Charizard is one of several well-known character mascots of the Pokémon franchise. It is a symbol of power, destruction, and success earned during a Pokémon journey. For many Pokémon fans, Charizard's base evolution Charmander may have been their first Pokémon partner. Because of this, Charizard has earned a special place in the hearts of players, and this nostalgia has helped the powerful Fire-type's Pokémon TCG cards skyrocket in value.
The Pokémon TCG first released in Japan in 1996, shortly after the launch of Pokémon Red and Green. The Base Set cards featured Pokémon from the Kanto region, including the Kanto starters Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. While some collectors put rare cards into protective sleeves or binders, many of these cards were carried around, played, and their condition degraded. Because of this, finding original first edition cards from the Pokémon TCG Base Set in good condition today can be exciting both for new fans of the series, and those who remember playing during their childhood.
However, the price of a 1st Edition Charizard from the Base Set that has been graded by the PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) with a grade of 7 or better can be worth a surprising amount of money. According to Forbes, a card with a PSA grade 10 sold in March for $311,800 USD on eBay. But it's not just older cards that have value, according to TCGPlayer the Shiny VMAX Charizard that released with the Sword and Shield expansion Shining Fates is currently selling for $209 USD. While other Pokémon TCG cards have value due to misprints or being part of limited print runs, Charizard cards regularly have substantial value and could be the sole reason a collector chooses to purchases booster packs of new TCG expansions.
Online Influences Have Boosted Pokémon TCG Values For Charizard
While much of Charizard's popularity likely comes from its presence in the Pokémon animated series as one of Ash Ketchum's original partners, and from the nostalgia of the original games, the value of Pokémon Trading Cards and other merchandise has also been inflated due to online influencers. For example, last year Logan Paul purchased a rare Pokémon card set to open while streaming. After spending $2 million USD on a 1st Edition Pokémon TCG Base Set booster box, the popularity and value of cards skyrocketed, creating a Pokémon Trading Card Game merchandise shortage. Because of this, the value of cards with well-known characters like Charizard may be earning an inflated value due to the excitement of streamers who pull them during pack openings.
While pulling a Charizard Pokémon TCG card can be an exciting experience for collectors and players alike, fans may want to consider looking at card sets that lack the popular starter. Often these sets include other starters from Kanto and any of the other 8 Pokémon regions. There are also full-art Pokémon cards that feature special illustrations, like in recent sets of the Sword and Shield expansions, Battle Styles and Chilling Reign. These cards can be just as exciting to get as a Charizard and would make a unique addition to any Pokémon collection.