Pokemon cards UK: my rare Charizard card could fetch £40K - how to check the value and price of your old cards

• Pokémon cards were a playground craze in the UK in the late '90s
• Now, a rare fourth print Charizard card could sell for up to £40,000
• The card is part of the Base Set, the most iconic Pokémon set, and was only printed in the UK for two weeks
• Fourth print Charizards are particularly rare due to unique design features and limited production
• The card is graded 9 by Beckett Grading Services, making it the highest-rated fourth print Charizard
• The card will be auctioned at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, where it could surpass its estimated value

Many of us remember when Pokémon cards first hit the UK in the late '90s.

They quickly became a playground sensation, with their appeal leading teachers to ban them from classrooms, such was the addictive nature of swapping cards with friends in the hope of collecting full sets.

Whether you mastered the elaborate ruleset of the Trading Card Game (TCG) or just wanted to get your hands on your favourite characters, few would have guessed that 25 years later, those humble pieces of card we held in our childhood hands would go on to be worth thousands.

Now, a single Pokémon trading card, hailed as one of the rarest in existence, could fetch up to £40,000 at auction.

Jon Free, 32, a leading collector of fourth print Pokémon cards, has meticulously assembled his collection over several years - and among his prized possessions is the highest-graded BGS fourth print 'Charizard', regarded as the “most iconic card ever made.”

“BGS” stands for Beckett Grading Services, a company that specialises in grading and authenticating trading cards, including Pokémon cards.

Jon Free [pictured] has one of the highest ever graded fourth print 'Charizard' in existence (Photos: Getty Images/Pexels) | Getty Images/Pexels

Now, Free has chosen to auction this exceptionally rare card, which is estimated to sell for between £8,000 and £12,000 - though it could potentially command a much higher price.

A similar card exchanged hands previously after being sold privately for more than £40,000 and Jon's card is said to be the best example of its kind in the world.

Why is the card so rare?

Charizard cards were highly sought after by kids during the Pokémon TCG's heyday, as they were relatively rare and harder to find compared to other cards.

Charizard itself was also known for its high attack power and strong presence in the Pokémon TCG, making it a desirable card for competitive play.

But Free’s card comes from the fourth print run, meaning it’s significantly more scarce than the average Charizard you may have come across in 1999.

In general, Pokémon cards are printed in multiple "prints" to meet demand and adjust for any errors or updates.

Fourth print cards are typically recognised for their particular characteristics, such as variations in card design, text or quality, which can make them distinct from earlier prints, making them rare and valuable among collectors.

Free, of Great Blakenham, Suffolk, explains: "The fourth print for 1999-2000 Base Set was printed due to copyright issues around the turn of millennium.

“Non-holo[graphic] fourth print cards were printed worldwide, however the holographic cards were only printed in the UK for around two weeks.

“It is worth noting that the Charizard fourth print holo is the only holo card to exhibit slightly altered artwork, with the black stripes behind the Charizard being changed to red – you can compare this to regular unlimited Charizards to see the difference.”

The card in question comes from Pokémon TCG Base Set, likely the most well-known set of Pokémon cards in the world.

That’s because it was the very first set introduced to the market outside of Japan, and includes some of the most beloved and recognisable original Pokémon, such as Pikachu, Charizard and Blastoise.

It is estimated that the first edition print run was over five times larger than the fourth print. “This is literally the rarest print run of the most well-known set in the world,” says Free.

How much could it sell for?

The card has been graded 9 by the Beckett Grading Services and has three sub-grades at 9.5 for centring, corners and surface – higher than any other fourth print Charizard in the world.

And it has potential to cross over to a grade 10 with PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) - the last PSA 10 of this card to exchange hands sold for £40,000.

It will go under the hammer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield, Staffs., on 30 September.

How much are my Pokémon cards worth?

Auctioneer Richard Winterton says: “We are inundated with emails and calls from people wanting to auction their Pokémon, which remains a seriously hot market internationally.”

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a half-decent collection of the childhood collectibles somewhere, perhaps sitting in a branded binder somewhere in the loft.

But as far as I can remember, I never got my hands on any “trophy” cards like the one mentioned above, and most of the cards will be “well loved”, with all the scuffs and dog-eared corners of normal playground use - I clearly didn’t have my investment cap on when I was nine years old.

Surely they’re not worth anything?! As a base test, I plucked Pikachu out of my now-limited knowledge of Pokémon (had you asked me 25 years ago, my answer may have been different) as a ‘common’ card that I seem to remember most kids owning.

I logged on to PokéCardValues.co.uk and found the most ‘common’ looking variant of the card I could find - assuming my dormant collection doesn’t contain any special promotional variations.

To my surprise, the site informed me that I could expect to sell a ‘near mint’ specimen of the card like eBay for around £8. Considering my own card is probably considered ‘played’, that’s still worth £3.60.

Now, that’s nothing compared to the £40,000 for Free’s Charizard - but for a dusty piece of card that’s been sitting in the dark for over two decades, not bad I reckon.

I probably have hundreds of other ‘common’ cards, not to mention a few slightly rarer ones, so all in all my collection - to which I admittedly now have no sentimental attachment - could soon rack up in overall price.

To determine if your own Pokémon cards are worth anything, you too could check in on PokéCardValues.co.uk, but other websites like eBay can provide current market prices. Search for your card’s name and compare listings for similar conditions.

Evaluate each card’s condition, as it significantly affects its value - common grades are Mint, Near Mint, Excellent, Good, and Poor.

If you think you’ve got a particularly high-value or rare card, consider getting it graded by a professional service like Beckett Grading Services (BGS) or Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).

These services provide a grade and authentication, which can increase a card’s value and make it easier to sell.

What do you think about the incredible value of rare Pokémon cards like this Charizard? Do you have any hidden treasures from your childhood collection? Share your thoughts, stories and questions in the comments section.