2004 Charizard ex PSA 10 EX FRLG Sells for $19,840

2004 Pokémon EX FireRed & LeafGreen Charizard ex PSA 10 Sells for $19,840

On February 16, 2026, a copy of 2004 Pokémon EX FireRed & LeafGreen Holo #105 Charizard ex graded PSA GEM MT 10 sold at Goldin for $19,840. For Charizard and early EX-era collectors, this is a meaningful data point for one of the most important mid‑2000s chase cards.

In this post, we’ll break down what the card is, why it matters, and how this sale fits into the broader market.

Card Snapshot

Character: Charizard
Year: 2004
Set: EX FireRed & LeafGreen (often written EX FRLG)
Card number: #105
Card type: Holo, Pokémon-ex (original lowercase “ex” era)
Rarity / key issue: Premier Charizard of the EX FRLG set; widely viewed as a key Charizard from the mid‑2000s
Grading company: PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
Grade: GEM MT 10 (PSA’s highest standard grade)
Attributes: Classic ex-era holo, no serial numbering or autograph — value is driven by character, set, and condition

This is not a rookie card in the sports sense, but within Pokémon it’s treated as a marquee Charizard from the Game Boy Advance / EX era, sitting after Base Set but before modern full-art and alternate-art designs.

Why EX FireRed & LeafGreen Matters

EX FireRed & LeafGreen released in 2004 and revisits the original Kanto region while reflecting the mechanics of the early EX era. For Charizard collectors, this set is important for a few reasons:

Transitional era: It bridges the gap between WotC (Wizards of the Coast) sets like Base Set and later modern sets from the 2010s and beyond.
Early Pokémon-ex mechanic: The lowercase “ex” cards from this period (before Pokémon-EX, GX, V, etc.) are heavily collected because they were powerful in the game and visually distinct.
Low survival in top grade: Mid‑2000s cards were not always sleeved or graded at the time of release. Holo foil plus dark borders and print quality issues make PSA 10s noticeably harder to achieve than many modern cards.

Within the set, Charizard ex #105 is the headliner. It’s the card most collectors think of first when they hear “EX FireRed & LeafGreen.”

PSA 10: Condition and Scarcity

A PSA GEM MT 10 grade indicates a card that is:

Centered within tight tolerances
Free from print lines or noticeable surface issues
With clean edges and corners

For ultra-modern releases, PSA 10s can be relatively common. For 2004 EX-era holo Charizards, the picture is different. Population reports (often shortened to “pop report”) from PSA show how many copies have earned each grade. While exact numbers move over time as more cards are submitted, Charizard ex #105 is generally understood to have:

Far fewer PSA 10s than modern Charizard chase cards
A meaningful drop-off from PSA 9 to PSA 10 populations, highlighting how difficult perfection is for this issue

That scarcity in true gem condition is a core part of the value story.

Market Context and Recent Sales

When collectors talk about “comps” (short for comparables), they usually mean recent sales of the same card in similar grades. For this card, that means tracking:

The same Charizard ex #105 in PSA 10
Nearby grades like PSA 9
Occasionally BGS or CGC top grades, just to understand the broader range

Based on recent public auction and marketplace data leading into 2026, here’s the general pattern for this card:

PSA 9 copies tend to sell meaningfully below PSA 10s, reinforcing a strong premium for the top grade.
PSA 10 copies have sold in the mid‑ to high‑five‑figure range over the last few years, with some fluctuation tied to overall Charizard and EX-era sentiment.

The $19,840 Goldin sale on 2/16/26 sits in line with recent data points for a strong auction venue handling a premier Charizard. It doesn’t read as an outlier spike, nor as a distressed level — more of a solid confirmation of where serious buyers and sellers are currently meeting on this card.

Because the card does not trade daily, each PSA 10 auction matters. A single result doesn’t define the market on its own, but it adds an important dot on the long‑term price chart.

Comparing Across Grades and Versions

To understand this result, it helps to zoom out slightly:

PSA 9 vs PSA 10

PSA 9: Still a high-grade example, often with very minor flaws.
PSA 10: Commands a significant premium because it’s the best attainable standard grade and notably scarcer.

The gap between 9 and 10 has widened for many key EX-era cards as collectors prioritize long‑term “anchor” copies for their collections.

Other Charizard Keys

This card also competes for collector attention with:

Base Set Charizard (1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited)
Later popular Charizards (Gold Star, LV.X, full-art, alternate arts, etc.)

The 2004 EX FireRed & LeafGreen Charizard ex typically slots into a “core mid‑2000s grail” category — not as historically old as Base Set, but older and scarcer in gem condition than most modern hits.

Collector Significance

Collectors pursue this card for a mix of nostalgia, era significance, and relative scarcity:

Nostalgia for the GBA era: Many current adult collectors first met this card around the Game Boy Advance / early Nintendo DS generation and remember Pokémon-ex as “the powerful, cool cards” from their childhood.
Design and gameplay history: The original ex mechanic represented a power jump in the TCG; Charizard ex embodies that shift.
Key EX-era Charizard: Within all Charizard issues, this card consistently appears on collector “must-have EX era” lists.

Because the EX era isn’t printed to the same scale as many recent sets, and fewer cards were graded at release, it sits in a sweet spot between vintage and modern:

Older and less saturated than modern ultra‑high‑print‑run sets
Newer and somewhat more available than true 1990s WotC vintage

What the $19,840 Goldin Sale Tells Us

The $19,840 sale at Goldin on 2/16/26 suggests a few things about where the card currently stands:

Steady demand for EX-era Charizard: Even with broader market cycles, serious collectors are still allocating meaningful budgets to this era.
Condition premium remains strong: The continued spread between PSA 9 and PSA 10 underlines how much weight the hobby puts on the top grade for iconic cards.
Auction house matters: A result at a major auction platform like Goldin can serve as a reference point for private deals and future listings.

This doesn’t guarantee where the card will go next, but it does add a clear, recent marker that collectors and small sellers can reference when evaluating their own copies or potential purchases.

Takeaways for Different Types of Collectors

For New and Returning Collectors

Think of Charizard ex #105 as a marquee EX-era Charizard, not an entry-level Charizard card.
You don’t need a PSA 10 to enjoy this card — raw or mid‑grade copies can still give you the art and nostalgia at a lower price point.

For Active Hobbyists

When looking at comps, always filter by grade and grading company. A PSA 10 result doesn’t translate directly to PSA 9 or raw value.
Check population reports to understand how many PSA 10s exist relative to PSA 9s and lower grades; this helps explain price gaps.

For Small Sellers

Use the $19,840 Goldin sale on 2/16/26 as one data point, not the only one. Compare it against:
- Other auction houses
- Marketplace fixed-price and best-offer sales
- The timing of each sale (market mood can shift over months)
High-end EX-era Charizards benefit from clear photos and graded slabs; condition is everything at this level.

Final Thoughts

The 2004 Pokémon EX FireRed & LeafGreen Holo #105 Charizard ex in PSA GEM MT 10 continues to hold its place as a premier card from the mid‑2000s. The $19,840 sale at Goldin on February 16, 2026 (UTC) doesn’t rewrite the narrative on its own, but it reinforces an existing story:

EX-era Charizard keys remain highly respected
Top grades are genuinely scarce
Serious collectors are still willing to pay up for centerpiece cards from this era

For anyone mapping out a long‑term Charizard or EX-era collection, this sale is an important, grounded reference point—useful not as a prediction, but as a current snapshot of what a top-tier copy is commanding in today’s market.