The Pokémon Base Set Charizard is arguably the most iconic Pokémon card ever produced. But it's not the first.
For years, the Pokémon community debated the earliest Pokémon cards ever released. Some argued Bandai Carddass cards, such as this Charizard, came out first, with others claiming Media Factory Japanese Base Set or Topsun Blue Back cards preceded them. The confusion stemmed from a few things, including a lack of proof, the fact most original articles and documentation are available exclusively in Japanese, and most people involved at the time did not keep detailed records.
One of the only known pieces of proof that shows when Bandai Carddass cards were released can be found in the September 1996 issue of CoroCoro magazine, a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan. The issue states Bandai Carddass Pocket Monster cards were released in late September 1996, making them the first Pokémon cards ever. Thus, the card on offer here is considered Charizard's true rookie. There are red and green versions of the card, although PSA does not differentiate between the two.
This is one of just 111 copies to land a Gem Mint PSA 10 grade.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 04/24/2026.
