2006, Lucario has quickly become a fan favorite monster. It consistently ranks near the top of polls for most popular non-starter Pokémon.
This popularity translates into strong collector demand for Lucario cards. While not the absolute rarest, Lucario V‘s combination of ultra rare status and character popularity give it great appeal.
Is Lucario V a Good Investment?
As an expert Pokémon collector and investor, I get asked often whether modern cards like Lucario V make for good long term investments.
In my opinion, Lucario V has solid potential for appreciation over time, but not as much as sealed booster boxes or 1st edition base set cards.
Here are a few points to consider:
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As an ultra rare V card, Lucario V offers a nice balance of rarity and supply for collectors.
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Its competitive play value may decrease once it rotates out of the Standard format. But its collector value should remain strong long term.
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Rainbow rare and gold secret rare versions will likely hold value better than regular version. Their extra rarity gives them more upside.
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Graded Lucario V cards in pristine condition will certainly carry premiums vs raw copies. But even moderately-played ones have appeal.
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Sealed booster boxes are safer investments since they offer exposure to all big chase cards from a set. But Lucario V remains a strong single card option.
While not without risk, Lucario V checks many boxes that make a card alluring to long term investors. Only time will tell how much this fan favorite‘s value appreciates.
The Verdict – A Rare and Valuable Modern Pokémon Card
In the world of Pokémon card collecting, the term "rare" has a wide range of meanings. While not as scarce as a 1st edition Charizard or gold star Umbreon, Lucario V still carries ultra rare status.
Its solid combination of limited supply, respectable pull rates, and character popularity make it a modern card that collectors and investors are paying close attention to. Prices in the $10-$25 range make Lucario V attainable for casual fans too.
As the Sword & Shield era winds down, early V cards like Lucario V seem poised to be solid additions to any Pokémon binder. Their cool designs and unique mechanics helped usher in a new generation of competitive play.
So while booster boxes should form the core of your investing portfolio, picking up Lucario V as a single card hold certainly makes sense. This fighting canine looks ready to deliver value to collectors for many years to come!
