Help Is My Charizard Fake
Good news, Ill start by saying there is a good chance your Charizard is real. If its fake, aka a proxy card, its worth $0. Weve handled literally millions of Pokemon cards during our time collecting. If theres one thing were good at, its spotting a fake Pokemon card.
We have seen nearly every single fake counterfeit Charizard 1st edition card under the sun.
Seeing images over a computer screen can sometimes be difficult when determining authenticity. Thats why when we get offered a Pokemon collection we cant offer our best price until we see the cards in hand.
While it may be second nature for us to spot them out, we wanted to take some time and put together this guide to help you spot fake Pokemon cards and better educate yourself.
If your Charizard is any/all of the following, your bill is fake:
- Its laminated
- It feels like printer paper
- Its smaller than Pokemon today
- Its much bigger than Pokemon today
- It does not have a holographic layer
- It looks blurry
- It doesnt feel like a Pokemon card
There are many other factors that go into finding out if a Charizard card is fake or real. These are the quick indicators that are easiest to spot when first learning.
First edition Charizard cards are typically the most highly counterfeited Pokemon cards in the world. This comes as no surprise when it is one of the most sought-after Pokemon cards in the game.
What Makes The Unlimited Base Set Charizard So Valuable
Its hard to create a list of the most valuable Charizard cards, and not include every variant of Base Set! So of course, we must include the Unlimited Base Set Charizard.
Widely considered as the most graded card in Pokemon history, its not the PSA population that drive its value, its the sheer nostalgia. This is the card that every kid wanted, and many were lucky to have in 99.
Being able to own one again is something many collectors truly value, and as such, continues to drive prices higher and higher. Even PSA 9s fetch several thousand pounds on eBay. Its the price we pay to relive our childhood I guess
1999 Unlimited Base Set Charizard PSA Population Report
What Makes The Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Charizard So Valuable
Next up we have a card that divides options the reverse holographic Charizard from 2002s Legendary Collection. Some people love the fireworks holo background, others think its all too in-your-face. Personally, I love it. Its one of my favourite cards!
Interestingly though, what makes it so valuable, aside from the iconic Charizard artwork, is how difficult it is to grade in a PSA 10. As you can see below, only 75 exist. This is because theres an extra level of complexity when grading this card, as the large holographic area was often susceptible to print lines. Combine that with possible edgewear, corner nicks and scratches, its no surprise theres some a low population of PSA 10s.
1999 Shadowless Charizard PSA Population Report
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What Makes The Pocket Monsters Carddass Prism Charizard So Valuable
Propping up our list is a very interesting Charizard card.
Produced by Bandai in 96 and 97, these Pocket Monster cards were distributed through vending machines in Japan. Costing 100 Yen for 5 cards, or 20 for individual cards, we get a fascinating insight into what life might have been like for Japanese kids during Pokemons early years.
Slightly similar to the Topsun card above, the rarest cards had a prism holofoil background. However, as we can see, the design is much more symmetrical.
With only 58 PSA 10s in existence, the value of the Carddass Prism Charizard isnt driven so much by nostalgia, instead its more about owning a piece of Pokemon history from the place it all began.
1997 Pocket Monsters Carddass Prism Charizard PSA Population Report
Wrapping Up Where Do We Go From Here
So there you have it!
The rarest, most expensive Charizard card purchases from this past year.
As market prices begin to correct themselves, weve seen concerning drops in some of the cards above.
Ill be the first to admit I probably overpaid for a few cards in 2020!
But if you take a long-term view on Pokemon cards like I do, its not the end of the world.
Am I confident prices will one day reach these heights again? Sure am!
If your strategy was a quick pick-and-flip, then it probably needs a rethink.
Ultimately though, theres nothing wrong with picking up the cards you love, and growing your collection.
Here are some cool Charizard additions to my collection in 2020 .
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Looking To Sell Your Pokemon Collection
Contact us today if you have rare Pokemon cards you are interested in selling for cash!
Base Set 2, Charizard
The card shown above has the same artwork as the previous Charizards except for the Card Number and the set symbol, shown at the bottom right corner outside of the Charizard design.
Base set 2 Pokemon cards are any card you see with the number 2 set symbol at the bottom right, outside of the artwork. These cards will be worth considerably less money than their counterparts from the original Base set Pokemon.
This is for a number of reasons, but the main reason being Base set was the first set and the print runs were smaller. Base set 2 was printed in large quantities. The exact print quantity was never released by Wizards of the Coast.
Non-Holo Charizard, Legendary Collection
The above Charizard is the first Non-holo version of Charizard ever printed, meaning the Box which Charizard is in isnt holographic. These cards are worth considerably less than their holo counterparts, simply because holo cards are harder to obtain, especially in mint condition.
Holo Charizard, Legendary Collection
Cards from the Legendary Collection set can be easily distinguished by the set symbol, a badge, outside the bottom right corner of the Charizard portrait.
Reverse Holo Charizard, Legendary Collection
Holo Charizard from 2002
Non-Holo Charizard from 2002
How Do I See What Grade My Card Is
Third-party professional grading companies, like PSA, BGS, and CGC, focus solely on doing this for their customers. They essentially grade the card, put it in a clear holder, with a label that explains the details of the card.
PSA 9 Charizard Pokemon Card
This takes the guesswork out of seeing a raw card and not being sure if its an EX or Gem Mint.
The difference between EX, NM, or Mint can literally be hundreds, if not thousands dollars.
While lower-graded Pokemon cards are easier to determine the grade from a picture high-graded Pokemon are much different.
Some cards are inked and cleaned, making conditions extremely difficult to see in pictures.
If you have an old Charizard card youre interested in selling or want to know its value, send us a picture and well be glad to help.
Whatever you do, do not bring your collection to a pawn shop or card shop who doesnt know its true value. Contact a trading card expert to get the most for your collection.
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Find A Pokemon Expert
Pokemon experts are different than your typical local Pawn or Card shop.
Most experts are collectors themselves and truly love the hobby as a whole. Almost all local shops are almost required to rip-off the people theyre buying from.
They do it in order to pay for renting a big building and having multiple employees. Ive been collecting Pokemon cards almost my entire life. This is something Im truly passionate about.
Shipping your Pokemon cards to us is easy.
When you ship your collection to us its important you insure it for the amount you feel comfortable with. If youre unhappy with the final offer we give you once we receive your Pokemon cards, we will return the Pokemon collection to you with shipping paid by us.
Algunas Cartas De Pokmon Trading Card Game Alcanzan Cifras Astronmicas Este Es El Caso De Una Carta De Charizar En Versin Hologrfica Vendida Hace Poco
Parece ser que la compra-venta de cartas extremadamente raras de juegos populares de hace unos años sigue causando furor en internet, donde continuamente se completan transacciones más que llamativas de determinadas piezas. Tanto es así, que recientemente se ha completado una venta de altos vuelos con una carta holográfica de Charizard de 1999 en perfecto estado perteneciente a Pokémon Trading Card Game, cuya subasta ha superado los 300.000 dólares.
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What Makes The Shadowless Charizard So Valuable
As you may know, after 1st Edition, and before the Unlimited Base Set print run came Shadowless Pokemon cards. Although not quite as valuable as 1st Edition, because Shadowless cards were only printed for a short time, they are highly sought after too.
Interestingly, at the time of writing, only 54 copies of the Shadowless Charizard exist in a PSA 10, compared to 120 in 1st Edition. As you would expect, this makes them incredibly valuable and a wonderful investment piece for any collector.
1999 Shadowless Charizard PSA Population Report
What Makes The 1st Edition Base Set Charizard So Valuable
Lets start with the holy grail of Pokemon cards, the 1st Edition Base Set Charizard. This is where it all began folks. With recent sales of PSA 10 variants topping $300k, what wed all give for a time machine now huh?! Even just five years ago, these were selling for around $10k. At the time, that seemed crazy money, but it looks like chump change now right?!
Anyway, missed opportunities aside, the iconic design has the power to teleport any big kid back to their childhood in a flash. Its the ultimate nostalgic card and any lucky owner should be proud to have it in their collection.
1999 1st Edition Base Set Charizard PSA Population Report
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What Makes The Japanese Topsun Holographic Prism Charizard So Valuable
Now for something so rare, its hard to even price!
Interestingly, Japanese Topsun Pokemon cards came in packs with chewing gum. There were two sticks and gum, and two cards per pack. Out of the 150 cards, 16 were Prism cards, which is the holofoil design you see above.
Unlike early WOTC boosters where the chance of pulling a holographic were 1 in 3, the chances of getting a prism card in Topsun packs were only 1 in 40!!! Now we begin to understand just how rare the Charizard is, especially in a PSA 10! In fact, only 18 of them exist, and I doubt that number will ever change. At the time of writing, theres a PSA 9 on eBay for over £13k.
1995 Japanese Topsun Holographic Prism Charizard PSA Population Report
A 1999 Holo Charizard Pokmon Card Just Sold For Over $300000 On Ebay
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Image: Mitsuhiro Arita, The Pokémon Company
It’s time to kick yourself for throwing out all of your old Pokémon cards again, because this latest mega-auction proves that their ludicrously high value isn’t falling any time soon.
Yesterday saw the end of an online auction held on eBay, where one lucky bidder was set to walk away with one of the most sought after cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The 1st Edition Base Set Charizard has been popular with fans ever since its introduction back in 1999 if you had one of these you’d be the king or queen of the playground and, while you didn’t know it at the time, you were sitting on an absolute goldmine.
The card in question was a Shadowless 1st Edition Holo variant with a PSA rating of ’10 Gem Mint’ in other words, it’s the rarest version of the card ever released and in the best condition it could possibly be in. The auction ended on 28th March with a total of 124 bids, selling for an eyewatering USD $311,800.
Here’s the listing’s description, written by the auction house selling the card:
Amazingly, that’s not the record total handed over for a single Pokémon card at auction. That honour goes to a rare Blastoise card that sold earlier this year for $360,000.
Thanks to the aptly named TeamRocket47 for the tip!
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Low Print Run Charizards
Again, this circles back to the general subject of supply and demand. Put a very popular Charizard card with low print runs into the market and its going to be worth money.
Were always buying all types of Charizard cards that are from low and high print runs, this is simply because we love collecting Pokemon cards.
One of the lowest print runs is arguably the 1st edition Pokemon cards from base set. While there were no official numbers ever released to the public, its known to be one of the shortest print runs for Pokemon.
These Are Some Of The Rarest Most Expensive Charizard Cards Ever Bought
In this article were going to look at some incredible Charizard purchases from this past year.
These cards went for eye-watering figures, to new owners with seriously deep pockets.
Well discuss why the cards are so valuable, digging into their PSA population reports and other interesting factors that contribute to their rarity.
Lets get into it!
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The First Charizard Card Ever Printed
The first Charizard card ever printed was in 1995 in Japan. These cards are called Topsun cards and have the potential of being incredibly valuable.
The Pokemon craze had yet to hit North America as the Japanese Pokemon market was starting to really take off.
1995 Nintendo Charizard Japanese Pokemon Card
If you have something similar to whats pictured above, your Pokemon card is likely real, however, the condition of the one above is Gem Mint meaning perfect condition. The better the condition, the more money it will bring.
Counterfeits, or fake cards, are prominent among collections. Its important to realize you may have a fake card and it would be worth nothing in the market. If you are buying Pokemon cards, read our section about spotting Fake Charizard cards so you do not get ripped off.
A year later, October 20th, 1996, Japan released the official Pokemon Base Set in Japanese which was the first official Pokemon set ever released.
Remember, the chance of pulling a Charizard card from a pack of Pokemon cards was and still is, incredibly rare. The combination of having a cool orange/red dragon artwork along with a low pull-rate means only one thing A very rare card!
1996 Japanese Charizard Pokemon Card
Japanese counterfeit cards are not as common as the English versions, however, they do exist. Were almost always able to spot a fake card simply from the image, as long as the image is clear.
1st Edition Symbol
Shadowless Charizard Pokemon Card
Error Or Misprinted Charizard Cards
Ive seen many Error Pokemon cards through my years of collecting and I guarantee that Charizard cards have the least amount of errors on them.
Why? Because the combination of high demand for Charizard and the fact many collectors love errors makes these incredibly hard to find when they do come around.
Whether the card is off-center or its entirely an error with a missing print or upside down back, the card will bring a nice premium. If you think you have a misprinted card, check out this extensive guide we wrote all about error Pokemon cards.
Charizard error cards are rare, and they are usually minor. Error cards will typically be worth 2 to 3 times over their typical value depending on if you find the right buyer.
If you need help determining if your Charizard is an error card send us a clear picture and well get back to you within 24 hours.
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Old Charizard Card Questions
Why Dont I See My Charizard Card In Your Price Guide?: Our price guide mainly shows the older generation Charizard cards. Youre in luck we definitely buy all Pokemon cards even from newer sets.
What Is An Error Charizard Card Worth?: Misprinted, or error, Charizard cards are extremely scarce and when they do appear, the errors are super minor. Ive never seen a dramatic error on a Charizard card due to the limited quantity of them printed. We wrote a bit more in-depth about Pokemon card errors in a section located above. Error Charizard cards typically bring a small premium above their normal value.
How Much Is A Charizard Worth?: The quick answer is most Charizard cards will be worth $25 to $30,000. Some are only worth $200 if theyre in very poor condition. In very rare instances your Charizard card could be worth close to $100,000. It depends upon multiple factors including condition, set, edition, eye appeal, market demand, and more.
Can I Get A Charizard From A Store Today?: Sure. You could go to a local store right now, buy a pack and potentially pull a Charizard card.
How Do I Know Charizard Is Real?: We touched on proxy Charizard cards earlier in the guide. Essentially there are multiple factors that help determine the authenticity of your Pokemon card. To learn more, find the section above that talks more in-depth about counterfeit Charizard cards.
What Makes The 1st Edition Holographic Dark Charizard So Valuable
Shortly after the release of Base Set, we had Jungle, then Fossil. Base Set 2 was was met with disappoint among fans hoping for something new. Thankfully, the 2000 Team Rocket set hit a home run, with edgier artwork and the introduction of Dark Pokemon.
The 1st Edition Dark Charizard is an iconic card. Its the first time wed seen something a bit different from Mitsuhiro Aritas OG design. This time Ken Sugimori opted for devilish looking Charizard that almost looks like hes considering whether to attack, or fly off into the night sky. The more you look at it, the more youre immersed into the scene. It really is clever artwork and widely appreciated among fans.
Because of its popularity, theres a decent number of PSA 10s out there, but still, there are 3x as many PSA 9s.
For many, myself included, Team Rocket is one of the best vintage Pokemon sets, and as such, Dark Charizard will always be a highly valuable and desired card.
2000 1st Edition Team Rocket Holographic Dark Charizard PSA Population Report
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