1999 Pokémon 1st Edition Base Set Charizard Holo - CGC 10 Pristine | MBA Gold Diamond

In 1999, the globe was gripped by Pokémania.

Pokémon, the immensely popular media franchise out of Japan, was taking the world by storm. Between 1996 and 1998, the public was awestruck with megahit anime, manga, and video game releases while trading cards had found success in their early Japanese releases. Then, on January 9, 1999, the first major English language set was released to the public: the legendary 1st edition Base Set.

From there, nothing was stopping Pokémon, as the phenomenon had transformed into a full on frenzy. When Pokémon’s first feature length film was released later in 1999, Warner Brothers reported receiving some 70,000 calls per minute from fans requesting free tickets, temporarily shutting down the company’s phone lines. Pokémon was all over the news, and some school principals felt compelled to ban the trading card game at school because students were so engrossed with trading Pokémon cards. In the years since, Pokémon has become the highest grossing media franchise ever and shows no signs of slowing. In the fiscal year 2023/24, The Pokémon Company sold an unfathomable 11.9 billion cards.

If you ask any general Pokémon fan for their favorite Pokémon, the odds are strong that they will reply with a name that has captivated fans for the better part of three decades: Charizard. If you ask a Pokémon card collector what their grail is, many will point you to the card offered here. Of the nearly 500 graded so far by CGC, this is one of only three in the world at the time of cataloging to be awarded CGC’s highest grade, the CGC 10 Pristine. As if that weren’t enough, the card offered here carries an extra layer of distinction having received a coveted MBA Gold Diamond. This represents one of the finest 1st Edition Charizards money can buy, and a card millions of Pokémon fans around the world could only dream of possessing.

This card has been authenticated and deemed to be in Pristine condition, receiving a grade of Pristine 10 from the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC). This ultra-rare gem is, at the time of cataloging, one of only three prints certified in this condition by CGC and the only example to receive a Pristine 10 grade from MBA along with its Gold Diamond certification.

The CGC certificate number for this card is: 6000196001.

Going Deeper - TCG and Pokemon

A Global Sensation

When Tsunekazu Ishihara, Kouichi Ooyama, and Takumi Akabane considered Pokémon Trading Card Game prototypes in 1995, they surely could not have imagined the cultural revolution they would soon become a part of.

The era of modern trading card games (TCGs) was in its nascent stage, with Magic the Gathering released by Wizards of the Coast just two years prior in 1993, and the Pokémon video games, which the prototype’s visuals were based on, were in the final stages of development. The concept, inspired by Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri’s childhood love for bug collecting, was centered on a world in which people and creatures called Pokémon, who have a wide variety of special powers, join together to help teach each other about the world and themselves as well as they take on life’s problems and battle against other trainers and their Pokémon. 

What followed has become history. The first Pokémon video games, Pocket Monsters: Red and Pocket Monsters: Green, were released in February of 1996 and introduced the world to the first 151 Pokémon. The first installment of the Pokémon trading card game was released in Japan in October of the same year and featured art by Mitsuhiro Arita, the creator of the iconic Charizard art in this example, Ken Sugimori, and Keiji Kinebushi. Together the trio, as well as a number of other illustrators, provided strong foundations for the Trading Card Game’s collectibility as well as its global expansion, which was on the horizon.

1997 saw the release of the Pokémon anime as well as the manga, and then in 1998 Pokémon hit the rest of the world like a freight train. The anime and its introductory song that is emblazoned in the memory of so many 90s kids and parents saw its English debut in the United States on September 8, with the beloved Game Boy Games, Pokémon Blue and Pokémon Red coming out on September 28 in the U.S. and globally shortly thereafter. They were an instant hit and sparked a cultural frenzy that continues to this day. When the Pokémon Trading Card Game saw the first major English release on January 9, 1999 (there was a sample pack distributed to stores in late 1998), demand was feverish. Between January and September of 1999, Pokémon card sales totaled over $300M, and the demand has rarely let up. There are now over 1,000 different Pokémon and a world of collectors eager to find the best cards available for them. 

To date, Pokémon has sold more than 64 Billion cards and shows no signs of slowing, having released dozens of expansions since the one that started it all.    

From the Fire, a Legend Rises

One of the most beloved of those original 151 Pokémon was the cover character for Pocket Monsters: Red and Pokémon Red, Charizard. Consistently ranked among the most important and popular Pokémon ever. From statues in Brazil to streets in Las Vegas, and even in the name of a bee species, Chillicola charizard, the iconic dragon has become a transcendent character. 

In the Pokémon world, many Pokémon have evolutionary lines that, as they get stronger, are exposed to environmental features, or experience certain conditions they will progress through. Charizard is the final stage for a Pokémon called Charmander, however Charizard’s concept was imagined before Charmander’s. Ishihara explained in an interview that, when imagining Charizard, Pokémon thought that Charizard would be a popular character in North America given the region’s affinity for strong characters, however the character has clearly demonstrated a broad global appeal.

Like Babe Ruth or Michael Jordan, even those who are not passionate fans of Pokémon have likely heard of Charizard. Many of those who are Pokémon fans have come to adore Charizard, and those who were introduced to this fire-breathing dragon nearly 30 years ago are now able to bring a whole new generation into the Pokémon, and Charizard, fandom.