Charizard is one of the Pokémon franchise's most popular creatures. As a fire-breathing dragon with powerful attacks and a slick aesthetic, it has become one of The Pokémon Company's most well-treated mascots, gaining plenty of merchandise, two Mega Evolutions, a Gigantamax form, and heavy plot relevance in the latest video games, Pokémon Sword and Shield. Charizard cards are also some of the most valuable in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
While the value of each card in the Pokémon TCG is dependent on a variety of factors, the various Charizard cards' regularly high values place a heavy emphasis on Charizard's popularity. The popularity of different Pokémon, as well as the scarcity and origin of certain cards contribute to the stunning values some cards reach. Despite this, the act of collecting and battling with certain sets of the Pokémon Trading Card Game all bring their own charm.
Given the popularity of this Fire-type starter, it's no surprise its Pokémon TCG cards are some of the most expensive. Several different Charizard cards have sold in auctions for more than five figures, but their exact value varies based on age, rarity, and condition, as decided by a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) rating. The highest PSA rating a card can receive is 10, meaning its condition is as pristine as it can possibly be, given its age. Pokémon TCG Charizard cards sold at auction have a multitude of different values due to their appraisals, but there are specific versions that reliably sell at high prices.
Most Valuable Charizard Pokémon Cards - 2003 Skyridge Holographic Crystal
One of the most valuable Charizard cards is the 2003 Skyridge Holographic Crystal Charizard, which comes from one of the last few Wizards of the Coast-produced sets released before The Pokémon Company took control of design and publication. Its unique, pale background, combined with the rarity of finding sealed copies of its card set, saw its value reach $25,100 at auction according to CardCollector. The 2003 Skyridge Holographic Crystal Charizard also features a rare striped border, with its artwork depicting Charizard almost reaching out of the card with a vicious snarl. Higher PSA ratings of this card tend to sell at auction for over $20,000 each as posted on the PSA website, though sometimes its demand will fall in the face of rarer Charizard prizes, and only reach the low $10,000s.
Most Valuable Charizard Pokémon Cards - 1996 Japanese Base Set (No Rarity Symbol)
Another extremely valuable card is a 1996 Japanese Base Set Charizard with no Rarity Symbol, which sold at auction for $57,877 according to CardCollector. The lack of a Rarity Symbol is perhaps the most important factor in this card's value, as collectors and fans of the Pokémon TCG sets and expansions alike tend to value misprinted cards above traditionally perfect cards. The Japanese Base Set is largely considered of equal value to the 1st Edition English Edition, with the earlier (and sometimes original) prints exponentially increasing different cards' values. The auctioned 1996 Japanese Base Set Charizard with no Rarity Symbol was valued at a PSA of 9, meaning that while it wasn't in mint condition, it was still able to accrue over $57,000 in value. This card in PSA 8 or higher regularly goes for thousands of dollars, and its value will likely only continue to climb.
Most Valuable Charizard Pokémon Cards - 1999 Shadowless 1st Edition Holographic Base Set
The most valuable card in the Pokémon TCG collection of Charizards should come as no surprise to those familiar with the Pokémon card economy. The 1999 Shadowless 1st Edition Holographic Base Set Charizard is the most expensive and valuable Charizard card in the entirety of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, being sold at over $350,000 at auction according to CardCollector. This price triumphed over what was once considered the rarest Pokémon Card ever, the Pikachu Illustrator Promo Card, which sold for only $195,000 as listed on the PSA website.
The 1999 Shadowless 1st Edition Holographic Base Set Charizard features the traditional Base Set art of Charizard hunched low, roaring out fire and flexing its wings and talons. A holographic background gives the card a crisp finish, and its scarcity in the market only continues to contribute to its astounding value. Its Shadowless status marks it as scarcely printed, and with the Rarity Stamp it only becomes more valuable. While cards of this type come in many shapes and sizes, and are always affected by current demand, this version of the Charizard card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game has regularly set record sales at auctions.
Sources: PSA, CardCollector
