Rare Mint-Condition Charizard Heading to Auction

DALLAS – A pristine copy of an ultra-rare Pokémon first-edition hologram trading card could bring $350,000 or more when it crosses the block in Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Auction Jan. 14-15.

The Pokémon Charizard #4 First Edition Base Set hologram trading card (Wizards of the Coast, 1999), PSA GEM MT 10 (estimate: $350,000+) is arguably the hottest card in the entire hobby. With artwork by Mitsuhiro Arita, the card is one of just 2,627 copies certified by PSA, only 120 of which earned a GEM MT grade.

“This is an incredible card, one that collectors have been chasing to make the centerpiece of their collections,” said Heritage Auctions Assistant Comics & Comic Art Operations Supervisor Jesus Garcia. “The demand and prices paid for this card are sky-high, especially in this condition. It is an absolute must-have for the most serious of collectors.”

Charizard is the final evolved form of Charmander. In the Indigo series, he was kind and innocent, but upon evolving into Chameleon, he became rebellious and refused to listen to Ash’s commands, and when he then evolved into Charizard, things only got worse.

The auction also features a Pokémon First Edition Base Set sealed booster box that remains sealed in its original shrink wrap. Created in 1999 by Wizards of the Coast, it is the pinnacle of Pokémon box collecting. Due to their low print run, these box sets have become extremely scarce, especially those still in the original sealed state. Whoever wins this booster box (estimate: $350,000+) will end up with 36 booster packs, each with 11 cards for a total of 396 cards, that likely are all in GEM Mint condition because they have not yet been handled. Heritage Auctions sold a similar booster box in November 2020 for $360,000, a world record for the most paid at auction for such a set.

The extraordinary Charizard card and sealed booster box are among about 30 Pokémon lots in the auction. Other top lots include, but are not limited to:

Pokémon Charizard #4 First Edition Base Set rare hologram trading card (Wizards of the Coast, 1999), PSA MINT 9 (estimate: $60,000+).

Pokémon First Edition Jungle Set sealed booster box (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) (estimate: $25,000+).

Pokémon Blastoise 1st Edition Base Set #2 Rare Hologram Trading Card (1999) PSA MINT 9 (estimate: $20,000+).

Pokémon Demo Game sealed booster pack (Wizards of the Coast, 1998) PSA GEM MT 10 (estimate: $20,000+).

Pokémon Venusaur #15 First Edition Base Set rare hologram trading card (1999) PSA MINT 9. (estimate $20,000+).

For more information about all lots in the auction, visit HA.com/7239.