Why Disney Lorcana Cards Aren’t Worth Much to Collectors
Disney Lorcana entered the trading card game market in 2023 with significant hype. Combining the competitiveness of a TCG with the strength of the Disney brand, many fans expected these cards to become valuable collectibles. Unfortunately, that hasn’t necessarily been the case.
When compared to its competitors like Pokemon and even One Piece, Disney Lorcana ranks low in terms of collectability right ow. It may appeal to Disney fans who enjoy artwork and those who play the game, but it has yet to develop a secondary market that drives high collectible value. So why is that?
To begin, we must look at the early market speculation. When Disney Lorcana launched, the hype surrounding the game led some buyers to overpay for cards, expecting huge appreciation. This was particularly true for the first set, The First Chapter, when demand outstripped supply. However, once the market stabilized, prices fell to reflect actual demand and scarcity, resulting in many of these early cards not holding value.
Since those early sets, Ravensburger has made it their goal to prioritize players, and the game itself. They want Disney Lorcana to be easily accessible. To that end, many of the sets print runs larger than other collectible card games, resulting in high supply. Because new sets are easy to find in stores, there isn’t much FOMO. Unlike Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering, where rare cards are limited, many Disney Lorcana cards are still widely available, which lowers the price on secondary markets.
That, in turn, lowers the overall secondary market demand. And while Disney Lorcana is popular among Disney fans, it hasn’t gained widespread popularity yet. There’s just not a large enough or active enough player or collector base when compared to long-established TCGs.
It also doesn’t help that the first Disney Lorcana sets not not yet officially “vaulted” or retired. In fact, Ravensburger recently made the decision to focus on rotation and accessibility when it comes to older sets. Cards from The First Chapter through Ursula’s return remain playable in Core constructed if they are reprints in newer sets like Shimmering Skies or the Fabled expansion. Reprints feature new set symbols, which could make the original run more valuable at some point, but collectors typically wait for cards to enter a “discontinued” stage before we begin to see value increases.
The biggest difference with Disney Lorcana versus other trading card games is simply Ravensburger’s approach. The game is designed to appeal to fans of Disney characters and stories, not necessarily collectors or investors. Disney Lorcana prioritizes aesthetic and the gameplay experience over long-term market value.
Don’t get me wrong, as a Disney fan, I still very much enjoy collecting Disney Lorcana cards. I love the artwork and lore of the game. But I’m not collecting Disney Lorcana cards with the hope of striking it rich.
