One of the rarest Pokémon cards in the franchise’s history sold for £30,000 in Derby on February 27 – the day marking the 30th anniversary of the global phenomenon.
The “holy grail” 1st edition shadowless base set Charizard was the top seller in Hansons Auctioneers’ dedicated Pokémon auction, an event which sparked global interest.
Hansons’ Pokémon expert, David Wilson-Turner, said: “Back in 1999, you could buy pack of 11 Pokémon cards at Woolworths for anything between £1.50 and £2.
“A Charizard was the rarest holographic in the Base Set, so pulling one from a pack was like winning a mini lottery.”
“Only 4,000 to 10,000 cards were produced, most of which were played with and are now dogeared – so to find one in mint condition like this one, which has a grading of 9 (out of 10), makes it all the rarer.”
The “shadowless” version was only printed in the earliest production run of Pokémon cards, with the holograph version even rarer.
David Wilson-Turner continued: “Only about 120–125 copies have achieved a perfect PSA 10 grade. The one for sold today was scored a 9, still incredibly rare.”
The sale also saw a sealed EX Sandstorm booster box, containing 36 booster packs, smash its low estimate of £8,000 to sell for £20,000.
In total the 219-lot, which saw bidders from Australia, American and Europe, fetch £210,000.
A factory-sealed Pokémon Base Set booster box from 1999 which would have cost £100 when first retailed sold for £15,500.
Wilson-Turner continued: “It was a great sale and I was thrilled by the results and the number of bidders registered from all around the world.
“It goes to show the juggernaut of Pokémon has no signs of slowing down – in fact demand is just getting stronger.”
Many lots in the sale far exceeded their pre-sale guide prices, with a complete set of Unlimited Neo Destiny cards from 2002 fetching £9,500 – more than double its low estimate of £4,000.
A sealed Japanese, Luigi Pikachu box also beat its guide price of £5,000-£7,000 to sell for £8,500, while a Pokémon Jungle Unlimited booster box, produced by Wizards of the Coast, sold for £6,500.
One of the biggest surprises came in the shape of a binder made up of 151 Topps Chrome cards from the First Generation Pokemon. Expected to make £300-£400, it sold for £4,200.
30 years since it launched in Japan, interest in the franchise has never been stronger.
Demand exploded in lock down when many adults revisited the playground favourite, boosting nostalgia-driven purchases.
Today, as well as appealing to cash-rich Millennials keen to reconnect with their youth, there’s a new generation of YouTubers who share videos of them unboxing Pokémon cards on the online platform.
Hansons is now consigning for its next Pokémon sale on August 27.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “It’s never too late to get involved in this collecting obsession and I’d urge anyone to dig out those toy boxes, or boxed attic collections and bring them along for a free valuation.”
Anyone with memorabilia they would like to consign or have valued should email details to [email protected]
Auction Results
Auction: Pokémon Day Auction: Celebrating 30 Years of Pokémon
Auction date: 27th February 2026 | 1pm
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
