First Edition Charizard Pokemon Card Sold For $311,800 On eBay
Calling all old-school Pokemon fans, you may be sat on a flaming gold mine, kissed by fire, age, and the burning urges of collectors - after all, you've got to catch them all, right?
Pokemon cards have recently seen a resurgence in popularity, as the franchise approaches its 25th anniversary. With the game primarily played on Nintendo's Game Boy and Switch consoles over the generations, Pokemon has not only dominated the gaming market by building the largest media franchise in the world but the Trading Card Game kingdom too. As of March 2020, Nintendo sold over 30 billion cards worldwide.
Many players in the past have ripped open a packet and faced the despair of unearthing yet another Charmander, only to discard them to the double box that eventually ends up being binned. However, only 2,600 players (0.00000007%) may have found a glimmering First Edition Charizard, making it one of the rarest cards in existence.
Of the 2,600 First Edition Shadowless Charizard cards, only 122 have ever been given a PSA 10 Gem Mint rating (pristine condition), and these cards are worth a fortune.
This week, one of the 122 mint condition First Edition Shadowless Charizard cards was sold for a whopping $311,800 on eBay.
Click to enlargeThe winner of the spoils has yet to be identified, with the eBay transaction leaving no information on either the buyer or seller. Whether the card now resides in the hands of a devoted collector, a famous celebrity, or a keen financial guru, we may never get an answer.
The price of $311,800 is actually a small depreciation, as last year another two of the 122 cards were both sold for just over $350,000, making this transaction sort of a steal.
It's still an extraordinary amount to pay for a card, although the value may continue to rise in the hands of someone who has 'caught them all'.
It may be worth digging out your old boxes from the loft, as you could be holding onto a small fortune without even knowing.
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Image via Nintendo