$1 Million Charizard Tops Week's Biggest TCG Sales

Another Monster Week for TCG Sales

Trading card game sales delivered another huge week, led by one of the most recognizable Pokémon cards ever made crossing the seven-figure mark. A PSA 10 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard sold for $1,000,952.84 on eBay, while another Charizard, Lugia, and Gengar also reached six figures. The only non-Pokémon entry in the top five was a complete 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha set.

Combined, the five biggest TCG sales of the week totaled $2,193,672.77, according to Card Ladder data.

No. 5 - 1999 Pokémon Japanese Vending Masaki Promo Gengar #94 PSA 10

Gengar opened the countdown with another major result for a vintage Japanese Pokémon card. A PSA 10 copy of the 1999 Pokémon Japanese Vending Masaki Promo Gengar #94 sold for $207,000 on eBay on Sept. 12.

The Masaki Promo is one of Gengar’s most distinctive early cards and was originally available through Japan’s Communication Evolution Campaign. Its rarity at the highest grade helps explain why it remains one of the biggest Gengar cards in the hobby.

PSA has graded just 84 copies with a Gem Mint 10 grade, adding to the card’s appeal among collectors chasing elite vintage Pokémon pieces.

No. 4 - 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Complete Set

The lone non-Pokémon entry in the week’s top five was not a single card, but the complete set that launched Magic: The Gathering. A full 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha set sold for $234,499.93 on eBay on Sept. 11.

Released in August 1993, Alpha was the first Magic set and included 295 cards. The set offered in the sale was described by the seller as being in excellent/lightly played condition.

More than three decades after its release, assembling all 295 cards from Alpha remains a notable collecting milestone and a reminder of how much demand still exists for the earliest days of the hobby.

Related coverage includes PSA 10 Shadowless Charizard Clears $1 Million in a $2.19 Million Week for TCG Sales.

No. 3 - 2011 Pokémon Call of Legends Lugia #15 PSA 10

One of the week’s more surprising results came from Lugia. A PSA 10 2011 Pokémon Call of Legends Holo #15 Lugia sold for $367,220 through Goldin, where it led a broad pop culture auction.

The card drew 49 bids before closing early Thursday morning and finished at nearly twice the price of the auction’s next-highest reported sale. That kind of bidding activity helped push Lugia close to the top of the week’s overall TCG leaderboard.

Results like this show how high-grade modern-era Pokémon cards can still generate major attention when the right character, set, and condition line up.

No. 2 - 2006 Pokémon EX Dragon Frontiers Charizard Gold Star #100 PSA 10

The first of two Charizards in the top five came from 2006 Pokémon EX Dragon Frontiers. A PSA 10 Charizard Gold Star #100 sold for $367,220 through Fanatics Weekly, according to Card Ladder.

Card Ladder lists just 98 PSA 10 examples, a population figure that adds to the card’s appeal in the high-end Pokémon market. Gold Star cards have long held a special place with collectors, and Charizard remains one of the most sought-after subjects in the hobby.

With another strong six-figure sale, the Dragon Frontiers Charizard continued the trend of elite Charizard cards drawing some of the biggest bids in trading cards.

No. 1 - 1999 Pokémon 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard #4 PSA 10

At the top of the list was the card that has become one of the defining trophies in Pokémon collecting. A PSA 10 1999 Pokémon 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard #4 sold for $1,000,952.84 on eBay on Sept. 9.

The combination of Charizard, the first English Pokémon set, and the challenge of finding pristine examples has made this card one of the most iconic in the hobby. In PSA 10, it sits among the most coveted modern-era vintage Pokémon cards ever produced.

The sale finished more than $600,000 ahead of the No. 2 card on the week’s list, underscoring just how much demand still surrounds top-condition copies of the 1st Edition Base Set Charizard.

What This Week's Sales Say About The TCG Market

With two Charizards leading the way and five sales combining for nearly $2.2 million, the week offered another clear look at the strength of the high-end TCG market. Vintage Pokémon continues to dominate the biggest results, but the presence of a complete Magic: The Gathering Alpha set also shows that early cornerstone products from across the hobby can still command major attention.

From Japanese promos to Gold Stars to the most famous card in Pokémon history, this week’s leaderboard reflected the depth of demand for rare, high-grade cards with strong collector recognition.