Gold Star Charizard Just Quietly Became Pokémon’s Hottest Six-Figure Card
In case you missed it, May 17 marked the first time ever a non-illustrator Pikachu sale broke the $1 million benchmark. It was a PSA 10 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Bronze Trophy Pikachu, and it sold for a whopping $1.77 million.
But while the Pokémon world was buzzing about Pikachu, a 2006 Charizard quietly broke another Pokémon record and has shown a huge pop in demand in a few short months.
Why the EX Dragon Frontiers Gold Star Charizard is Special
The 2006 EX Dragon Frontiers Gold Star Charizard is one of the defining chase cards of the entire post-Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) era. Released during the beloved EX era, this card combines extreme scarcity, unforgettable artwork, and one of the most collectible Pokémon ever created.
The Gold Star cards were notoriously difficult pulls when they were released, with a pull rate of just one in every two boxes. Designed by Masakazu Fukuda, the Gold Star Cards were designed with unique color variations, which is why this Charizard has a bluish-black body with red wings instead of its traditional coloring.
PSA 10 Population and Recent Card Sale History
The PSA population report shows only 98 PSA 10s and a total population of 4,800, giving this Gold Star Charizard a Gem Rate of roughly 2%. Only a few sales have taken place thus far in 2026, with the first of two six-figure sales closing at $100,000 back in February. Prior to 2026, the highest sale was a PSA 10 that sold for $65,600 in December 2025.
In other words, this Gold Star Charizard has roughly doubled in three months and nearly tripled in six months. If that pattern holds, this card could flirt with $500,000 before the end of 2026.
Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Other Valuable Gold Star Pokémon Cards
Torchic: While Charizard holds the top spot, Torchic isn't too far behind. The below 2004 EX Team Rocket Returns Holo #108 Gold Star Torchic sold on February 15, 2026, for a red-hot $117.6K. At the time of the sale, it closed $17,600 higher than the Gold Star Charizard and became the fifth-highest-selling Gold Star card of all time.
Mewtwo: Not quite in the six-figure range but getting closer by the day, the 2006 EX Holon Phantoms Holo Gold Star Mewtwo #103 is among the most expensive Gold Star Pokémon cards. A PSA 10 sold on April 23, 2026, for $85,000. The Mewtwo market has absolutely exploded this past year, up an astonishing 230%, according to Card Ladder.
Pikachu: The Gold Star Pikachu is near the top, but it currently holds the bronze-medal spot in third place. The highest sale was the PSA 10 2006 EX Holon Phantoms Holo Gold Star Pikachu shown below, which sold for $148,800 on February 15, 2026.
Two May 17th sales closed slightly lower at $114,000 and $109,800, but given that this card was selling for under $40,000 in April 2025, it looks like demand for these Pikachu cards is picking up steam.
Umbreon: Prior to the record-setting Charizard sale, the highest-selling Gold Star card for six months was the 2005 Pokémon Japanese Play Promo 70,000 Pts Holo Umbreon Gold Star #26, which set the record for highest-selling Gold Star Pokémon card when a BGA 9.5 sold for $180,000 back on November 16, 2025.
That sale still holds the record for the highest-selling Umbreon card. But don't expect that to hold for long, since the Umbreon market is up nearly 180% over the past year.
With six-figure sales becoming more common and GEM MINT populations remaining razor-thin, the Gold Star market looks to be generating an entirely new tier of collector demand. If momentum continues, cards like Charizard, Umbreon, and Pikachu could redefine what elite post-WOTC Pokémon cards are worth by the end of 2026.
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Conor is a leading sports collectibles writer and market analyst with more than 100 published articles covering sports cards, Pokémon, auctions, investing trends, and hobby culture. A lifelong collector who entered the hobby in the early 1990s, Conor’s expertise centers on vintage and modern basketball cards, basketball icons, and iconic Boston sports memorabilia tied to legends like Larry Bird, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz.