All Gold Star Pokémon Cards: The Full List and the Most Expensive
The full checklist of all 27 English Gold Star cards from 2004–2007, with five years of prices for ungraded, PSA 9 and PSA 10 copies, reported PSA populations, and the Japanese versions.
Gold Star cards are officially called Pokémon ★. The name comes from the gold foil star printed after the Pokémon’s name. They appeared in ten English releases between November 2004 and March 2007. Every Gold Star card shows the Pokémon in its Shiny colouration, and the artwork extends past the illustration box: Charizard is black, Gyarados is red, Rayquaza is grey.
There are 27 Gold Star Pokémon cards in the original English run: 25 from the EX-era expansions plus Espeon ★ and Umbreon ★ from POP Series 5. The cheapest sells for around $700 ungraded. The most expensive Gold Star Pokémon card is the Japanese Players Club Umbreon ★, which sold for $180,000 in PSA 10 in February 2024. Among English cards, Pikachu ★ has the highest PSA 10 value at about $114,000.
History: 2004–2007
Shiny Pokémon appeared on cards before Gold Stars. Neo Revelation (2001) included Shining Gyarados and Shining Magikarp, and Neo Destiny (2002) added eight more Shining Pokémon. The Pokémon ★ card type followed after the TCG licence moved from Wizards of the Coast to Pokémon USA and Nintendo in 2003.
The first Gold Star cards appeared in Japan on 1 July 2004 in Clash of the Blue Sky, the set that became EX Deoxys in English: Latias ★, Latios ★ and Rayquaza ★. English releases took the sets in a different order, so the English run began with EX Team Rocket Returns on 8 November 2004 and its Mudkip ★, Torchic ★ and Treecko ★.
Almost every English EX-era expansion through early 2007 included two or three Gold Stars as its final cards: the legendary beasts in Unseen Forces, the weather trio and Metagross in Delta Species, the Regis in Legend Maker, Pikachu and Mewtwo in Holon Phantoms, Alakazam and Celebi in Crystal Guardians, Charizard and Mew in Dragon Frontiers, and the original Eeveelution trio in Power Keepers. Three of them (Gyarados, Charizard and Mew) are also Delta Species (δ) Pokémon, with types that differ from their usual ones.
Japan handled several of these cards differently. Pikachu ★ and Mewtwo ★ were never regular set cards there; they came in a 2005 Gift Box. The five Eeveelutions were rewards in the Pokémon Players Club, earned with membership points: Vaporeon ★ at 10,000 points up to Umbreon ★ at 70,000. English players got Espeon ★ and Umbreon ★ through the POP Series 5 organised-play packs in March 2007. They were the last two English Gold Stars of the era.
EX Power Keepers (February 2007) was the final English expansion to include them, and Japan’s World Champions Pack (July 2007) was the last Japanese printing. The Diamond & Pearl era dropped the card type. Gold Stars stayed retired until Celebrations (October 2021), which reprinted the POP Series 5 Umbreon ★ in its Classic Collection and added one new card, Greninja ★, as a promo in Celebrations Elite Trainer Boxes. No Gold Star cards have been printed since, as of mid-2026.
Release timeline
Every Gold Star release, both languages, in order. Dates are the sets’ release dates; the Players Club promos were earned over time rather than released on a single day.
- Jul 2004JPClash of the Blue Sky — the first Gold Star cards: Latias ★, Latios ★ and Rayquaza ★ (065–067/082).
- Oct 2004JPRocket Gang Strikes Back — Mudkip ★, Torchic ★ and Treecko ★.
- Nov 2004ENEX Team Rocket Returns — the English debut, with Mudkip ★ 107, Torchic ★ 108 and Treecko ★ 109/109.
- Feb 2005ENEX Deoxys — Latias ★, Latios ★ and Rayquaza ★ reach English.
- Apr 2005JPGolden Sky, Silvery Ocean — Entei ★, Raikou ★ and Suicune ★.
- 2005JPPlayers Club PLAY promos — the five Eeveelution ★ cards as membership rewards: Vaporeon 10,000 points, Jolteon 20,000, Flareon 30,000, Espeon 40,000, Umbreon 70,000.
- 2005JPGift Box — Pikachu ★ and Mewtwo ★ as the two-card promo set 001–002/002.
- Jun 2005JPMirage Forest — Regice ★, Regirock ★ and Registeel ★.
- Aug 2005ENEX Unseen Forces — the legendary beasts: Entei ★, Raikou ★, Suicune ★ 113–115/115.
- Oct 2005JPHolon Research Tower — Groudon ★, Kyogre ★ and Metagross ★ (28 Oct, three days before the English set).
- Oct 2005ENEX Delta Species — Groudon ★, Kyogre ★, Metagross ★ 111–113/113.
- Jan 2006JPHolon Phantom — Gyarados ★ δ.
- Feb 2006ENEX Legend Maker — the Regi trio, 90–92/92.
- Mar 2006JPMiracle Crystal — Alakazam ★ and Celebi ★.
- May 2006ENEX Holon Phantoms — Gyarados ★ δ, Mewtwo ★ and Pikachu ★ 102–104/110.
- Jun 2006JPOffense and Defense of the Furthest Ends — Charizard ★ δ and Mew ★ δ.
- Aug 2006ENEX Crystal Guardians — Alakazam ★ 99 and Celebi ★ 100/100.
- Nov 2006ENEX Dragon Frontiers — Charizard ★ δ 100 and Mew ★ δ 101/101.
- Feb 2007ENEX Power Keepers — Flareon ★, Jolteon ★ and Vaporeon ★ 100–102/108; the last English expansion with Gold Stars.
- Mar 2007ENPOP Series 5 — Espeon ★ 16/17 and Umbreon ★ 17/17 through organised-play packs; the final English Gold Stars of the era.
- Jul 2007JPWorld Champions Pack — the Eeveelution trio in a Japanese set; the last Japanese Gold Star printing.
- Oct 2021ENCelebrations — Umbreon ★ reprinted in the Classic Collection, and a brand-new Greninja ★ (SWSH144) included in Celebrations Elite Trainer Boxes.
All 27 Gold Star Pokémon cards
The full English run, in set order. Every card is numbered at the very end of its set. Tap any card for the full-size scan.
Checklist with Japanese origins
| Card | English set · no. | EN release | Japanese origin · no. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mudkip ★ | EX Team Rocket Returns · 107/109 | Nov 2004 | Rocket Gang Strikes Back · 033/084 |
| Torchic ★ | EX Team Rocket Returns · 108/109 | Nov 2004 | Rocket Gang Strikes Back · 020/084 |
| Treecko ★ | EX Team Rocket Returns · 109/109 | Nov 2004 | Rocket Gang Strikes Back · 011/084 |
| Latias ★ | EX Deoxys · 105/107 | Feb 2005 | Clash of the Blue Sky · 065/082 |
| Latios ★ | EX Deoxys · 106/107 | Feb 2005 | Clash of the Blue Sky · 066/082 |
| Rayquaza ★ | EX Deoxys · 107/107 | Feb 2005 | Clash of the Blue Sky · 067/082 |
| Entei ★ | EX Unseen Forces · 113/115 | Aug 2005 | Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean · 019/106 |
| Raikou ★ | EX Unseen Forces · 114/115 | Aug 2005 | Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean · 039/106 |
| Suicune ★ | EX Unseen Forces · 115/115 | Aug 2005 | Golden Sky, Silvery Ocean · 032/106 |
| Groudon ★ | EX Delta Species · 111/113 | Oct 2005 | Holon Research Tower · 056/086 |
| Kyogre ★ | EX Delta Species · 112/113 | Oct 2005 | Holon Research Tower · 028/086 |
| Metagross ★ | EX Delta Species · 113/113 | Oct 2005 | Holon Research Tower · 075/086 |
| Regice ★ | EX Legend Maker · 90/92 | Feb 2006 | Mirage Forest · 033/086 |
| Regirock ★ | EX Legend Maker · 91/92 | Feb 2006 | Mirage Forest · 059/086 |
| Registeel ★ | EX Legend Maker · 92/92 | Feb 2006 | Mirage Forest · 076/086 |
| Gyarados ★ δ | EX Holon Phantoms · 102/110 | May 2006 | Holon Phantom · 008/052 |
| Mewtwo ★ | EX Holon Phantoms · 103/110 | May 2006 | 2005 Gift Box · 002/002 |
| Pikachu ★ | EX Holon Phantoms · 104/110 | May 2006 | 2005 Gift Box · 001/002 |
| Alakazam ★ | EX Crystal Guardians · 99/100 | Aug 2006 | Miracle Crystal · 033/075 |
| Celebi ★ | EX Crystal Guardians · 100/100 | Aug 2006 | Miracle Crystal · 004/075 |
| Charizard ★ δ | EX Dragon Frontiers · 100/101 | Nov 2006 | Offense & Defense of the Furthest Ends · 052/068 |
| Mew ★ δ | EX Dragon Frontiers · 101/101 | Nov 2006 | Offense & Defense of the Furthest Ends · 015/068 |
| Flareon ★ | EX Power Keepers · 100/108 | Feb 2007 | PLAY promo 024 · World Champions Pack 011/108 |
| Jolteon ★ | EX Power Keepers · 101/108 | Feb 2007 | PLAY promo 023 · World Champions Pack 027/108 |
| Vaporeon ★ | EX Power Keepers · 102/108 | Feb 2007 | PLAY promo 022 · World Champions Pack 015/108 |
| Espeon ★ | POP Series 5 · 16/17 | Mar 2007 | Players Club PLAY promo · 025/PLAY |
| Umbreon ★ | POP Series 5 · 17/17 | Mar 2007 | Players Club PLAY promo · 026/PLAY |
Set numbering and Japanese counterparts are as printed on the cards. The 2021 Celebrations pair (Greninja ★ promo, Umbreon ★ reprint) and the World Championships replicas sit outside this original 27-card run.
Price tracking: ungraded vs PSA 9 vs PSA 10
Averaged across all 27 English cards, an ungraded Gold Star now costs roughly six times what it did in January 2021. Most of that rise came in 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Source: PriceCharting monthly values, retrieved 9 Jul 2026. Values for months with few sales are interpolated; single large sales can move these averages.
The gap between ungraded, PSA 9 and PSA 10 prices varies by card. Pick any of the 27 below, or one of the Japanese versions, to see its five-year price history.
The most expensive Gold Star Pokémon cards
Ranked by PSA 10 value, the top Gold Star cards are Pikachu ★ ($114,000), Gyarados ★ δ ($80,520), Mewtwo ★ ($67,235) and Torchic ★ ($64,265). The ranking is driven by PSA 10 populations more than raw prices: cards with similar ungraded values can be tens of thousands of dollars apart in PSA 10.
Full price table
| Card | Set | Ungraded | Grade 9 | PSA 10 | 10÷raw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu ★ | Holon Phantoms | $2,574 | $17,499 | $114,000 | ~44× |
| Gyarados ★ δ | Holon Phantoms | $1,615 | $10,150 | $80,520 | ~50× |
| Mewtwo ★ | Holon Phantoms | $1,774 | $14,406 | $67,235 | ~38× |
| Torchic ★ | Team Rocket Returns | $2,979 | $15,050 | $64,265 | ~22× |
| Umbreon ★ | POP Series 5 | $4,250 | $20,155 | $63,460 | ~15× |
| Charizard ★ δ | Dragon Frontiers | $3,552 | $26,114 | $58,723 | ~17× |
| Rayquaza ★ | Deoxys | $5,960 | $34,724 | $48,598 | ~8× |
| Latios ★ | Deoxys | $1,426 | $8,500 | $32,800 | ~23× |
| Treecko ★ | Team Rocket Returns | $2,325 | $7,530 | $32,790 | ~14× |
| Espeon ★ | POP Series 5 | $5,072 | $15,351 | $32,600 | ~6× |
| Jolteon ★ | Power Keepers | $860 | $3,673 | $31,086 | ~36× |
| Mew ★ δ | Dragon Frontiers | $2,450 | $10,338 | $27,569 | ~11× |
| Metagross ★ | Delta Species | $1,330 | $7,412 | $26,500 | ~20× |
| Vaporeon ★ | Power Keepers | $1,085 | $4,275 | $26,419 | ~24× |
| Flareon ★ | Power Keepers | $800 | $4,010 | $25,178 | ~31× |
| Regice ★ | Legend Maker | $700 | $2,970 | $21,199 | ~30× |
| Latias ★ | Deoxys | $1,698 | $13,895 | $19,318 | ~11× |
| Celebi ★ | Crystal Guardians | $725 | $4,062 | $17,500 | ~24× |
| Groudon ★ | Delta Species | $1,166 | $5,034 | $15,118 | ~13× |
| Kyogre ★ | Delta Species | $1,291 | $4,988 | $14,810 | ~11× |
| Registeel ★ | Legend Maker | $760 | $2,767 | $13,181 | ~17× |
| Alakazam ★ | Crystal Guardians | $1,072 | $4,849 | $13,164 | ~12× |
| Raikou ★ | Unseen Forces | $992 | $2,038 | $12,879 | ~13× |
| Mudkip ★ | Team Rocket Returns | $2,775 | $10,139 | $12,167 | ~4× |
| Regirock ★ | Legend Maker | $744 | $2,465 | $11,399 | ~15× |
| Suicune ★ | Unseen Forces | $1,075 | $2,360 | $11,375 | ~11× |
| Entei ★ | Unseen Forces | $779 | $2,113 | $9,784 | ~13× |
Source: PriceCharting, retrieved 9 Jul 2026. Averages of recent sales; thin PSA 10 markets can swing on single results.
Documented record sales
These are individual, dated sales. They are the highest Gold Star prices we could document.
| Sale | Grade | Price | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umbreon ★ 026/PLAY Japanese Players Club promo | PSA 10 | $180,000 | Feb 2024 |
| Umbreon ★ 026/PLAY Japanese Players Club promo | PSA 10 | $135,209 | Sep 2023 |
| Pikachu ★ 104/110 EX Holon Phantoms | PSA 10 | $111,905 | May 2026 |
| Charizard ★ δ 100/101 EX Dragon Frontiers | PSA 10 | $100,000 | Feb 2026 |
| Charizard ★ δ 100/101 EX Dragon Frontiers | PSA 10 | $65,600 | Dec 2025 |
| Rayquaza ★ 107/107 EX Deoxys | PSA 8 | $19,530 | Feb 2026 |
PSA populations
These cards are twenty years old, the holofoil scratches easily, and EX-era print runs were small, so PSA 10 copies are rare. Mudkip ★ and Torchic ★ cost within a few hundred dollars of each other ungraded, but Torchic’s reported PSA 10 population of roughly 19 copies puts its PSA 10 price above $64,000, about five times Mudkip’s.
| Card | Total PSA-graded | PSA 10s | Share in PSA 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torchic ★ Team Rocket Returns | — | ~19 | — |
| Rayquaza ★ EX Deoxys | — | ~47 | — |
| Umbreon ★ POP Series 5 | ~740 | ~52 | ~7% |
| Espeon ★ POP Series 5 | ~737 | ~58 | ~8% |
| Charizard ★ δ Dragon Frontiers | ~4,800 | ~98 | ~2% |
| Pikachu ★ Holon Phantoms | ~2,230 | ~120 | ~5% |
PSA population figures as reported in mid-2026, rounded; treat them as approximate. Populations rise over time as more cards are graded.
The POP Series 5 pair have small total populations of around 740 graded copies each. The more plentiful Gold Stars also grade poorly: Charizard’s roughly 4,800 graded copies include only about 98 PSA 10s, a rate near 2%.
Japan vs English
The first and last Gold Star printings were both Japanese. The five Players Club Eeveelutions, earned with membership points rather than pulled from packs, are the rarest Gold Stars. The Japanese Umbreon’s $180,000 PSA 10 sale is the highest documented Gold Star price we could verify. The Umbreon Tax covers Umbreon card prices in more detail. The Espeon and the other PLAY promos sell so rarely that price guides barely track them.
For cards printed in both regions, Japanese sets came in 1st Edition and Unlimited printings; English EX-era sets had no 1st Edition. Japanese Unlimited copies generally cost less than their English counterparts, especially in PSA 10.
| Card | English raw | English PSA 10 | Japanese raw | Japanese PSA 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charizard ★ δ JP: Offense & Defense of the Furthest Ends | $3,552 | $58,723 | $4,010 | $14,564 |
| Mew ★ δ JP: Offense & Defense of the Furthest Ends | $2,450 | $27,569 | $340 | $10,991 |
| Pikachu ★ JP: 2005 Gift Box promo | $2,574 | $114,000 | $1,345 | $32,125 |
| Mewtwo ★ JP: 2005 Gift Box promo | $1,774 | $67,235 | $850 | $19,336 |
| Jolteon ★ JP: World Champions Pack | $860 | $31,086 | $535 | $7,100 |
PriceCharting, 9 Jul 2026. Japanese rows use the Unlimited set printing or the promo named in the checklist. Japanese 1st Edition copies run higher; the 1st Edition Japanese Charizard ★ lists at $34,923 in PSA 10 against $14,564 for Unlimited. Japanese markets are thinner, so treat single-card figures loosely.
Structural differences between the two lists:
FAQ
How many Gold Star cards are there?
27 cards in the original English run (2004–2007): 25 across nine EX-era expansions plus Espeon ★ and Umbreon ★ in POP Series 5. Japan's list differs — its sets held 23, with Pikachu ★, Mewtwo ★ and the five Eeveelutions issued as promos instead. Counting the four World Championships replicas and the two 2021 Celebrations cards brings the full English list to 33.
Why are they called Gold Star cards?
The official card type is Pokémon ☆ ("Pokémon Star"), marked by a gold foil star after the Pokémon's name. Collectors simply named them after it.
Do all Gold Star cards show Shiny Pokémon?
They depict each Pokémon's alternate colouration — the scheme used for Shiny Pokémon in the games. That's why the Charizard is black, the Gyarados red and the Rayquaza grey-toned instead of green.
How rare were Gold Stars in booster packs?
The Pokémon Company never published insert rates. Contemporary estimates, still widely cited, put them at roughly one per two booster boxes — about 1 in 72 packs.
What is the most expensive Gold Star Pokémon card?
The most expensive documented sale is the Japanese Players Club Umbreon ★ — $180,000 for a PSA 10 in February 2024. Among English cards, Pikachu ★ from EX Holon Phantoms carries the highest PSA 10 guide value at around $114,000, with Gyarados ★ δ and Mewtwo ★ behind it.
What is the cheapest way to start collecting them?
As of July 2026 the entry points are Regice ★, Celebi ★, Regirock ★ and Entei ★ at roughly $700–800 ungraded. The silver-bordered World Championships replicas of Latias ★, Jolteon ★ and Mew ★ cost far less than that, but they are non-holo reproductions with different backs rather than the real cards.
Could Gold Star cards be played in tournaments?
Yes — they were regular, legal cards in their era, though each carried the printed rule that a deck could include only one Pokémon ★.
Are Gold Star cards still being made?
No. After EX Power Keepers and POP Series 5 in 2007 the type was retired. It returned once, for the 25th anniversary in October 2021: Celebrations reprinted the POP Series 5 Umbreon ★ in its Classic Collection and added one new card, Greninja ★ (SWSH144), in Celebrations Elite Trainer Boxes. Nothing has followed as of mid-2026.
Is the POP Series 5 Umbreon the same card as the Japanese PLAY Umbreon?
Same artwork, very different cards. The Japanese version (026/PLAY) was a Players Club reward requiring 70,000 points and is dramatically scarcer — hence its $180,000 record. The English POP Series 5 version has around 740 PSA-graded copies and trades near $4,250 raw / $63,000 in PSA 10 on current guide values.