Dark Charizard - Team Rocket (1st Edition Holo) [4/82]

Name: Dark Charizard - Team Rocket (1st Edition Holo) [4/82]
Brand: ebrahim7
Availability: LimitedAvailability

Front and back views of a 1st Edition Dark Charizard holofoil Pokémon card from the Team Rocket set, showing a gold-bordered fire-type card. - view 1

1/2

Estimated value

$600 - $4,500

Rarity

Rare(7/10)

DARK CHARIZARD - TEAM ROCKET (1ST EDITION HOLO) [4/82]: IDENTIFICATION

This specimen is a First Edition holofoil Dark Charizard from the 2000 Team Rocket expansion. The card features technical illustration by Ken Sugimori, depicting the creature in a dynamic profile exhale with a distinct multi-colored starlight holofoil pattern. The card exhibits the '1st Edition' circular stamp to the left of the artwork frame and the 'R' Team Rocket set symbol to the right. The text includes the 'Nail Flick' and 'Continuous Fireball' attacks, with a Stage 2 evolution box in the top left corner.

Compare with other trading cards in the archive: Dark Charizard - Team Rocket Unlimited Rare [21/82], Mewtwo Japanese Promo Collection (CoroCoro & Vending Series), Magneton LV.30 - Evolutions (Holo Rare) [30/108].

SET RELEASE & PRINT RUN

Released in April 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, the Team Rocket set introduced 'Dark' Pokémon to the English TCG, reflecting a narrative shift toward the antagonistic organization from the video games. Dark Charizard represented a significant departure from the Base Set version, offering lower HP (80 vs 120) but higher tactical damage potential. The printing run for 1st Edition Team Rocket was substantially smaller than the subsequent Unlimited print, making this one of the 'Big Three' chase cards from the WotC vintage era.

COLLECTOR INTEL

The 2000 Team Rocket set was the first English expansion to include a 'secret rare' card, though this specific card is number 4 out of the standard 82-card checklist.

SCARCITY

Rare90-95%

CommonLegendary

Exceptional items that serious collectors actively seek. Only a handful appear at major auctions each year.

Rarity 7/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 25 trading cards items at rarity 7 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

Few examples at auction yearly
Specialist dealer networks
Strong collector competition

Confidence Factors

Correct starlight holofoil pattern and depth
Proper font kerning and 1st Edition stamp ink saturation
Accurate color palette and 뒷면 (back) blue-to-purple gradient

How does authenticity detection work?

GRADING EXPERT'S TAKE

Trading Card Market Analyst

Card Specialist

High confidence due to clear images of both sides allowing for precise identification of set, edition, and surface condition markers.

KEY EVIDENCE

11st Edition stamp is correctly positioned with crisp borders
2Holofoil 'stars' show proper refraction for a 2000 WotC print
3Card number 4/82 matches the Holo Rare slot for Team Rocket
4Reverse side blue borders show no chipping/whitening

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

→Examine the holofoil surface under a 10x jeweler's loupe to check for 'micro-scratching'
→Measure centering with a digital caliper to confirm if it meets 55/45 PSA 10 thresholds
→Check for any faint indentations (surface dimples) not visible in direct photography

CONDITION & GRADE

PSA 8-9

Grading breakdown

The card exhibits near-perfect corner integrity and edge cleanliness, though top-to-bottom centering on the front is approximately 60/40, which may preclude a Gem Mint 10 grade.

Condition

Visible centering appears slightly heavy toward the bottom and left on the obverse. The reverse shows exceptionally clean edges with no immediate signs of whitening or 'silvering' commonly seen on WotC-era holofoil edges. The holofoil surface appears free of horizontal print lines or prominent scratches.