Jon Free, a 32-year-old man from Great Blakenham in Suffolk, has been collecting Pokémon cards for years. He is known as one of the world’s largest collectors of fourth print Pokémon cards. His prized possession, a fourth print Charizard card, is expected to fetch over £8,000 at an upcoming auction by Richard Winterton Auctions in Staffordshire on 30 September.
What makes this card so valuable is that it is the highest graded of its kind in the world by Beckett Grading Services (BGS). The card has been given a grade of 9 by BGS, with three sub-grades at 9.5 for its centering, corners, and surface. This means it is considered to be in “mint” condition, with a 9.5 rating indicating “gem mint” quality. Mr. Free believes that if the card is crossed over to the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) and graded as a 10, it could potentially be valued even higher.
The fourth print Charizard card owned by Mr. Free is part of a rare print run that took place in the UK for only two weeks due to copyright issues around the turn of the millennium. These holographic cards are considered to be some of the rarest and most sought-after among collectors. The last PSA grade 10 of this card that was sold privately exchanged hands for more than £40,000, according to Richard Winterton Auctions.
Although Mr. Free is sad to see his prized possession go, he recognizes that sometimes life priorities take precedence. He described the card as a piece of Pokémon history and a niche gem of the most iconic card ever made. Auctioneer Richard Winterton expressed his excitement at being responsible for selling such a high-value Pokémon card, stating that there is a significant amount of interest in the market internationally.
The Pokémon card collecting market remains hot and continues to attract collectors from all over the globe. The anticipation for the auction of Jon Free’s fourth print Charizard card is high, with expectations that it could potentially fetch over £12,000 based on previous sales of similar cards. This rare and valuable card represents a piece of Pokémon history and is sure to be a highlight of the upcoming auction.