Dark Charizard · Team Rocket, what to know.
About the Dark Charizard card
Dark Charizard is card 4 of 83 in Team Rocket, released in April 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Fire-type with 80 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Dark Charmeleon, which places Dark Charizard deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Team Rocket darkened Charizard under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
Illustrated by Ken Sugimori. Sugimori is the lead character designer of Pokémon itself, so his card art carries the tight, on-model look that defined how the creatures appear in the games.
The Pokédex entry printed on Dark Charizard reads: "Seemingly possessed, it spews fire like a volcano, trying to burn all it sees."
About Charizard in the Pokémon world
The fire-flying final form of the Charmander line, and the unofficial mascot of the franchise outside of Pikachu. Massive dragon-shaped silhouette, wings, tail-flame. The single most-recognized trading card of the modern era. Its Base Set holo print drove the entire vintage Pokémon market and continues to set the comp price for every other Wizards-era holo.
What is Dark Charizard worth?
Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $253 to $1,040 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $8,820 to $17,000. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $17,000. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-05-18.
Print variants and how to spot them
Team Rocket shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The 1st Edition Dark Charizard carries the Edition 1 stamp under the artwork and trades above the Unlimited copy in matching grade. The set is also home to Dark Raichu, the first Secret Rare ever printed.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Dark Charizard. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the fire foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Dark Charizard
If you are buying Dark Charizard, work in order: confirm the print variant first, then the grade, then price against recent sales for that exact variant and grade. For a raw Dark Charizard above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition 1 stamp under the artwork. Trades above Unlimited in matching grade.
No stamp. The standard, more affordable print.
