The EX Dragon Charmander that collectors search for under “price charting” is card #98/97, a Secret Rare holo from the 2003 EX: Dragon set, and as of the most recent data a Near Mint raw copy carries a market value of about $231.79. That figure was up $6.52, or roughly 2.9 percent, over the trailing 30-day window, which puts the card in the territory of a solid mid-tier vintage chase rather than a four-figure trophy. The “98/97” numbering, which sits one slot past the set’s official 97-card count, is the tell that marks it as a Secret Rare. To give that price a frame of reference: a sealed EX Dragon booster box or a common holo from the same set sells for a fraction of what a single graded Charmander 98/97 commands, because this card was pulled from packs at long odds rather than handed out as a guaranteed promo.
For a buyer comparing options, that scarcity is the whole story. A raw copy near $230 is a real entry point, but graded examples in PSA 9 and PSA 10 step the price up considerably, and the gap between grades is where most of the money is made or lost. One important clarification before going further: this is not the famous “gold star” Charmander. Some shoppers conflate the two because both are prized EX-era Charmanders, but the gold star designation does not apply to 98/97. Knowing which card you are pricing is the first step to not overpaying.
Table of Contents
- What Does Price Charting for EX Dragon Charmander 98/97 Actually Show?
- Understanding the Two Different 98/97 Charmander Versions
- How Grading Drives the EX Dragon Charmander Price
- Buying Raw Versus Buying Graded
- Common Pricing Mistakes and Data Limitations
- Why the EX Dragon Charmander Holds Collector Interest
- Where to Verify EX Dragon Charmander Prices Before You Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Price Charting for EX Dragon Charmander 98/97 Actually Show?
price charting for this card pulls together raw sale data and graded auction results to produce a running market value. The headline number most tools surface is the ungraded Near Mint figure, recently logged at $231.79 by Sports Card Investor, along with a 30-day trend line showing the +2.9 percent move. A chart is only as useful as the sales feeding it, so the most reliable views combine recent eBay sold listings with PSA’s own auction price records. The reason a chart matters more here than for a modern card is volatility tied to thin supply.
When only a handful of copies trade in a given month, a single strong or weak sale can swing the “current value” noticeably. For example, a PSA 9 listing referenced on eBay cited a population of 332 copies at that grade, which is a small number by modern standards. With so few in circulation, one motivated buyer can lift the recorded average in a way that would never happen for a card with tens of thousands graded. That is the practical limitation of any single price point: treat the $231.79 raw figure as a center of gravity, not a guaranteed sale price. A chart showing the spread of the last several sales tells you far more than one bolded number.
Understanding the Two Different 98/97 Charmander Versions
A trap that catches even experienced buyers is that two distinct cards share the 98/97 number. The first is the standard EX: Dragon Secret Rare pulled from booster packs. The second is a separate City Championships promo reprint that is nearly identical in artwork and numbering. Pricing tools such as Sports Card Investor track these as two different cards with their own price guides, and conflating them will give you the wrong value. The visual difference is subtle but decisive: the City Championships promo version lacks the League logo that appears on the standard card.
If you are reading a listing and the seller has not specified which version they are selling, that missing or present logo is the detail to confirm before any money changes hands. A photo that crops out the relevant corner of the card should be treated as a reason to ask questions, not to assume. The warning here is straightforward. A price chart for the booster-pulled Secret Rare does not transfer to the promo, and vice versa. If you anchor your budget to one version’s data and then buy the other, you can easily pay a premium for the wrong card or, worse, dispute a sale after the fact. Always match the chart to the exact variant in hand.
How Grading Drives the EX Dragon Charmander Price
Grading is the single biggest lever on this card’s value. PSA actively grades 98/97 across the full spectrum, from low grades such as a PSA 3 up through PSA 9 (Mint) and PSA 10 (Gem Mint). The raw Near Mint figure near $231.79 represents an ungraded card, and once a copy earns a high numeric grade the price separates sharply from that baseline. Consider the population context again: the PSA 9 example noted at a “332 Pop” tells you that even Mint copies are not abundant, and PSA 10 Gem Mint examples are scarcer still.
That scarcity at the top is exactly why graded prices climb. A 2003 holo that has survived more than two decades without surface scratches, edge wear, or off-center cuts is genuinely uncommon, and the market rewards that survivorship. There is a real caveat attached to specific graded numbers, though. Exact PSA 9 and PSA 10 sale figures were not fully resolved in the available data, so anyone publishing or paying a precise graded price should confirm it directly through PSA Auction Prices first. The smart move is to look up the most recent comparable sale for the exact grade rather than relying on an estimate.
Buying Raw Versus Buying Graded
The core tradeoff for a buyer is whether to purchase a raw copy near the $231.79 mark or pay up for a slabbed example. Raw is cheaper and gives you the option of submitting for grading yourself, which can pay off if the card grades well. The downside is risk: you absorb any hidden flaws, and grading fees plus shipping and turnaround time eat into any upside. Buying graded removes the guesswork. A PSA 9 or PSA 10 slab tells you exactly what you are getting and is far easier to resell, but you pay both the grading premium and the seller’s margin.
For comparison, a raw card that looks Mint to the naked eye might come back as a PSA 8 once a professional inspects centering and edges under magnification, which can leave a self-submitter underwater versus simply having bought a guaranteed grade. The decision usually comes down to temperament and goals. A collector who wants the card on display and values certainty leans graded. A buyer comfortable with risk who enjoys the grading game and wants the lowest entry cost leans raw. Neither is wrong, but pretending the raw price and the graded price are interchangeable is how people lose money.
Common Pricing Mistakes and Data Limitations
The most common mistake is treating a single listed “value” as gospel. Because so few copies of 98/97 trade in any given month, charts can lag or overreact. A 2.9 percent monthly move sounds precise, but on low volume it can reverse just as quickly. Anyone using price charting should look at the actual sold listings behind the number, not just the summary figure. A second pitfall is mixing data sources without checking what each one measures.
A raw Near Mint figure, a PSA 9 sale, and a City Championships promo result are three different data sets, and stacking them together produces a misleading average. Confirm that every comp you cite is the same version and the same condition or grade. When in doubt, PSA Auction Prices is the appropriate source for graded comps and PSA CardFacts for verifying the card’s identity as the 2003 EX Dragon holo #98/97. Finally, beware listings that lean on hype rather than detail. The card’s reputation as a sought-after Secret Rare makes it a target for inflated asking prices that have no basis in recent sales. The asking price on an active listing is not the market value; only completed sales tell you that.
Why the EX Dragon Charmander Holds Collector Interest
EX: Dragon was released in 2003 by Nintendo, and the 98/97 Charmander stands out as one of the set’s most pursued Secret Rares specifically because it had to be pulled from booster packs rather than being handed out as a guaranteed promo. That pull-only origin is what gives it lasting demand among set builders and Charmander specialists alike.
As a concrete example of that demand, the card maintains its own dedicated price guides across multiple tracking platforms and continues to appear regularly in PSA’s graded auction records years after release. A card that has stale or absent sales data tends to drift in price; this one keeps generating comps, which is a sign of a live, actively collected market.
Where to Verify EX Dragon Charmander Prices Before You Buy
For identity and set details, PSA CardFacts lists the card precisely as Charmander Holo #98 from the 2003 Nintendo Pokémon EX Dragon set, which is the reference point for confirming you are looking at the right card. For raw value and trend data, Sports Card Investor logged the recent $231.79 Near Mint figure and tracks the City Championships promo separately, so you can compare the two versions side by side.
For graded results, PSA Auction Prices is the source to check for grade-specific sales, including the PSA 9 population context noted in active listings. CardTrader is useful for European availability and an additional read on the Secret Rare’s market. Cross-referencing at least two of these before committing money is the difference between paying a fair price and paying a story.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the EX Dragon Charmander 98/97 worth?
A Near Mint raw copy recently sold for about $231.79, up 2.9 percent over the prior 30 days. Graded PSA 9 and PSA 10 copies sell for more, but confirm exact figures via PSA Auction Prices.
Is the EX Dragon Charmander a Secret Rare?
Yes. The “98/97” numbering, which runs one past the set’s 97-card count, designates it as a Secret Rare holo from the 2003 EX: Dragon set.
Is this the gold star Charmander?
No. The gold star designation does not apply to the 98/97 EX Dragon Charmander. They are different cards.
What are the two versions of Charmander 98/97?
There is the standard EX: Dragon Secret Rare pulled from booster packs and a separate City Championships promo reprint. The promo lacks the League logo found on the standard card.
How rare is a PSA 9 EX Dragon Charmander?
One eBay listing cited a population of 332 at PSA 9, which is small by modern standards. PSA 10 Gem Mint copies are scarcer still.
Where should I check prices before buying?
Use PSA CardFacts for identity, Sports Card Investor for raw value and trends, and PSA Auction Prices for grade-specific sales.
