Ace Spec Pokémon cards were originally introduced to the Pokémon TCG with the Japanese expansion Black & White—Boundaries Crossed. They are exceptionally powerful cards that often feature striking artwork.
They were removed from the game years ago, but were brought back with Temporal Forces. They’ve since made waves in the competitive community, with a few promising additions set to join the lineup with the release of Stellar Crown.
To help you keep tabs on the most important Ace Spec cards as a collector, we’ve rounded up the most valuable Ace Specs to watch out for. Some are tournament legal and some are not, so pay attention to the set names. We used data from eBay, Collectr, and TCGPlayer to create our list.
Computer research (137/149)
Pokemon Card from The Pokemon CompanyComputer Research (137/149).
At the time of writing, Computer Research is the most expensive Ace Spec card in the game. It’s an older piece, hailing from Boundaries Crossed, but its eye-catching artwork and interesting ability have helped keep it at the forefront of the community’s collective mind.
While this card is no longer in standard rotation, it was originally a useful addition to many different decks and saw a lot of play back in the day. Currently, you can find this card for around $35-40, depending on the platform and quality of the card.
Computer Search required a discard pile of 2 cards to use. It then allowed the user to search their deck for a card, put it into their hand, and then shuffle the deck. It wasn’t the flashiest Spec Ace around, but it offered plenty of utility.
Master Ball (94/101)
Pokémon Master Ball card (94/101) from The Pokemon Company.
Prices vary for this iconic Ace Spec, but you can find a good quality copy of the Plasma Blast Master Ball in the $19-23 range, depending on your platform of choice.
This is a powerful card that allows players to search for any Pokémon in their deck, reveal it, and add it to their deck. It does not have the same restrictions as other Poké Ball-related cards, which is why it is an Ace specialization card and limited to 1 per deck.
Plasma Blast is a much older set (and is no longer in rotation) but it still has a fantastic aesthetic. It’s a great collectible to add to your collection, especially if you’re a fan of the black and white era.
Bounty Catcher (157/162)
Prime Catcher Pokémon card (157/162) from The Pokemon Company.
In November 2024, the Prime Catcher Ace Spec is expected to see a huge surge in popularity thanks to its reprint and inclusion in a former Charizard League Battle Deck.
Prime Catcher allows you to switch one of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon with their Active Pokémon, forcing you to do the same with one of your own. As you can imagine, this card can be incredibly powerful (and annoying) in a match.
Currently, good quality copies of Prime Catcher are selling for between $17 and $19, making the upcoming Charizard deck worth keeping an eye on.
Dowsing device (128/135)
The Pokemon CompanyDowsing Machine Pokémon Card (128/135).
This card is from the Pokémon Black & White—Plasma Storm expansion. It is not currently tournament legal, but it is still a great card to own as a collector.
You can find a copy of this card for around $8-12, with lower quality versions selling for much less. There is also a World Championship version of this card that sells for around the same price.
When this card was legal, being able to discard 2 cards in exchange for a Trainer from your discard pile was a handy ability. Any sort of cardcycling ability can come in handy when needed.
Maximum belt (154/162)
Maximum Belt (154/162) Pokémon card from The Pokemon Company.
Ever wanted to make your Pokémon even more powerful in a match? This Pokémon card applies a 50+ damage bonus to attacks against your opponent’s active Pokémon, excluding Weaknesses and Resistances.
This is a powerful card and is quite popular among competitive players right now. You can find a copy of this card selling for between $6-10 right now, depending on the quality, with prices much lower for lower quality iterations.
Aside from its competitive value for money, this card is also interesting for collectors who appreciate futuristic and dynamic designs. It’s a very aesthetic card that could hold its value in the long run, so it’s worth keeping an eye on if you’re opening Temporal Forces boosters.
In general, Ace Specs cards are very useful to have on hand. They have relatively high value and can be solid collectibles, and they are fun to use to build unique decks.
It will be interesting to see how the upcoming Stellar Crown and Paradise Dragona sets will add to the list of most valuable Ace Specs, as both of these expansion releases will introduce new Ace Spec cards into the mix.
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