Subsequent yr is to deliver us an entire new set of shiny Pokémon, when the Paldean Fates set hits streets January 26. We already knew it could, in fact, include a shiny Charizard. However now we’ve seen it, and oh god it’s going to price a lot cash.
Japan is getting its model of this set, Shiny Treasures ex, so much sooner, playing cards happening launch December 1. So this implies we’re seeing what plenty of the playing cards will appear like so much earlier on than we’ve with more moderen units (the present Paradox Rift had playing cards seem internationally earlier than a few of their Japanese equivalents appeared), and immediately we’ve seen the Particular Illustration Uncommon of the shiny Charizard. It has each signal of being the largest, most sought-after new Pokémon card in years.
What’s the reasoning for this? It’s the mix of three components. First, and most clearly, it’s Charizard. Something that includes the not-a-dragon beast will get tagged with a premium, because of its overwhelming recognition amongst gamers. Make that Zard shiny, and it’s whole different leagues.
Secondly, it’s the complexity of the cardboard. The extra element current, the extra widespread playing cards are usually, and this terastallized Charizard is a spectacular piece of artwork.
Artist Akira Egawa has been producing essentially the most astonishing string of unbelievable playing cards within the final couple of years, and is chargeable for by far the very best priced on the resale market. She was behind all 4 of Crown Zenith’s blisteringly good gold playing cards, Fusion Strike’s Mew VMAX alt-art, the Mewtwo V-Union four-parter, and most relevantly right here, Obsidian Flames’ Charizard ex. On launch the latter was promoting uncooked at over $100, and nonetheless sits at over $60 pack recent.
And thirdly, sure, it’s that this new card matches that Charizard ex, and can inevitably ship the worth up on each of them. This new shiny model is an entirely unique piece of artwork, however one which matches the type and theme of the previous. It exhibits a Charizard terastallized right into a Darkish-type, however now in its black-skinned shiny kind, the purple insides of its wings reflecting 100 different colours within the cracked-mirror design.
I couldn’t care much less about Charizard, and I need this card. (A want not helped by my son’s mad luck at pulling the Obsidian Flames model from a pack.) My guess can be the Japanese model will begin promoting for round $300 pack recent, and the worldwide model subsequent yr will simply hit $200, earlier than coming right down to about half that. I additionally assume this could possibly be the primary new card in a really lengthy whereas to see PSA 10 costs hitting $750. (For reference, 2021’s notorious Moonbreon peaked at $1,300 in a ten, and is now round $740.)
The shortage might be elevated by Paldean Fates being a s0-called “particular set,” which means booster packs gained’t be bought individually (except your LCS tears down packing containers). Nevertheless, there’s a small glimmer of hope on condition that this would be the first time there might be six-pack Booster Bundles of a particular set, The Pokémon Firm’s extremely welcome approach of promoting simply packs with out huge cardboard packing containers additionally containing outsized playing cards, pins, stickers and goodness is aware of what else.
Paldean Fates is the third shiny-containing set to hit the Pokémon TCG, following 2019’s Hidden Fates and 2021’s Shining Fates. We’ll deliver you a beautiful gallery of the all of the prettiest playing cards revealed to date within the close to future.
