2006 Pokemon Japanese Dragon Frontiers Holo Charizard Gold Star #52 PSA 10 GEM

Introduced in Generation II, Shiny Pokémon gave trainers yet another reason to catch ‘em all. Boasting alternate color palettes often dramatically different from their standard forms, Shiny Pokémon originally appeared in the game data as “rare” or “Alt. Color” Pokémon until developers officially adopted the fan-created “Shiny” classification for Gen. V onward. “Shiny Hunter” is a moniker given to players who actively seek out Shiny Pokémon in the video games. However, even with the help of the Shiny Charm or other odds-boosting methods, encountering a Shiny Pokémon is no simple task. Since Gen. VI, Shiny Pokémon have appeared at a rate of 1/4,096 encounters, meaning most trainers who do not intentionally seek them out rarely encounter one. Young trainers who stumble upon Shiny Pokémon sometimes fail to recognize them, or worse, they battle and faint them like they would a regular wild Pokémon. Yet even the most inexperienced trainer would be hard-pressed to overlook a Shiny Charizard. Originally colored purple-gray with green inner wings, Shiny Charizard received an updated palette in Gen. 3 that changed its coloring to the iconic gray-black with red inner wings it is known for today. While developers did not officially refer to Shiny Pokémon as such in Gen. 2, Wizards of the Coast introduced “Shining” Pokémon during the TCG’s Neo era, which focused heavily on second-generation Pokémon. These Secret Rare cards featured alternate-colored Pokémon, with most of their palettes matching those of their Shiny forms. The TCG’s EX era reintroduced Shiny forms in 2004’s EX Team Rocket Returns, only this time, they became known as “Pokémon Star” or “Gold Star Pokémon.” In addition to the Pokémon’s Shiny palette, these Ultra Rare cards featured a gold star in the Pokémon’s name box and artwork that extended beyond the portrait border. Released in the 2006 Japanese expansion Offense and Defense of the Furthest Ends (equivalent to the English EX Dragon Frontiers expansion), this Gold Star Charizard stuns with its Shiny coloring, brilliant holofoil, and striking PSA 10 grade. This offering is sure to attract plenty of Shiny Hunters to this month’s TCG Premier Auction.