Charizard · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Charizard card
Charizard is card 4 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Fire-type with 120 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Charmeleon, which places Charizard deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
The Pokédex entry printed on Charizard reads: "Spits fire that is hot enough to melt boulders. Known to unintentionally cause forest fires."
About Charizard in the Pokémon world
The fire-flying final form of the Charmander line, and the unofficial mascot of the franchise outside of Pikachu. Massive dragon-shaped silhouette, wings, tail-flame. The single most-recognized trading card of the modern era. Its Base Set holo print drove the entire vintage Pokémon market and continues to set the comp price for every other Wizards-era holo.
What is Charizard worth?
Charizard is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Base Set 2's value. The print variant decides most of it: a 1st Edition copy in high grade commands a large premium over a Shadowless or Unlimited one. In top-grade 1st Edition, Base Set 2 holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Charizard, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
For graded buyers, the holo window on Charizard is where most points are won or lost. Surface scratches and foil misregistration are common on Wizards-era cards, and centering was inconsistent enough that clean PSA 10s stay scarce. Read the fire foil at a 45-degree angle under strong light before committing.
If you are collecting Charizard
If you are buying Charizard, work in order: confirm the print variant first, then the grade, then price against recent sales for that exact variant and grade. For a raw Charizard above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
