The Most Expensive Gold Star Pokemon TCG Cards

The Pokemon TCG is full of valuable variations of the most popular characters in the series, particularly one of the most desirable distinctions: shiny Pokemon. Combine the demand for shiny Pokemon with the most valuable TCG sets of all time, and you have a recipe for costly cards.

Gold Stars or “Star” Pokemon feature their beloved shiny color palettes and hail from various vintage sets like Holon Phantoms, Dragon Frontiers, Power Keepers, and Team Rocket Returns, to name a few. While the cards are officially called “Star”, they’re typically referred to as “Gold Stars” by the collecting community, given their golden shimmer.

Cards are ordered according to their
TCGPlayer
Market Price,
which you might pay on average for a copy of the cards below.

Given the age and rarity of these cards,
only
those with an
established market price on TCGplayer
are included.

However,
sale prices differ depending on the card’s condition,
so this market price is just a rough idea of the card’s value.

8 Mudkip Star: Team Rocket Returns (Ultra Rare) – $417.99

Starting With The Cutest

If you haven’t done your Gold Star homework recently, then Mudkip might be a big surprise to see among the most expensive Gold Star Pokemon in the TCG, but its value is undeniable. This sweet scene of Mudkip lounging in the shade makes it hard to resist buying, but its price may turn you away.

Sadly, there’s only a moderately played (MP) sale at $417.99 to reference, which leaves plenty of unanswered questions, but also suggests cards in lightly played (LP), or near-mint (NM) condition would command incredibly high sums. If you just want to own the card, you will get a cheaper price for a heavily played (HP) or damaged copy, though there aren’t any current listings to suggest what you might pay.

7 Jolteon Star: Power Keepers (Ultra Rare) – $484.50

Always Room For Eeveelutions

One of Jolteon’s most valuable cards makes an electrifying entrance as this Gold Star pays homage to Jolteon’s original yellow in the background while highlighting its yellow-green tinted shiny palette. The crackling energy is perfectly enhanced by the glittering holo pattern, giving this card immense appeal.

Unfortunately, there were no listings available on TCGplayer at the time of writing, so you may not be able to find this card as easily as others.

Luckily, there are plenty of sales of this card in all conditions, though the top end caps out at LP, selling for $550 at its peak. However, you can find huge discounts on HP copies, which sell for below $200, as low as $180.

6 Vaporeon Star: Power Keepers (Ultra Rare) – $560.00

Stepping Up Their Game

Vaporeon keeps the Eeveelution momentum rolling with its perfect purple and pink shiny color palette. Though it’s ultimately up to preference, this Pokemon’s easily distinguishable shiny colors make this card pop more than Jolteon’s, especially as Vaporeon contrasts with the blue background.

While you’ll find plenty of listings for cards up to NM condition climbing into the $500+ range, there are unfortunately only two recent sales, with an LP card setting the standing market price, followed by a damaged copy that still sold for $180.

5 Mew Star: Dragon Frontiers (Delta Species) – $576.98

The Pinnacle Of Mew Cards

Mew makes a stunning entrance with this blue-and-red art that features dynamic contrasts between the colors while still highlighting Mew as the clear star of the show. This card perfectly conveys Mew’s cute but mischievous personality as it appears to teleport in this art.

As you might expect, this is one of the most expensive Mew cards ever and even has plenty of sales to reference across the condition spectrum, starting at roughly $200 for a damaged copy. Once you start looking at MP copies, the price jumps to $486.21, while LP copies cap out at $500, but there aren’t any NM sales to point to.

4 Gyarados Star: Holon Phantoms (Delta Species) – $699.99

A Vibrant Red Recolor

Red triumphs over blue in the battle between Gyarados and Mew, as this exceptional Gyarados card offers one of the best portrayals of this Pokemon in any media form. The composition keeps Gyarados’ entire body in the frame while honing in on the ferocious roar it seems to unleash.

This card will put a significant dent in your wallet, with damaged copies starting at $240, sometimes selling for more. MP and LP copies have both exceeded $500, though neither has cracked $600, leaving the NM estimate as the likely reason for the high market price.

3 Charizard Star: Dragon Frontiers (Delta Species) – $1,402.80

A Strong Finish From The GOAT

Charizard might boast the most expensive roster of cards in the Pokemon TCG, but not even Kanto’s most recognizable starter can claim the top Gold Star spot. However, if there was ever a Charizard card worthy of acclaim, it’s this incredible art of the Pokemon’s shiny palette while it spews explosive fire.

Keeping with the rarity trend for these Gold Star Pokemon, Charizard only yields a few sales to pick through, though we get a solid idea of the top end of the spectrum thanks to a $4,500 sale for an NM copy, along with another at $2,750. An LP copy dropped to $1,250, while you might be able to find MP copies for below $1,000.

2 Torchic Star: Team Rocket Returns (Ultra Rare) – $1,500.00

Team Rocket’s Magnum Opus

Torchic takes the cake from Charizard with one of the most sought-after Gold Stars in Pokemon history, as this Torchic commands prices typically reserved for the most popular Pokemon. While Torchic may not be as iconic as Charizard, this card transcends Torchic’s popularity and remains one of the hardest Gold Stars to get, period, let alone in good condition.

To support this, we can look at a single sale in 2024 of this card on TCGplayer, with an HP copy still fetching $500, which explains the market price’s rough estimate. While the $1,500 tag isn’t backed up due to lacking data, this card’s rarity is well-documented and there’s little doubt it will cost in the $1,500 range if you want to get a nicer copy than HP.

1 Rayquaza Star: Deoxys (Ultra Rare) – $1,740.00

The Ruler Of The Stars

Rayquaza claims the top spot on the back of one of its most valuable cards ever, with the stunning composition of this Gold Star. While the artwork speaks for itself, it’s hard not to marvel at the level of detail, including the 3D effect of Rayquaza’s claw breaking through the frame.

Unfortunately, Rayquaza’s incredible popularity also makes this card one of the rarest to find data for in any condition, and it’s unlikely we will see an influx soon,
as this card is typically graded rather than sold raw.

Two MP copies sold in 2024 for $1,250 and $1,740 – where the market price currently stands. Considering the premiums attached to LP and NM cards, the sky is the limit for the Rayquaza Star.