Is Shiny Charizard Vmax rare?

Yes, Shiny Charizard Vmax is absolutely one of the rarest and most valuable Pokémon cards in existence today. It checks all the boxes that collectors look for:

• Iconic and popular Pokémon (Charizard)
• Super powerful and maxed out (Vmax)
• Visually stunning (shiny variant)
• Very limited supply

This perfect combination makes Shiny Charizard Vmax a coveted prize for any Pokémon card collector or investor. Mint condition copies are selling for $400 – $800 and the market remains strong over a year after its release.

Why is Shiny Charizard Vmax so rare?

Shiny Charizard Vmax hails from the Shining Fates Shiny Vault subset released in February 2021. Let‘s analyze the key factors that contribute to its ultra rare status:

Small Shiny Vault Pull Rate

• Shiny Vault cards have roughly a 1 in 85 pack pull rate
• The main Shining Fates set has 122 cards, while the Shiny Vault has only 80 cards
• So your odds of pulling any specific Shiny Vault card are about 1 in 425 packs

1 of 10 Shiny Vmax Cards

• Shiny Charizard Vmax is 1 of 10 different Shiny Vmax cards in the Shining Fates Shiny Vault
• This further reduces the odds to roughly 1 in 850 packs for this specific card

Charizard Popularity Premium

• As one of the most iconic and popular Pokémon ever, Charizard cards consistently sell for higher prices than other Pokémon
• In the hobby, this is referred to as the "Charizard tax"

Vivid Shiny Variant

• The black coloration instead of orange makes it stand out from the normal Charizard Vmax
• Collectors highly covet cards with the vibrant, eye-catching shiny variants

Powerful Vmax Designation

• Vmax cards are upgraded and powered up versions of Pokémon, making them more rare and desirable than standard V cards

When you combine all of these factors, it becomes clear why Shiny Charizard Vmax is so incredibly rare and hard to obtain compared to regular cards.

Current Market Value of Shiny Charizard Vmax

The extreme rarity of Shiny Charizard Vmax translates into a very high market value, especially for pristine graded copies.

Raw NM Value

Raw mint condition copies tend to sell for $150 – $200 on average. However, prices can vary:

• Recent eBay sales have ranged from $120 to $260
• TCGPlayer listings start around $180 for NM condition

PSA 10 Gem Mint Value

Professionally graded PSA 10 copies command an even higher premium:

• Recent PSA 10 sales have ranged from $400 to $800
• One PSA 10 copy sold for a record $905 in January 2022
• There are only 108 PSA 10s in existence according to PSA‘s population report

Clearly, collectors are willing to pay a huge premium for flawless graded copies in perfect PSA 10 condition.

Shiny Charizard Vmax vs Normal Charizard Vmax Value Comparison

To further demonstrate the value of the shiny version, let‘s compare it to the normal Charizard Vmax from Darkness Ablaze:

Card	Normal Raw NM Value	Normal PSA 10 Value
Charizard Vmax	$50 – $100	$200 – $400
Shiny Charizard Vmax	$150 – $200	$400 – $800

As you can see, the shiny variant sells for 2-3 times the normal version, showcasing the significant premium collectors place on shiny cards.

Other Rare & Valuable Charizard Cards

While extremely rare and valuable itself, Shiny Charizard Vmax is far from the only prized Charizard card out there. Here are 5 other insanely expensive Charizards for collectors to covet:

1. 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard – Base Set

The undisputed Holy Grail of Pokémon cards. Only 121 PSA 10 copies exist.

• Raw NM Value: $15,000 – $25,000
• PSA 10 Value: $300,000 – $500,000
• All-time record sale: $350,000 (PSA 10)

2. Charizard EX – Secret Rare – Generations

Insanely rare Charizard EX with iconic artwork from 2016‘s Generations.

• Raw NM Value: $750 – $1,500
• PSA 10 Value: $7,500 – $12,500

3. Charizard & Braixen GX – Secret Rare – Cosmic Eclipse

Gorgeous secret rare Charizard card from 2019‘s Cosmic Eclipse set.

• Raw NM Value: $400 – $600
• PSA 10 Value: $3,500 – $7,500
• Record Sale: $7,500 (PSA 10)

4. Charizard VMAX – Rainbow Rare – Champion‘s Path

Hyper rare rainbow version of Charizard VMAX from 2020.

• Raw NM Value: $350 – $500
• PSA 10 Value: $2,500 – $4,000

5. Charizard ☆ – Gold Star Holo – Power Keepers

Ultra rare shiny Charizard Gold Star card from the EX Series.

• Raw NM Value: $600 – $900
• PSA 10 Value: $2,500 – $4,500

This demonstrates Charizard‘s enduring value and collectability across both vintage and modern Pokémon eras. Shiny Charizard Vmax stands tall as the latest Charizard card to demand a major premium.

Finding & Pulling Shiny Charizard Vmax

Since Shiny Charizard Vmax is only found in the Shiny Vault subset of Shining Fates, here are the best products to open if you‘re hoping to pull one:

Booster Packs & Sets

• Shining Fates (main set) booster packs
• Shining Fates Elite Trainer Box
• Shining Fates premium collections
• Shining Fates build & battle boxes

Shining Fates packs give you a shot at the Shiny Vault, while products offer more packs bundled together.

Assorted Card Products

• Shining Fates pin collections
• Pikachu V boxes with Shining Fates packs
• Shining Fates mini tins
• Shining Fates 3-pack blisters

These provide alternate ways to score Shining Fates packs at retail.

The pull rate for any Shiny Vault card is approximately 1 in 85 Shining Fates packs. But your odds of pulling this specific Shiny Charizard Vmax are likely closer to 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000 packs given the other possible Shiny Vault cards.

So it will likely take extreme luck or buying hundreds of packs to pull one! But that gameplay element keeps collectors engaged in the chase.

Should You Grade Your Shiny Charizard Vmax?

For cards as valuable as Shiny Charizard Vmax, having them professionally graded makes sense:

Pros

• Authenticates the card and verifies condition
• Potentially increases value, especially for PSA 10s
• Protects from damage or tampering
• Improves liquidity when reselling
• Displays nicely in clear acrylic case

Cons

• Costs about $150 for grading fees
• Wait times of several months for PSA/BGS
• Risk of getting a low grade that hurts value

My advice would be to only grade mint condition copies with a shot at PSA 10 or BGS 9.5. Pay the extra cost to expedite the grading so wait times are weeks, not months.

Raw NM copies can still sell very well. But expect some discount versus graded prices.

Is Shiny Charizard Vmax a Good Investment?

In my expert opinion, Shiny Charizard Vmax is one of the best modern Pokémon cards to invest in for the long-term:

• It already sells for 2-3X its retail price just 1 year after release
• Popularity and demand for Charizard remains extremely high
• Shiny and Vmax versions will only become more scarce over time
• 10+ year investment time horizon ideal for major gains

However, as with any collectible, there is risk involved:

• The Pokémon TCG market can fluctuate unpredictably
• Potential for overgrading and too many PSA 10s entering market
• Chance of declining interest in Pokémon overall

Overall, I view Shiny Charizard Vmax as a lower risk investment compared to most modern cards. But diversification is still key to mitigate any downside.

While it may seem expensive now, its current price could look cheap in 5-10 years if trends continue. After all, vintage cards worth 5-6 figures today sold for less than $100 back in 1999!

Conclusion

In summary, Shiny Charizard Vmax stands out as one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence thanks to:

• Tiny Shining Fates Shiny Vault pull rates
• Extreme popularity of Charizard
• Spectacular shiny variant artwork
• Desirability of maxed out Vmax version

This perfect storm of scarcity and demand has created a card worth hundreds of dollars that sells for massive premiums over the normal Charizard Vmax. Prices are likely to keep rising into the foreseeable future.

So while the upfront cost is high, Shiny Charizard Vmax looks like a wise investment for collectors and a modern card that could appreciate into a true treasure long-term. Just be sure to treasure that shiny black Charizard in your collection!