How To Know If Your Charizard Pokmon Card Is Rare And Valuable Or Not
Charizard
Paul Tassi
Time is a flat circle, and it seems like just yesterday I was spending my allowance every week on Pokémon cards in junior high. Well, now Pokémon cards, and opening them on Twitch streams and in YouTube videos, are all the rage again, and it turns out some of those cards you got as a kid may be valuable today, if you kept themand kept them in good shape.
Wading into the exact valuation of all Pokémon cards is a swamp that its hard to emerge from, so I thought Id focus on one particular type of card which was coveted when I was a kid. I saved it because I thought it might be worth something someday, and it turns out I was right. Well, depending on which version you have.
Here is a gradient scale on which of the old school Charizard cards are the most and least valuable. Exact figures for selling prices are hard to pin down. The low end might be a few hundred, the higher end for the rarest Charizard editions can be tens of thousands, if not over $100K for true perfection. The prices below are estimates and again, its a wide range. If yours isnt here at all, it may be too common to be worth all that much. These cards are also usually PSA 9-10 graded meaning they have to be in stellar condition, not just sitting in a shoebox somewhere, in order to see these ranges of prices.
2016 Pokémon XY Staff Charizard Prerelease
Charizard
Game Freak
2002 Legendary Collection Charizard Reverse Holo
Charizard
Game Freak
2002 Legendary Collection Charizard Holo
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Pokemon experts are different than your typical local Pawn or Card shop.
Most experts are collectors themselves and truly love the hobby as a whole. Almost all local shops are almost required to rip-off the people theyre buying from.
They do it in order to pay for renting a big building and having multiple employees. Ive been collecting Pokemon cards almost my entire life. This is something Im truly passionate about.
Shipping your Pokemon cards to us is easy.
When you ship your collection to us its important you insure it for the amount you feel comfortable with. If youre unhappy with the final offer we give you once we receive your Pokemon cards, we will return the Pokemon collection to you with shipping paid by us.
Base Set: Limited Edition 1st Printing
These cards are the most valuable and rare of the Base Set print runs. This initial print run was printed, distributed, and sold out before Pokémania fully took root in the United States, making them extremely rare today, particularly in Near Mint condition. Collectors who do own these cards will typically have them authenticated and graded by a grading service such as Beckett Grading Services or Professional Sports Authenticator . These cards, graded or ungraded, if authentic, can carry significant value. For example, the above Charizard card could be worth upwards of $5000 or more to a collector in perfect condition.
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What Is The 1st Edition Price Psa 10
Charizard cards have been the public fame of Pokemons gigantic market increase over the last year, as PSA 10 first Edition Base Set holos rose from around $50,000 one year before the new record of $390,000 in this latest sale. Costs have risen as the fame of Pokemon cards has arrived at new levels. The most simple method for getting a recently reviewed PSA 10 is to open the card out of a container break because of card quality issues getting a 10 even on a pack-new card is nowhere near ensured.
A significant number of the PSA 10 duplicates of this card are accepted to be used long-term. It is famous to people. This shows that the 121 duplicate cards are probably not going to be raised around town. The card likewise holds an attraction to something beyond the Pokémon collection. The base card is viewed as one of the most important resources for collectors hoping to differentiate past game cards.
Look For Rare Pokemon Cards
Some cards could be worth more than others because they have unique features like holofoil or a special symbol. Other cards may not have many copies.
Heres how to identify rare Pokemon cards.
Rarity Symbols
To determine how common or uncommon a card is, you can look for rarity symbols.
Most Pokemon cards have one of three rarity symbols:
- Diamonds: Semi-rare
- Circles: Common
Cards with a star icon on the back are the rarest and can be worth the most money. You will want to pay closer attention to these rare cards and look for additional special features that add value.
Holofoil
If you collected Pokemon cards as a kid, you likely got excited when a pack of cards contained a holofoil card. They just looked cooler than all the other cards.
Now theres another reason to be excited about holofoil cards. These cards are more valuable than a standard card thats ink-only. The entire Pokemon image may be holographic or only the reverse side.
Rare Letters
Certain card series have rare letters stamped on the front.
Some examples include these stamped letters:
These letter stampings can be for recent releases with the United States version of the Sun & Moon set launching in 2016.
Secret Numbers
Some cards may have a secret number that is higher than the actual number. For example, you might have card number 123 of 100 printed cards.
It can be worth your time to have a professional card grader verify the authenticity and condition of rare cards.
Most Valuable Pokemon Card Sets
Read Also: What Is A Reverse Holo Pokemon Card
Base Set: Unlimited Edition
Unlimited Edition made a number of aesthetic changes to the face of the cards. The overall card appears to be a lighter and brighter printing than the previous Limited Editions. The drop shadow was added behind the art box to add some depth to the card. In addition, certain text, such as the Pokémons HP value, was set in a bold typeface.
There were reportedly six separate printings of the Unlimited Edition of the Base Set. The first five print runs had a copyright line that read: © 1995, 96, 98 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. ©1999 Wizards.. These five print runs are completely identical, with no way to differentiate between them. The final print run, which was allegedly only available in the United Kingdom, can be differentiated by a change to the copyright line which reads, ©1995, 96, 98 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. ©1999-2000 Wizards. Cards from the sixth print run are much rarer due to their limited geographical distribution.
With five to six printings, these cards are by far the most common Base Set cards in existence, and their prices reflect that. Unlimited Edition was printed to meet the insane demand of a public that became obsessed with Pokémon. A Charizard from these printings could fetch about $500 in Near Mint condition from a collector.
What Makes The 1st Edition Holographic Dark Charizard So Valuable
Shortly after the release of Base Set, we had Jungle, then Fossil. Base Set 2 was was met with disappoint among fans hoping for something new. Thankfully, the 2000 Team Rocket set hit a home run, with edgier artwork and the introduction of Dark Pokemon.
The 1st Edition Dark Charizard is an iconic card. Its the first time wed seen something a bit different from Mitsuhiro Aritas OG design. This time Ken Sugimori opted for devilish looking Charizard that almost looks like hes considering whether to attack, or fly off into the night sky. The more you look at it, the more youre immersed into the scene. It really is clever artwork and widely appreciated among fans.
Because of its popularity, theres a decent number of PSA 10s out there, but still, there are 3x as many PSA 9s.
For many, myself included, Team Rocket is one of the best vintage Pokemon sets, and as such, Dark Charizard will always be a highly valuable and desired card.
2000 1st Edition Team Rocket Holographic Dark Charizard PSA Population Report
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This Pokmon Card Just Sold For $420000 At Auction
In a bid to catch all the Pokémon, someone just paid $420,000 at auction for a Charizard card.
The rare 1999 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard card was sold last week in the PWCC March Premier Auction. The sale sets the all-time record for a base set Charizard card, the auction house said in a statement.
What makes the card so unique is its perfect PSA 10 Gem Mint grading. Even though there are 3,000 copies of the card, only 121 have been given that designation, according to PWCC.
This is a card where demand continues to outweigh supply, Jesse Craig, director of business development for PWCC, told CNN.
The card game, based on the popular Pokémon media franchise, has attracted collectors from all over the world, with many paying top dollar for rare cards. Pokémon is the worlds leading media brand and Charizard is the GOAT of that brand. Its an asset that Pokémon and non-Pokémon collectors know of and want to own, Craig said.
A first-edition 1999 Pokemon Charizard No. 4 card sold earlier this month for $336,000 by Heritage Auctions. It too had a PSA 10 Gem Mint grading. Last year, a 1995 Pokemon Japanese Topsun Charizard Blue Back card, also with PSA 10 Gem Mint grading, sold for $493,230 by Goldin Auctions.
What Is The 1999 1st Edition Price
At the point when the classic Pokémon cards started, the 1999 first Edition drove the charge. It is the last evolution of Charmander, one of the three unique starter Pokémon, and the notable essence of the worlds most significant media establishment.
The first release set was delivered in a restricted amount with 102 cards all out, 16 of them being the more extraordinary, desired holographic cards. The holographic card turned into the most well-known for a variety of social reasons at that point.
Check Out Reshiram & Charizard GX Card
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What Makes The Japanese No Rarity Symbol Charizard So Valuable
Collectors go mad for misprint or error cards. And for our next Charizard card, we have to take our time machine all the way back to 1996. No Rarity Symbol cards from the Japanese Base Set are widely considered the equivalent of the English 1st Edition. These cards are from the very first print run, and as the same suggests, they didnt have a rarity symbol in the bottom right corner.
Although theres little documentation of when rarity symbols were introduced to the Japanese Base Set, it wasnt particularly long after no rarity cards were released. As such, theyre incredibly rare and valuable. Combine that scarcity with our main man Charizard, and only 6 PSA 10s in existence, its no wonder this is one of the most expensive Charizards one could ever wish to acquire.
1996 Japanese No Rarity Symbol Charizard PSA Population Report
Most Valuable Charizard Pokemon Cards
In today’s red-hot market, the demand for Charizard Pokemon cards has never been hotter.
Considering that Charizard is easily one of the most iconic characters in the entire franchise, it’s easy to understand why card prices continue to soar…
And much of Charizard’s popularity can be traced to its debut as the cover mascot of the original Pokémon Red video game.
Since then, the dragon-like character has developed into an icon for the Pokemon franchise and collectors are willing to pay huge price tags for some Charizard cards.
Some of them are among the most expensive Pokemon cards in the hobby.
And in this guide, we take a look at the 15 most valuable of them all.
Let’s jump right in!
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/14 1996 Japanese Holographic
Many kids growing up in the 90s in the United States had a unique fascination with Japanese culture thanks to things like Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z, and Sailor Moon. This meant that, on the playground, Japanese Pokemon cards were easily more valuable than their English counterparts.
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A PSA 10 graded version of a 1996 base set Charizard can fetch close to $13,000. Outside the text difference, the Japanese version of the base set card had a slightly different layout pattern when it came to the energy symbols attached to moves.
Cheap Vs Expensive Charizards
If youre trying to figure out the difference between a cheap Charizard and an expensive one, the first place youll look at is the type of card.
Sometimes its hard to determine the type of card you have, which is why you should follow this guide. If your card looks similar to the one pictured below, theres a chance your card isnt worth very much, especially if the condition is played.
Sometimes a few key indicators can mean the difference between an expensive and cheap Pokemon card. The above diagram shows a card, to the left, that is extremely expensive vs a card, to the right, that is very cheap in played condition.
The thing about expensive and cheap Pokemon cards is the market is constantly changing. New release Charizard cards have a chance to be valuable depending on numerous factors that we go over in this guide. If youre unsure what you have, feel free to contact us today wed be glad to help you!
The value of this Charizard GX in played condition is about $15. When on the other hand if you were to have a 1st edition Charizard from base set in played condition, as shown earlier in the guide, youd be looking at potentially thousands of dollars in your hand.
Charizard GX cards were printed in the masses, and relatively brand new being printed in 2019. A general rule of thumb for modern Charizard cards is the cooler the artwork, the more money it will potentially bring.
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/14 2002 Holographic Legendary Collection
This card may look familiar, as the Charizard featured in the Legendary Collection is simply a reprint of the base set card with a new metal emblem on the middle right of the card. Those who happened to not only own this card but get it graded at PSA 10 had the pleasure of fetching over $12,500 from collectors.
The card itself isn’t that valuable, but the price tag gets raised significantly when the quality of the card is added into the equation. At present, we know of only ten copies graded PSA 10, so while there may be a few more out there, it’s safe to say we’re talking about something extremely uncommon.
Pokmon Japanese Topsun Blue Back No Number Charizard $98850
When it comes to original Pokémon cards, the 1995 Topsun set is the pinnacle. This No Number PSA 10 Charizard is a POP 1, and warranted such a sale due to its rarity and originality. The Topsun Blue and Green Back Charizards are the rookie card for Zard and will command premium money due to ultra low populations and massive demand. The difference between the Blue & Green Backs is the Blue Back Charizards are much more rare and the ones with no number on them are the rarest Charizards to be produced. There have only been 4 total No Number Blue Back Charizards graded with PSA.
Recent Sales:
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St Edition And Unlimited Edition:
The first print run of a set would have a special Edition 1 logo on the left side of the card, just below the card art. An enlarged example of this logo is shown here. The 1st edition print run would typically be very limited, and once sold out, would no longer be available for sale. In fact, the first print runs of a set were officially called Limited Edition.
To meet super-high demand from the public, an Unlimited edition version would then be printed. Unlimited edition cards dont have the Edition 1 logo on the left side. Typically, a 1st edition card will be worth more than an unlimited edition card. Often this price difference can be quite significant.
Distinct 1st Edition printings were done throughout the 1st and 2nd generation of sets with the exception of reprint sets .
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The First Charizard Card Ever Printed
The first Charizard card ever printed was in 1995 in Japan. These cards are called Topsun cards and have the potential of being incredibly valuable.
The Pokemon craze had yet to hit North America as the Japanese Pokemon market was starting to really take off.
1995 Nintendo Charizard Japanese Pokemon Card
If you have something similar to whats pictured above, your Pokemon card is likely real, however, the condition of the one above is Gem Mint meaning perfect condition. The better the condition, the more money it will bring.
Counterfeits, or fake cards, are prominent among collections. Its important to realize you may have a fake card and it would be worth nothing in the market. If you are buying Pokemon cards, read our section about spotting Fake Charizard cards so you do not get ripped off.
A year later, October 20th, 1996, Japan released the official Pokemon Base Set in Japanese which was the first official Pokemon set ever released.
Remember, the chance of pulling a Charizard card from a pack of Pokemon cards was and still is, incredibly rare. The combination of having a cool orange/red dragon artwork along with a low pull-rate means only one thing A very rare card!
1996 Japanese Charizard Pokemon Card
Japanese counterfeit cards are not as common as the English versions, however, they do exist. Were almost always able to spot a fake card simply from the image, as long as the image is clear.
1st Edition Symbol
Shadowless Charizard Pokemon Card
