The Greedy Report: Vintage Pokémon Charizard Went $11k to $35k in 6 Weeks

> Quick answer: A Legendary Collection reverse holo Charizard graded BGS 9 sold for about $11k six weeks ago, about $16k two weeks ago and $35k last night. Collectors say low-population vintage slabs are being pushed up by crypto money and tech millionaires, and many are now out of reach for normal buyers.

If you own vintage Pokémon slabs, this is a market you need to watch closely. Prices for rare, low-pop graded cards are moving faster than most collectors have ever seen. This report covers the sales, what collectors say is behind them, and what might come next.

All prices are in US dollars and come from reported sales.

How much did the Legendary Collection reverse holo Charizard BGS 9 sell for?

Here are the three sales for the Legendary Collection reverse holo Charizard in BGS 9:

• About 1.5 months ago: around $11k
• Two weeks ago: around $16k
• Last night: $35k

That's roughly a threefold jump in about six weeks. The move from $16k to $35k happened in just two weeks.

One card doesn't make a whole market. But this is not the only vintage slab making big moves right now.

What did the PSA 10 1st Edition Fossil Articuno sell for?

A PSA 10 1st Edition Fossil Articuno holo sold for $45,000 on eBay.

The key detail is the population. Only 148 copies have been graded Gem Mint. When supply is that small, a couple of motivated buyers can push the price a long way, and that's what collectors are seeing across low-pop vintage.

Are graded Pokémon cards worth more than they were a few years ago?

For many cards, yes. Take a Plasma Storm Lugia EX. A slab with the same cert number, meaning the exact same graded card, sold for far less under three years ago than it sells for now.

That's useful because it rules out differences in condition or grading. Same card, same slab, much higher price. The market around it is what changed.

Why are vintage Pokémon slab prices going up?

Collectors mostly point to new money entering the hobby. They name two groups again and again:

• Crypto money: buyers used to fast-moving, high-risk assets
• Tech millionaires: buyers who can pay up for the rarest copies without thinking twice

Both groups tend to chase the same thing: low-population, high-grade slabs. When a card has a Gem Mint population in the low hundreds or below, there aren't enough copies to go around. Prices climb.

Are vintage Pokémon cards out of reach for normal collectors?

Many collectors think so. A common view in the community is that 90% of low-pop vintage slabs are now out of normal buyers' range.

That's a big shift for a hobby that started with kids trading cards at school. For a lot of long-time collectors, the top end of vintage now feels like a different market from the one they grew up with.

Is the mid era of Pokémon cards next?

Collectors say the mid era could be the next area to heat up. If the rarest vintage slabs are already priced out, buyers looking for value may move to later sets with low Gem Mint populations.

One card to watch is the Team Plasma Darkrai BW73 promo. Based on our data:

• Market price: $233
• PSA 10: $51,100

That gap between the market price and a PSA 10 shows how much the top grade can matter on the right card. It's the same pattern behind the vintage spikes: buyers pay heavily for the best copy of a scarce card.

Could a Charizard break the Pokémon card price record?

It's possible. According to Men's Journal, an ultimate chase Charizard could break the $1.7M record.

Charizard has always been the hobby's headline card. With the Legendary Collection reverse holo BGS 9 jumping like it just did, it's easy to see why collectors think the top Charizards still have room to run.

Should you sell, hold, or buy vintage Pokémon slabs right now?

This isn't financial advice, and nobody can promise where prices go next. But here's how collectors are thinking about it:

• Selling: Some owners see the recent spikes as a chance to lock in gains while demand is hot.
• Holding: Others think the new buyers aren't going anywhere and prices could keep climbing.
• Priced out: Many collectors are looking past top-end vintage and toward mid-era cards and low-pop promos instead.

Whatever you choose, check recent sold prices, not asking prices, and look at population reports before you buy or sell. In a fast market, old comps go stale quickly.

FAQ

How fast did the Legendary Collection reverse holo Charizard BGS 9 rise?

It sold for about $11k around 1.5 months ago, about $16k two weeks ago and $35k last night.

What is the Gem Mint population of the 1st Edition Fossil Articuno holo?

Only 148 copies have been graded Gem Mint. A PSA 10 copy recently sold for $45,000 on eBay.

Who is buying high-end vintage Pokémon slabs?

Collectors say crypto money and tech millionaires are driving prices up, especially for low-population graded cards.