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Ultra-rare Charizard 1st Edition card has just become the most expensive Pokémon card sold on eBay this year

This single Pokémon card, which was in perfect condition for 26 years, sold for over $270,000.

Charizard Flying Pokemon
Image credit: OLM Team Ota

We all know the phrase “gotta catch them all” but we didn’t expect doing so to be such an expensive ordeal. A rare Charizard card just sold for more than $271,000 on eBay, which makes it the most expensive Pokémon card sold on the site in 2025 and puts it among the most expensive Pokémon cards of all time. Suddenly, we understand why there have been so many thefts of Pokémon cards over the years.

We want to assure that the price we mentioned isn't a typo. A rare Charizard card just sold for $271,000 on eBay. How rare is this specific Pokémon card? eBay described it as a “1999 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Gem Mint Charizard,” which is a very long-winded way of saying that it is from the very first printing of Pokémon Cards in the US and is a rare holofoil variant, two details that help boost its value.

The other thing that sets this particular card apart is the impeccable condition it is in; it has been awarded a 10 Gem Mint rating, which the PSA describes as being “virtually perfect.” That means that this card has survived for 26 years without being damaged in any way. How exactly a Pokémon card has avoided excessive use on the playground for that long is beyond us.

Add in the fact that the card is a Charizard, which is one of the most sought-after Pokémon cards out there, and something that will set any collector’s heart aflutter. Still, the astronomical price that this specific card fetched is not something you see every day. It is certainly making us want to dig into our old collection to see if there is a hidden treasure waiting for us up in the attic.


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Trent Cannon

Trent Cannon: Trent is a freelance writer who has been covering anime, video games, and pop culture for a decade. (He/Him)

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