For those unfamiliar, the Hidden Gems Report is our premium weekly breakdown of undervalued cards, sealed products, and sets positioned for long-term appreciation. Each pick comes with market data, verified links, rarity analysis, macro-trend reasoning, and a 5–10 year expected outlook. Subscribers receive these reports directly to their inbox, gaining access to our research into what we believe are some of the strongest low-risk, high-upside plays in the entire TCG space. A single good pick can outperform dozens of blind box openings—and we handle the research so you can focus on collecting, investing, or both.
Understanding the trading card market requires awareness on both a macro and micro level. Macro-level trends—like monetary inflation, demographic shifts, and the rising popularity of TCGs—push collectibles into the spotlight as alternative assets. Meanwhile, micro-level details such as pull rates, card rarity tiers, grading populations, and supply cycles determine whether a card is truly undervalued today. Collectibles, especially rare singles, have become appealing because they behave like deflationary assets —once products are opened, supply permanently decreases, giving surviving singles long-term scarcity.
In honor of Thanksgiving, our free Hidden Gem pick is: Pidgeot ex – 225/197 (Special Illustration Rare) TCGplayer link: https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/509983/pokemon-sv03-obsidian-flames-pidgeot-ex-225-197?page=1&Language=English This card comes from Obsidian Flames , one of the more overlooked Scarlet & Violet sets. According to TCGplayer’s verified pull-rate study, the Pidgeot ex Special Illustration Rare has a rarity of 1 in 188 packs : Pull-rate reference: https://www.tcgplayer.com/content/article/Pokémon-TCG-Obsidian-Flames-Pull-Rates/e2a66999-a7b5-4621-9765-c9a132e04bd2
With Obsidian Flames booster packs currently around $8 per pack , statistically you’d need to open over $1,500 worth of product just to attempt pulling this single card. Yet today, you can purchase a near-mint copy for less than the cost of two booster packs . That alone is textbook undervaluation. Add in beautiful artwork, long-term nostalgia appeal, and its extreme rarity tier, and Pidgeot ex stands out as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity as the Scarlet & Violet era transitions into Mega Evolutions.
As collectors, investors, and hobbyists, we all get to choose how we participate in this ever-growing market. Sometimes that means opening packs for fun, sometimes it means building binders, and sometimes it means quietly stacking undervalued singles before the market catches up. Today’s free pick is simply our way of saying thank you—and showing you the kind of research, logic, and discipline that powers our Hidden Gems Reports every week.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at TCJournal. May your day be filled with joy, family, good food, and maybe even a new favorite card for your collection. And to our Hidden Gems subscribers—thank you for trusting us to help navigate the TCG market. To everyone reading—here’s to another year of collecting, investing, and discovering treasure together.
Reference Articles:
Pidgeot ex (Special Illustration Rare) – TCGplayer: https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/509983/pokemon-sv03-obsidian-flames-pidgeot-ex-225-197?page=1&Language=English
Obsidian Flames Pull Rate Study – TCGplayer: https://www.tcgplayer.com/content/article/Pokémon-TCG-Obsidian-Flames-Pull-Rates/e2a66999-a7b5-4621-9765-c9a132e04bd2