Only four Brilliant Stars cards clearly repay grading: Charizard V #154, Umbreon VMAX TG23, Arceus V #166 and rainbow Charizard VSTAR #174. Grading is paid authentication plus a 1-to-10 condition score, and it works here only for mint alternate-art and secret pulls. The set introduced the VSTAR mechanic worldwide on Feb.
25, 2022, according to The Pokemon Company press site. Pokemon VSTAR evolve from Pokemon V and allow one VSTAR Power per game. Card Value Scanner lists Charizard V #154 at about $228.15 raw in its Brilliant Stars price guide. It tracks 216 cards and values a complete raw set near $1,106.
Table of Contents
- Which cards should you shortlist?
- What does a PSA 10 change?
- Can you afford the submission?
- How hard are chase pulls to replace?
Which cards should you shortlist?
Card Value Scanner points grading toward alternate-art and secret cards over regular V and VSTAR printings. The shortlist is Charizard V #154, Umbreon VMAX TG23 at $73.21, Arceus V #166 at $50.64 and rainbow Charizard VSTAR #174 at $50.32.
Raw price alone does not qualify a card, but it shows where buyer demand sits. Regular printings lack the same collector pressure. Submit them only as personal collection pieces, not for resale margin.
- Charizard V #154: set anchor, highest raw value
- Umbreon VMAX TG23, Trainer Gallery: strong PSA 10 premium
- Arceus V #166, alternate art: mid-tier chase
- Charizard VSTAR #174, rainbow secret: volatile but collectible
What does a PSA 10 change?
Umbreon VMAX TG23 shows the upside clearly. PokeInvest live sales data place raw near $103.11 and PSA 10 near $194.50, against about $94 for a PSA 9, in its Umbreon VMAX TG23 sales page. PokeInvest also tracks 14,240 PSA 10s from 20,238 PSA submissions. High population has not erased the gap between a 10 and a 9.
Regular Charizard VSTAR #018 shows the downside. Card Codex tracks movement from $12.22 raw to $114.44 as PSA 10, about plus $59 after fees, in its Charizard VSTAR price guide. A PSA 9 on the same card loses money. Card Codex tracks only 46 PSA submissions, a thin signal for resale confidence.
Can you afford the submission?
PSA cost sets a high floor. Polkastarter reports Value tiers were paused June 2, 2026 during a backlog near 10 million cards. That left Regular service at $79.99 per card plus about $149 yearly Collectors Club membership.
CardLines gives a practical break-even rule for cards under $50 raw. They generally need a 3x to 4x PSA 10 multiple after grading, shipping and 10 to 15 percent marketplace commissions. Only a card that looks truly mint before submission can clear that bar.
How hard are chase pulls to replace?
Pull odds make selection matter more. PokePatch estimates alternate art near 0.7 percent, rainbow near 1 percent and secret rare near 1.9 percent per Brilliant Stars pack. It puts any Trainer Gallery card near 12 percent per pack.
That scarcity favors careful pre-screening. Check centering, corners, edges and surface under bright light before paying fees. Send only centered, sharp-cornered copies with clean surfaces and strong eye appeal.
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