Gold Pokémon Cards- Everything You Need to Know

Do you know what a Pokémon card is? Chances are if you’re reading this, the answer is yes. And if you’re like most people, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Pokémon cards is those brightly colored pieces of cardboard with pictures of various pocket monsters from the popular anime and video game franchise. But did you know that there are also gold versions of some Pokémon cards? Let’s take a closer look at these rare collectibles!

What are gold cards?

Gold cards are special embossed gold holofoil cards and are often sought after by collectors. Gold cards fall into the ‘secret rare’ category. Each set has a numbered setlist, and secret cards surpass that number. The first appearance of gold cards was part of the Black & White- Legendary Treasures set from 2013. This set contained two gold cards as secret rare cards, Reshiram 114/113, and Zekrom 115/113. 

Today there are usually multiple gold cards printed for every set. However, they remain sought after as they are still very rare to come by. 

What are gold Pokémon cards worth?

One would think that gold cards would hold a lot of value since they are so rare. This is sometimes true, but many gold cards are very affordable, sitting in the $2-$5 range. 

Cards featuring popular Pokémon such as Pikachu, Charizard, or any legendaries tend to hold more value. 

Many gold trainer cards such as Telescopic Sight are cheap to buy on the secondary market, as the card is not popular unless it is particularly useful in the TCG. 

How many are there?

Each set contains a few gold cards, and every now and then, a product is released with a gold card as the promotional card. At the time of this article’s writing (February 2023), there are over 225 gold cards to collect.

Some sets contain very few gold cards such as Sun & Moon- Dragon Majesty with only 5, or contain many like Sword & Shield- Evolving Skies with 12 gold cards.

Which Set Has The Most Gold Cards?

Chilling Reign and Evolving Skies have the most gold cards available, at 12 each. However, these are huge sets so the chances of pulling a gold card may not be higher than any of the other sets.

Sun & Moon

Sword & Shield

Where to buy gold cards

Gold cards can be found in any Pokémon TCG booster packs- if you’re lucky. The pull rate is extremely low, and this is what makes gold cards so fun to collect and hunt for.

Some gold cards are included in products as promotional cards. These are often less valuable, as they are easier to get. However, they can sometimes shoot up in value if not many are printed and the card features a fan-favorite Pokémon.

If you’re eager to collect gold cards and don’t want to gamble on booster packs, eBay is probably the best place to pick up singles for a reasonable price. A few other options are tcgplayer.com and trollandtoad.com. Of course, there is always the local buy and sell market and local hobby shops as well.

The gold Burger King cards

There’s a chance that you are here seeking information on the gold Burger King Pokémon toys from 1999.

On November 8 1999 Burger King’s first Pokémon promotion was launched. This included a small set of cards but more importantly, the 23 karat gold plated “cards”. These weren’t actually cards, obviously, but we’re immensely popular among the kids of ‘99 and many of us still have these toys today.

Unfortunately, they didn’t blow up in value as the TCG did. In fact, these can still be purchased relatively cheap on eBay for approximately $20-$40 depending on the featured Pokémon.

The gold Celebrations cards

In 2021 The Pokémon Company released their 25th-anniversary set called Celebrations. Upon many exciting products, one very special premium box was released. The Ultra Premium Collection box (UPC). 

These UPCs sold out instantly and to this day are going for inflated prices on the secondary market. One of the main draws to this box is the gold cards included. 

Four gold cards were included in the UPC. Two of these are gold embossed holofoils just like the gold cards you would find in a booster pack, while the other two are much more interesting. 

The Pokémon Company, for the first time, included gold metal cards in a Pokémon product. The UPC contained a metal reprint of the Base set Pikachu and the Base set Charizard. To make these even more sought after, they were metal cards instead of the typical cardstock. Although these cards are so unique and perhaps one-of-a-kind, many still consider them ‘gold’ cards. They are gold, anyway.

Gold Trainer Gallery Cards

Starting with the first Trainer Gallery subset in Brilliant Stars, new gold cards were added. These gold cards have a different aesthetic, having a negative-like color pattern to them. Every Trainer Gallery has so far included 2. 

Check gold Trainer Gallery card prices on eBay

The Gold Galarian Gallery Cards

In January 2023, The Pokémon Company International released the newest expansion, Crown Zenith. Like many recent expansion sets, Crown Zenith featured a subset of cards with unique artwork. The Trainer Gallery was becoming a fan favorite, but the Galarian Gallery subset was the new kid on the block. What made this subset so amazing was the gold cards.

Never before had gold cards featured artwork outside the typical Pokémon card design. Yes, we saw some full-art gold cards, but that was it. These Gaslarian Gallery gold cards featured amazing works of art. This style was instantly met with great reception, much like alt art cards. Unfortunately, the pull rates on these cards are very very low, so prices will remain high.

Check gold Galarian Gallery card prices on eBay

Conclusion

Gold cards are a niche within the Pokémon card-collecting hobby and are here to stay. There is nothing quite like holding one of these sparkling cards in your hand for the first time. When they catch the light just right, it is no wonder why they are sought after. Gold cards were first introduced in 2013 but have gained so much hype that we are now seeing dozens printed every year. If you want to start your own gold card collection, eBay will be your best bet. Or you know, you could always trade your friends as you used to in the early 2000s!