Comp first, grade second, auction third when selling Treecko Star, the 109/109 Ultra Rare Holo Grass-type 70 HP Basic from the 2004 EX Team Rocket Returns set. That sequence prevents overpaying for grading or leaving money in a weak listing. The card was illustrated by Masakazu Fukuda and stands as one of three Gold Star chases alongside Torchic and Mudkip, according to the Collectors Cache catalog. PriceCharting's current Team Rocket Returns table puts the card at about $2,652 ungraded, $9,000 in Grade 9 and $114,000 in PSA 10.
Table of Contents
- Why does this card command five figures?
- How do you comp it correctly?
- Should you grade before selling?
- Auction or sell it yourself?
Why does this card command five figures?
Treecko Gold Star combines set position, low high-grade supply, and Gold Star demand. PSA certification records show 287 copies graded PSA 9 with only 52 graded higher. Fanatics Collect lot data lists about 53 PSA 10 copies for cert 26439262.
That thin top population explains why condition dominates price. The grade multipliers are steep. The jump from ungraded to Grade 9 is roughly four times, while PSA 10 is roughly forty times ungraded value.
How do you comp it correctly?
Start with sold results for the exact card, grade and variant. Asking prices overstate value, so use completed sales only.
Record whether your copy is truly ungraded, pack-fresh, lightly played or damaged. A PSA 10 price does not apply to a card with edge wear or print lines.
- Filter eBay to Sold Items and compare the same grade and Holo variant
- Check eBay's median sold price, which eBay says reflects actual sales including accepted Best Offer prices, not list prices
- Check TCGPlayer Market Price and review the last 10-15 sales
- Inspect centering, corners, edges and surface before selecting comparables, as the Eneba 2026 selling guide advises
Should you grade before selling?
Grade only a clean, pack-fresh-looking copy with strong centering and untouched corners and edges. Low-grade submissions rarely recover costs when the ungraded-to-graded spread is small. PSA says grading occurs only after authentication.
Service level depends on maximum insured or declared post-grade value and turnaround time. A 2026 guide summarized by Non-Sport Cards places economy near $19–$25 with 30–80 business days and express near $75–$100, plus shipping and membership effects. PSA lists a $99-per-year membership tier, so include that cost when calculating net gain.
Auction or sell it yourself?
Use the two August 2026 PSA 10 results as context, not a guarantee. ComicBook reported two August PSA 10 sales at $132,000 and $114,000 in the same Fanatics Weekly auction, far above PriceCharting's contemporaneous $32,790 PSA 10 peg. That same volatility favors a wide auction for a true PSA 10.
A mid-grade or ungraded copy often does better as a fixed-price or Best Offer sale anchored to recent sold medians. Remember that a record hammer is not the payout. PSA says consignment adds a 22% buyer's premium to the hammer price and pays consignors net of grading and other amounts owed, according to PSA consignment rates.
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