Talk about the most iconic monsters in “Pokémon,” and flying-lizard-that-resembles-a-dragon Charizard will be part of every list. The mega evolution of the adorable Charmander, Charizard is a mainstay not only in Pokémon animes and games but also in trading cards. In this edition of PVP Live, you’ll get to know the rarest and most valuable Charizard cards, plus how much they are today as of the time of writing.
Charizard – Japanese Mysterious Mountains
Price: $1,424
The Skyridge line’s Japanese version, this Charizard Japanese Mysterious Mountains card is ridiculously low-priced. It costs around $1,424 now and this is even lower compared to months ago. No question, Charizards are the cards to collect when it comes to the “Pokémon” trading card game. Now, if you are business-minded, you can even resell this card for profit. Ka-ching, ka-ching!
Charizard 1st Edition
Price: $3,241
The 1st Edition Charizard card may not have won on this list, but it is touted as the most popular card in the history of the Pokémon trading card game. It was launched as part of the very first expansion in English in 1999! Not only is it the most well-known, but also one of the rarest and most valuable Charizard cards for trading card collectors. Did you know that YouTuber Logan Paul got so interested in it and bought it for hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2020, making it the most expensive Charizard card in history?
Charizard (Secret Rare): Skyridge
Price: $1,403
This Charizard card is also significant as it is the first and, so far, the only Charizard featured on a Colorless card. Also, from the Skyridge line, this card distinguishes itself from the rest because of its unique abilities and attacks.
Furthermore, interestingly enough, this card is part of the final set that game company Wizards of the Coast developed. That said, it only had a single print run, leading to much fewer cards printed compared to the other sets during that time. This helped this card value up to some of the highest in Pokémon trading card history!
Shining Charizard – Neo Destiny
Price: $657
Pokémon cards come in various categories, and one is the shining type. Of all the cards of this kind, the shining Charizard is the most valuable. Though not the most expensive, the first-edition version of this card in mint collection is something to keep. Moreover, it was among the first cards to really show off what shiny truly means, not to mention it has the pocket monster in its most classic glory that every collector should chase this.
Charizard National Championship
Price: $692
Next up is the Charizard National Championship card. This Charizard card belongs to the EX Dragon expansion, released in 2003. Even without the distinctive National Championship stamp, this card will still be valuable, though it is not the rarest of the bunch.
It is also remarkable as this card was given to each participant in the Championship. For the rest of the tournaments, the Charmander and Charmeleon cards were distributed. If you ask if you should collect this, you must.
Charizard Star (Ultra Rare): Dragon Frontiers
Price: $1,403
Unique and altogether special, this Charizard card is another special printing of the Pokémon’s shiny era, giving the usually red-colored Charizard a stunning black pallet swap. This also marks the very first time the Pokémon is seen as a Dark-type card instead of its usual Fire-type. Furthermore, this Charizard is also considered a Basic Pokémon, which is helpful if you want to use Charizard without going through its evolutions. This card is part of the EX Dragon Frontiers expansion of 2006.
Charizard – Battle Road Spring
Price: $900
This Charizard card is more popular with its English version, which is also valuable, it is this version released exclusively in Japan that’s truly the treasure.
To illustrate, these cards were only available during events in 2006 and are not readily available for players. They must first get past the tournaments’ preliminary rounds to obtain this card. That being said, collectors today value this card highly. So, if you ever find this in your collection, cherish it.
Charizard Prerelease Staff
Price: $1,525
Not the most unique-looking Charizard card, but still among the most valuable. It’s the reprint of the original Charizard from the Base Set with some small tweaks. By itself, cards from this series are known to sell at high prices, but the Prelease Staff version stands out.
For one, this card was only handed to staff members who worked at the events celebrating the release of the Evolutions expansion back in 2016. It is a collector’s item, indeed.
Charizard EX (Promo): JP Pokemon Card Game Art Collection
Price: $1,032
Regarded as a Japanese exclusive, first, you’ll be amazed by how this card’s design appears. This card featuring Charizard in its artistic glory also has Venusaur featured in a cameo appearance as the lizard’s enemy. When you have this card, don’t miss its EX’s value, as this is the real winner here.
Charizard – 1999 CD Promo
Price: $183
Last but not least is the Charizard – 1999 CD Promo. Not expensive, yet still valuable, this trading card was also exclusively released in Japan in 1999. It came with a gorgeous promotional artwork instead, alongside a random selection of other promo cards, enough to make Charizard go crazy. On auction sites, they can sell at a higher price.
Pokémon card games were popular in the early 2000s, a time when there were not yet several developers producing video games, and when kids would bring them to school and play them with their friends.
However, these trading cards were eclipsed by “Pokémon” video games, also because of the emergence of high-tech smartphones. Nevertheless, collecting these cards is still worthwhile as it reflects how strong a fan you are and how loyal you are to the Pokémon franchise.
