Price charting for the Combusken card from the 2003 Pokémon EX Ruby & Sapphire set lands at a modest figure for raw copies: the #27/109 version trades around $1.15 in near-mint condition, while the alternate #28/109 print sits a bit higher at roughly $2.18. These are common-to-uncommon Stage 1 Fire-type cards, so the bulk of copies in circulation carry low dollar values, and that is exactly what the major price guides reflect. If you pulled one from a pack or found it in a binder, the realistic resale number for a clean, ungraded card is closer to pocket change than to a payday. Where the price story changes is grading. A PSA 8 copy of Combusken #27 has sold for approximately $44.57, a steep jump over its raw value.
PSA’s Auction Prices Realized records show about $94.07 in total realized value across four documented sales, with individual graded copies landing roughly between $15 and $39 depending on the assigned grade. So the short answer is this: Combusken is cheap raw, but a high-grade slab can be worth dozens of times the loose card. For context, this set matters historically. EX Ruby & Sapphire was the first set of the “EX” era, released in the United States in June 2003, and it contains 109 cards total. Combusken evolves from Torchic and into Blaziken, sitting in the middle of one of the more recognizable Hoenn starter lines, which gives the card a small amount of collector pull beyond its rarity tier.
Table of Contents
- What does price charting for the EX Ruby & Sapphire Combusken actually show?
- Why do the #27 and #28 Combusken variants carry different prices?
- How much does grade change the value of this Combusken?
- Where should you check Combusken prices, and what are the tradeoffs?
- What are the limitations of any Combusken price chart?
- How does Combusken compare to other cards in the EX Ruby & Sapphire set?
- What should you verify before buying or grading a Combusken?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What does price charting for the EX Ruby & Sapphire Combusken actually show?
price charting for this card means tracking two separate markets that rarely move together: the raw market and the graded market. On the raw side, guides like the TCGplayer Ruby & Sapphire price guide list Combusken #27 near $1.15 and #28 near $2.18 in near-mint. Those numbers are aggregated from active marketplace listings and recent sales, and they drift slowly because supply is plentiful and demand is steady but unspectacular. On the graded side, the chart looks entirely different.
A single PSA 8 sale at $44.57 dwarfs the raw price, and PSA’s own auction records confirm a cluster of graded sales totaling about $94.07 across four transactions. The gap between $1.15 raw and $44.57 in a PSA 8 holder is the clearest example of how grading, not the card itself, drives value here. As a comparison, think of Combusken the way you would a common from any vintage starter line: the raw card is a filler price, but condition scarcity at the top grades creates a premium. The chart is really two charts stacked on top of each other.
Why do the #27 and #28 Combusken variants carry different prices?
The EX Ruby & Sapphire set includes more than one Combusken. There is the regular #27/109, a #27 reverse holo, and a separate #28/109. Each occupies its own line on a price chart, and conflating them is one of the most common mistakes collectors make when checking values. The #28 print sits higher at roughly $2.18 raw versus about $1.15 for the #27, a meaningful percentage difference even if the absolute dollars are small. The warning here is precision.
When you look up “Combusken Ruby and Sapphire,” a quick search may return the wrong variant’s price, and reverse holo copies typically command more than their non-holo counterparts. If you are buying or selling, confirm the exact card number printed in the bottom corner and whether the card has a reverse holo foil pattern before trusting any quoted figure. A reverse holo #27 and a base #27 are not interchangeable on the chart. This variant spread also affects grading economics. Paying to grade a base #27 that tops out around $44 in PSA 8 is a different calculation than grading a scarcer reverse holo, where the upside at PSA 9 or 10 may justify the submission fee.
How much does grade change the value of this Combusken?
Grade is the single biggest variable for this card. PSA’s Auction Prices Realized page for the 2003 EX Ruby & Sapphire Combusken is the authoritative record of verified graded sales, and it shows individual copies selling roughly between $15 and $39, with a PSA 8 example reaching $44.57. That spread, on a card worth about a dollar raw, tells you almost the entire value comes from the slab and the number on the label. A concrete example: imagine two identical-looking Combusken #27 cards. One stays raw and sells for around $1.15.
The other earns a PSA 8 and sells for roughly $44.57. Same card, same set, same artwork; the only difference is third-party authentication and a condition guarantee. That is a roughly 38x difference attributable entirely to grading. The catch is that grading fees can exceed the realized value at the lower grades. If a submission costs more than the $15 to $39 range that many graded copies fetch, the math only works when you are confident the card will earn a PSA 9 or 10, where premiums are higher and the population is thinner.
Where should you check Combusken prices, and what are the tradeoffs?
For raw pricing, TCGplayer’s Ruby & Sapphire price guide is the practical reference because it reflects an active marketplace where these cards actually change hands. For graded pricing, PSA’s Auction Prices Realized is the authoritative source because every entry is a verified, completed sale tied to a specific certification number. A third option, Pokémon Wizard’s Combusken (27) listing, is useful for cross-referencing card details and identifying the correct variant. The tradeoff between these sources comes down to freshness versus reliability.
Marketplace guides update quickly and show you where the raw market is right now, but they include asking prices that may never result in a sale. PSA’s realized records are slower and thinner, with only four recorded graded sales here, but every number is real money that someone actually paid. For a low-population card like this, the PSA data is more trustworthy precisely because it is not inflated by optimistic listings. A practical approach is to use the marketplace guide to set expectations for a raw sale and the PSA records to decide whether grading is worth it. Relying on only one source tends to overstate value, especially if you anchor to an aspirational listing rather than a completed transaction.
What are the limitations of any Combusken price chart?
Every dollar figure attached to this card is a point-in-time estimate, not a fixed value. Raw prices around $1.15 and $2.18 fluctuate with supply, seasonal demand, and broader interest in the Hoenn starters. Graded values move too, and with only about four recorded PSA sales totaling $94.07, the dataset is thin enough that a single unusual auction can skew the apparent “market price” noticeably. The warning for collectors is to avoid treating a small sample as a reliable average. When a card has only a handful of graded sales, one buyer overpaying or one bargain auction can distort the chart in either direction.
A $39 sale and a $15 sale on the same grade tell you the real range is wide and the true midpoint is uncertain. There is also a condition caveat. Quoted raw prices assume near-mint. Vintage 2003 cards frequently show edge wear, surface scratches, or whitening that drop them below near-mint, and a played copy can sell for a fraction of the listed figure. Always price against the actual condition in hand, not the idealized guide number.
How does Combusken compare to other cards in the EX Ruby & Sapphire set?
Combusken is a mid-line evolution, which keeps it in the common-to-uncommon value bracket alongside many other non-holo cards from the 109-card set. It does not carry the premium of the set’s ex cards or full holos, which are the chase pieces collectors actively pursue.
As an example, while Combusken raw sits near a dollar, the headline ex cards and holographic rares from the same release routinely command many times that amount, even ungraded. That said, its place in the Torchic-Combusken-Blaziken line gives it more long-term appeal than a generic common. Collectors building the full starter evolution chain or completing the set need this card, which provides a steady floor of demand that purely filler commons lack.
What should you verify before buying or grading a Combusken?
Before acting on any price, confirm three things: the exact card number (#27 versus #28), whether the copy is reverse holo, and the precise condition relative to near-mint. Each of these shifts the correct chart figure, and getting one wrong means pricing against the wrong card. The Pokémon Wizard listing and the printed corner number are reliable ways to nail down the variant.
For grading decisions, pull the PSA Auction Prices Realized record first. With graded copies documented between roughly $15 and $39 and a PSA 8 at $44.57, you can compare that realized range directly against current submission costs. If the likely grade lands at the lower end of that band, the verified sales data shows the economics rarely favor grading a common copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Combusken from EX Ruby & Sapphire worth?
The #27/109 trades around $1.15 raw in near-mint, and the #28/109 around $2.18. A PSA 8 graded #27 has sold for approximately $44.57.
What is the difference between Combusken #27 and #28?
They are two distinct prints in the same 109-card set, with #28 generally priced higher than #27. There is also a #27 reverse holo variant that commands a further premium.
Is it worth grading a Combusken from this set?
Usually only if you expect a PSA 9 or 10. Documented graded sales range roughly $15 to $39, with a PSA 8 at $44.57, so grading fees can exceed the return at lower grades.
Where can I verify Combusken’s price?
Use TCGplayer’s Ruby & Sapphire price guide for raw values and PSA’s Auction Prices Realized page for verified graded sales.
Why is the graded price so much higher than the raw price?
A clean PSA 8 has sold for about 38 times the raw price because third-party authentication and a guaranteed grade are what collectors pay a premium for, not the card alone.
