Only a handful of Burning Shadows cards are worth grading: rainbow secret Charizard-GX #150/147, regular-art Charizard-GX #20, full-art Acerola #142, and mint Gardevoir-GX and Necrozma-GX secrets. Grading means paying a company such as PSA to authenticate a card and score its condition on a 10-point scale.
Sun and Moon-Burning Shadows is the third Sun and Moon expansion, and collectors target its GX secrets and supporters for grading. According to The Pokemon Company press site, the set launched Aug. 4, 2017 with more than 140 cards, new Pokemon-GX, and full-art Supporters.
Table of Contents
- Why does Charizard-GX #150 lead?
- Which other Charizard and Acerola cards qualify?
- Are other GX ultras and secrets worth it?
- When should you keep a card raw?
Why does Charizard-GX #150 lead?
Rainbow secret Charizard-GX #150/147 is the set's clear top chase. According to PriceCharting's current market data, it trades around $300 raw and about $6,900 in PSA 10 (current Burning Shadows price rankings). That gap makes a gem-mint copy the strongest grading candidate.
The PSA 10 grade is scarce. According to PSA certification data reported by CardCodex, PSA has graded 6,866 copies with only 834 earning PSA 10 (Charizard-GX population data). PSA data also puts PSA 9 copies around $785-$867, so the jump to PSA 10 is roughly eight times the PSA 9 value.
Which other Charizard and Acerola cards qualify?
Regular-art Charizard-GX #20 is worth grading in top condition, but returns are far smaller than #150. According to PSA's current cert verification, PSA 10 copies estimate at $353 against roughly $15-$20 raw (PSA verification for Charizard-GX #20). Submit only copies with clean edges, sharp corners, and no print lines.
Full-art trainer Acerola #142 is the next-best target after Charizard. According to PriceCharting's current market data, it rises from about $40 ungraded to about $975 in PSA 10. Mint supporter cards hold this premium because players and binder collectors both chase the full-art version.
Are other GX ultras and secrets worth it?
Other ultra and secret GX cards follow the same pattern on a smaller scale. According to PriceCharting's current market data, Gardevoir-GX #140 moves from about $18 raw to $118 in PSA 10. Secret Necrozma-GX #153 lists near $390 in PSA 10 versus about $20 raw.
Those multiples look strong, but the dollar profit is thinner after fees. A PSA 10 Gardevoir leaves much less room for error than a PSA 10 Charizard. Send these cards only when centering, surfaces, and corners look pack-fresh under light.
When should you keep a card raw?
Leave commons, uncommons, non-holo rares, and played GX cards raw. According to CardPreGrading's 2026 guide, grading costs about $25-$85 per card plus two-way shipping and weeks of wait (2026 grading-cost guide).
A low-value card cannot clear that cost even with a good grade. Prescreen every card in good light, then keep borderline copies in sleeves instead of submitting them.
- Edges show whitening or corner wear
- Surface has scratches, creases, or binder dents
- Centering is visibly heavy on front or back
- Raw price is under $20 and the card is not a secret GX or supporter
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