Gold Star Pokémon Cards: Complete List and Current Prices

Gold Star cards are some of the most wanted cards from the EX era of the Pokémon TCG. Each one shows a shiny-coloured Pokémon, and only a few were printed in each set. This page lists every English Gold Star card we track, with live prices, and explains what makes them special and how they differ from the similar-sounding Prism Star and Shining cards.

What Is a Gold Star Pokémon Card?

A Gold Star card is a special version of a Pokémon marked with a star symbol (★) after its name, such as Rayquaza ★ or Umbreon ★. Collectors call them Gold Stars because of that star. They were printed during the EX series, starting with EX Team Rocket Returns, and each set that had them included only two or three. A pair also appeared in POP Series 5, a small promo series of the same period.

In our data, the English Gold Stars come from 9 sets released between 2004 and 2007, plus POP Series 5, which our data doesn't date. TCGplayer, whose listings our prices come from, lists every one of them as an Ultra Rare.

Gold Stars have a rule of their own in the game: a deck can only include one Pokémon ★ card. That rule, and their shiny artwork, made them chase cards from the start.

Every Gold Star Pokémon Card

Here is every English Gold Star card we track: 27 cards in all. They're sorted by price, highest first. 14 of them have no recent sales in our data, which is common for cards this scarce. Cards with no recent sales are listed with "No recent sales" rather than a guessed price, because Gold Stars sell rarely and a single old sale could be misleading.

At today's prices, one copy of every Gold Star that has a market price would cost about $18,262.27. That total leaves out the 14 cards with no recent sales, so a complete set would cost considerably more.

Most Expensive Gold Star Cards

These five Gold Stars have the highest market prices right now:

The most valuable right now is Groudon Star at about $2,339.99. Several of the most famous Gold Stars, such as Charizard ★ (Delta Species), Rayquaza ★ and Pikachu ★, may be missing from this top five only because we have no recent sales for them, not because they're cheap. Their card pages show the latest price as soon as one is recorded.

Cheapest Gold Star Pokémon Cards

If you want a Gold Star without paying top prices, these five have the lowest market prices of the cards we can price:

"Cheapest" is relative here: the least expensive Gold Star with a market price still sells for about $750.00. Condition makes a big difference at this level, so compare photos and descriptions carefully before you buy.

Why Are Gold Star Pokémon So Expensive?

Several things push Gold Star prices up:

• Very few per set. Each set with Gold Stars had only two or three, printed as the last cards in the set or close to it. CGC's rarity guide lists Gold Stars among the special card types it describes as having shorter print runs.
• A short era. Gold Stars were printed for only a few years of the EX series, from EX Team Rocket Returns to EX Power Keepers. No set since has printed new ones; Celebrations only reprinted one.
• Shiny artwork. Each Gold Star shows a Pokémon in its alternate "shiny" colours, which collectors love, and some feature fan favourites like Charizard, Rayquaza, Umbreon and Pikachu.
• Condition. Cards from 2004 to 2007 were often played, and holo surfaces scratch easily. Clean copies are hard to find, and graded high-grade copies sell in their own, much higher market.

The Gold Stars that sell for the most combine all of these: a popular Pokémon, a single printing and very few copies in top condition. For other cards that are hard to find, see our guide to the rarest Pokémon cards.

Gold Star vs Prism Star vs Shining

Three kinds of special Pokémon cards are easy to mix up:

• Gold Star (★): EX-series cards from 2004 to 2007 with a star after the Pokémon's name and shiny artwork. This page covers these.
• Prism Star (◇): Sun & Moon era cards, first printed in Ultra Prism in 2018. A deck can hold only one of each Prism Star card, and a Prism Star card goes to the Lost Zone instead of the discard pile. They are newer and much cheaper. The most valuable Prism Star card we track is Darkrai Prism Star at about $86.25.
• Shining Pokémon: first printed in Neo Revelation in 2001 and brought back in Shining Legends in 2017. Like Gold Stars, they show shiny-coloured Pokémon, but they are a separate group of cards.

The names "Prism Star" and "Shining" don't make a card a Gold Star. If you're unsure which you have, check the symbol after the name and the set symbol, then search the card on our site.

How to Spot a Fake Gold Star

Because Gold Stars are valuable, they're a target for counterfeiters. Before buying one, check:

• The star symbol and font. The ★ after the name should be crisp and evenly printed, and the name should use the same font as other cards from the set.
• The set symbol and number. Each Gold Star has a specific number in a specific set, as listed in the table above. A wrong number or set symbol is a red flag.
• The holo pattern and card stock. Fakes often have flat, glittery or wrong holo patterns, and feel thinner or glossier than a real card.
• The price. A Gold Star offered far below the prices on this page is very likely fake or damaged.

Our guide on how to tell if a Pokémon card is fake covers every check in detail. For a valuable Gold Star, a card already graded by a major grading company gives you extra protection. For the most valuable Pokémon cards across all eras, see our most expensive Pokémon cards list.