Ultra-rare Pokemon card sells for more than £3,000 – do you have a goldmine in your collection?
AN ultra-rare Pokemon card has sold for more than £3,000.
The first-edition Shining Charizard, which was kept in mint condition, was bagged by a collector for the insane amount at auction in Woking, Surrey.
The fire-breathing character first appeared in the Blue and Red editions of the iconic Japanese video game and has now been bought for £3,120.
It was the 105th card out of only 107 to be produced after this type was released in 2002.
The single trading card features a picture of the black cartoon dragon.
Charizards are said to be the most sought-after cards thanks to the character form the original game being so iconic.
The card describes the Charizard’s weaknesses, strengths and statistics.
On the back, there is the classic Pokémon logo and a picture of a red and white Poké ball.
It was expected to rake in £2,500 but ended up selling for £620 more than expected.
The rarest Pokémon card, the Pikachu Illustrator, is believed to be worth around £4 million.
Spin-off Pokémon trading cards became popular amongst 90s school kids following the show’s success.
More than 52.9 billion cards have since been sold worldwide.
Pokemon Go went viral in 2016 when the mobile phone app let fans find characters in public.
It meant the app maps of your surroundings, and Pokemon will virtually appear around your location.
How to make money from your Pokemon cards
THE Sun asked collectables expert Tracy Martin for her best tips. Here’s what she said:
- Collect your holographic cards first: They’re the most value and there are three different types: some cards have just the Pokemon image holographic, there are some where the edges are holos, while some cards are holos as a whole.
- Sit on the cards for a while: It could be worth just holding on to the cards for ten years to (hopefully) see them increase in value.
- Keep them in mint condition: You can buy Pokemon books with sleeves that you can keep them in, so they don’t get damaged.
- Get them PSA rated: The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) grades cards and verifies their authenticity, but you have to pay for its service. The PSA is an American organisation, but you can also get cards graded using services in the UK such as Ludkins Collectables and Vintage Trading Cards. Just make sure to double-check the prices in advance so you’re not spending more than your card might be worth.
If you want to sell your cards:
- Find out how much your card is worth to a collector by checking the same or similar Pokemon cards under “sold listings” on eBay.
- Compare your Pokemon card to other higher selling auctions and ask yourself if it’s in a similar condition.
- Look at things such as conditions, release date and whether or not it is still in its original packaging.
- If it’s in mint condition then it might be worth selling it through an auction house or directly to a collectables website. If it’s not, it’s probably worth sticking it on eBay for a moderate sum.