The Most Expensive Charizard Pokémon Card (2024)

Charizard cards have long since been some of the rarest and most expensive cards to add to a Pokémon fan's collection. The 1st Edition Charizard from the Base Set of Pokémon TCG is often described as the crown jewel of Pokémon itself. Charizard cards' rarity and expense haven't changed and cards in newer sets like the Sword & Shield series skyrocket above $100, even upon their initial release.

When the fan-favorite dragon received its collection via the Ultra Premium Collection in 2022, many collectors, gamers, and scalpers bought the collection as quickly as possible. Charizard will forever remain an iconic and desirable Pokémon in the TCG, which translates into the extremely high values these cards carry.

Updated January 5, 2024, by Guillermo Kurten: Charizard is undoubtedly one of the most iconic Pokémon regardless of the medium it features in, making the dragon's cards in the TCG prized possessions for many fans and collectors. This list is being updated to provide further context and up-to-date values on several of these extremely expensive trading cards.

10 Charizard EX Full Art (276/XY-P)

XY Promo

The amazing Charizard EX Full Art card depicts a Charizard battling the iconic Grass-type Pokémon rival and fellow Kanto starter Venusaur. This card was released as a promo in 2014 for the Flashfire expansion. However, it couldn't be found in any packs or collections. Only players participating in a Gym Leader Challenge event at the Pokémon Center in Japan could receive the Charizard EX Full Art card.

Japan's Gym Leader Challenge event only lasted for a few weeks at the end of August 2014. Due to its limited availability, the Charizard EX Full Art card quickly became a rare card sought after by collectors. Ungraded, the card can sell for just over $940, while PSA 10s sell for over $1,500.

9 Charizard Gold Star (100/101)

EX Dragon Frontiers

The Charizard Gold Star card plays on the color scheme of Charizard's shiny variant and makes it a Darkness-type card. Thanks to being a Basic, this Charizard can be placed without any prior evolutions, allowing players to utilize its overwhelming strength immediately. However, most players will refrain from using it in games due to its value.

The Charizard Gold Star card was released on Jun. 6th, 2006 as part of the EX Dragon Frontiers expansion. As one of the earlier expansions of the TCG, EX Dragon Frontiers is primarily represented through Generation III Pokémon. Thanks to its age and rarity, the Charizard Gold Star has become increasingly valuable over time. This card can sell for just over $740 Ungraded and depending on the PSA Grade, it can reach well over $17,000.

8 Shining Charizard 1st Edition (107/105)

Neo Destiny

The 1st Edition print of Shining Charizard has long been one of the most sought-after cards in the TCG. It depicts a vague silhouette likely intended to be a shiny Charizard. Shining Charizard is part of the Neo Destiny expansion, which was released on Feb. 28th, 2002.

Due to its age, many of the existing Shining Charizards are in poor condition. Because of this and the fact that the card is simply stunning to look at, it's no surprise that Shining Charizard remains one of the rarest Charizard cards to date. Shining Charizard sells for $1,300 Ungraded and Graded can range anywhere from nearly $2,000 to over $9,500, with the latter being a PSA 10 grading.

7 Charizard Prerelease Staff (11/108)

Evolutions

The Charizard Prerelease Staff is a reprint of the original Charizard from the Base Set with a couple of minor differences. By itself, the Charizard Evolutions cards already sell at high prices. However, the Prerelease Staff version of the card is exceedingly valuable and rare.

The Prerelease Staff Charizard was only given to staff members who worked at the events celebrating the prerelease of the Evolutions expansion in 2016. Ungraded, this card can typically sell for a minimum of nearly $1,100, but it often goes for more. A PSA 10 card can go up to $13,500, which eclipses what any other Evolutions card has sold for.

6 Charizard (146/144)

Skyridge

The Colorless-type Charizard from Skyridge was released on May 12th, 2003. Like other cards in the set, Colorless-type Charizard possessed a rare ability called Crystal Type. This unique feature immediately made the card desirable to players and collectors alike.

Typically, the Colorless-type Charizard card sells for around $1,300 Ungraded. Even Grade 7 cards can sell for around $3,300. This makes the Skyridge Charizard an essential card for collectors to Grade. The higher the Grade, the more the card's price can increase. Case in point, a PSA 10 card can often sell for $12,000.

5 Charizard National Championship (100/97)

EX Dragon

The Charizard National Championship card hails from the EX Dragon expansion, which was released on Nov. 24th, 2003. Even without the National Championship stamp, this Charizard holds impressive value. However, it's not nearly as rare.

The National Championship Charizard was released in 2004 and was given to every participant. For other tournaments, Charmander and Charmeleon cards were given out to participants as well. The National Championship Charizard can normally sell for around $760 Ungraded and roughly the same amount for a lower-graded version (around $776 for Grade 8). However, in the rare event of finding a PSA 10, the card's worth rises just over $2,100.

4 Charizard (006)

Expansion Pack

The Expansion Pack was the first expansion released in Japan for Pokémon TCG and is the Japanese equivalent of the Base Set. This set began on Oct. 20th, 1996, and released the first-ever card of the iconic Fire-type Pokémon, Charizard.

The Charizard card is much easier for collectors to get their hands on as opposed to the English Charizard from the Base Set. However, the card still sells for over $1,100 Ungraded. Due to its age, high Graded versions are difficult to find and there are no records of this card ever being sold at a Grade above 8. Even then, Grade 8 versions of the card have sold impressively well and can easily sell for over $25,000.

3 Charizard (89/88)

Mysterious Mountains

The powerful Pokémon Charizard had another incredibly rare Japanese card released in the Mysterious Mountains expansion. This expansion is the Japanese version of Skyridge, which was released in Japan in 2002.

Charizard (89/88) is valued for the same reasons as its English counterpart, but happens to be a bit rarer. An Ungraded Mysterious Mountains Charizard generally sells a few hundred more dollars ($1,750) than the Western Skyridge Charizard. Similarly, a PSA 10 Mysterious Mountains Charizard sells for up to $14,000, which is exactly $200 more than the Western Skyridge Charizard, per PriceCharting.

2 Shining Charizard (006)

Darkness, And To Light

The Shining Charizard appearing in Darkness, and to Light is the Japanese version of the Neo Destiny expansion, which was released on April 20th, 2001. The card is slightly different from the English card since it doesn't possess a 1st Edition stamp. Because Japanese cards never have these, this fact doesn't take away from the card's rarity.

The Shining Charizard has proven rarer than the English Shining Charizard and sells for more. However, there can be a significant risk in getting the card Graded. The Shining Charizard should only be Graded by sellers who are confident the card is at least a Grade 9, otherwise, the card will drop noticeably in value. PSA 10 versions are difficult to grade currently due to its rarity and low sales track record, and an Ungraded card can sell for around $1,500.

1 Charizard 1st Edition (4/102)

Base Set

The 1st Edition Charizard card from the Base Set is the most well-known Pokémon card in the TCG. It was released as part of the first expansion distributed in English in 1999. Not only is the 1st Edition Charizard the most well-known card, but it's also one of the rarest cards in the series and the most valuable Charizard card collectors can get.

Even Ungraded, the 1st Edition Charizard card can sell for around $1,700, which is still considered a respectable value. Graded variations dramatically improve the value, evidenced by the current PSA 10 value at over $143,500. The 1st Edition Charizard famously sold for around $420,000 when YouTuber Logan Paul purchased it in 2020, making it the most expensive Charizard card ever sold.

Pokemon Trading Card Game

The Pokémon Trading Card Game, or Pokémon TCG,is acollectible card gamedeveloped byCreatures Inc.based on thePokémon franchise.

Franchise

Pokemon

Original Release Date

October 20, 1996

Publisher

Wizards of the Coast

Player Count

2

Age Recommendation

6+

Length per Game

2-120 minutes

Expansions

Pokemon TCG Paldean Fates Booster Bundle , Pokemon TCG: Crown Zenith Special Collection - Pikachu VMAX , Pokemon TCG Sword & Shield Silver Tempest Elite Trainer Box

Publishing Co

Wizards of the Coast, The Pokémon Company