Gold Star Rayquaza Pokémon card sells for record $1 million

A 2005 Gold Star Rayquaza Pokémon card has become the first English-language card to exceed the $1 million mark, selling for $1,020,000 at a Fanatics Collect auction on August 28.

The card, part of the EX Deoxys series, achieved this record price due to its exceptional condition. It is the only known specimen to receive a ‘Pristine 10’ rating from CGC, a distinction not found in BGS or TAG databases. Out of more than 250 Rayquaza cards examined by CGC, only 12 achieved a Gem Mint 10 rating, and this specific card was the sole recipient of the higher Pristine 10 grade.

This sale surpasses the previous English-language record held by a first-edition Base Set Charizard, which sold for $954,800. The value of the Rayquaza card has seen a massive surge recently; a Gem Mint 10 version sold for $168,000 in mid-July, meaning the Pristine 10 version sold for more than six times that amount just one month later.