Charizard ex SIR (Obsidian Flames) – Is the Flame Burning Out?
No Pokémon card launch is complete without a Charizard chase — and Obsidian Flames delivered one of the flashiest modern versions yet: the Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare (SIR). But unlike previous Zard grails, this card’s post-release trajectory has been more flameout than firestorm.
So what’s going on? Let’s break down how the Obsidian Flames Charizard ex stacks up to expectations — and whether it’s still worth chasing in 2024.
🔍 Card Basics
- 🔴 Card Name: Charizard ex – Special Illustration Rare
- 📦 Set: Obsidian Flames (August 2023 release)
- 🧭 Card Number: 223/197
- 🎨 Artist: aky CG Works
- ✨ Style: Features a menacing, dark-fueled Charizard lunging through a fiery ruin — dynamic and cinematic
📉 Price Trend Snapshot
| Date | Raw (NM) Price | PSA 10 Price |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (Aug ’23) | ~$110 | N/A |
| Sept ’23 | ~$75 | ~$140 |
| Dec ’23 | ~$40–$45 | ~$90 |
| April ’24 (Now) | ~$26–$30 | ~$75–$80 |
- 🚨 ~75% price decline from launch to today (raw)
- 🧊 Graded cards are holding value slightly better, but demand has slowed across the board
🔎 Why the Drop?
- 🌊 Massive Supply: Obsidian Flames was printed in very high volume. Boxes flooded the market in Q4 2023.
- ♻️ Reprint Pressure: Charizard SIRs are easy targets for special tins, promos, or box reprints — collectors fear saturation.
- 🏷️ No Meta Impact: Unlike Miraidon ex SIR, Charizard ex has seen zero play success in Standard format.
- 🖼️ Art Divide: While many love the art, some feel the 3D CGI rendering lacks the soul of hand-drawn illustration rares.
🧠 How It Compares to Other Modern Charizards
| Card | Set | Current Raw Price | PSA 10 Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shining Fates Charizard VMAX | Shining Fates | ~$40 | ~$130 |
| UPC Charizard V Alt Art | Ultra Premium Collection | ~$25 | ~$70 |
| SV 151 Charizard ex SIR | SV 151 | ~$38 | ~$115 |
| Obsidian Flames Charizard ex SIR | Obsidian Flames | $26–$30 | $75–$80 |
- 🧯 Lowest floor among modern SIR Charizards
- 📉 Graded premium is narrow — PSA 10 adds less than 3x raw value
🧩 Is It Undervalued?
Maybe. Despite soft demand, the card has a few things going for it:
- 🧬 Unique dual typing (Dark/Fire), unlike most Charizard prints
- 🎨 Distinct full-scene composition
- 🔒 Potential long-term play if Obsidian Flames goes out of print and PSA 10 pop stays modest
But it’s also one of the most accessible Zard SIRs in terms of pack pull rate and resale volume — a double-edged sword.
🧠 Investment Take
- ❌ Short-Term: Minimal flip potential; raw copies are stuck in the $25–30 range
- 🟡 Medium-Term: Could recover with print run tightening and time
- ✅ Long-Term: Holds some collector appeal as a Zard with unique art — but unlikely to ever reach alt-art Charizard V levels
🧵 Final Thoughts
Charizard ex SIR from Obsidian Flames came in hot and faded fast. While it may never become a $200+ monster, it offers an affordable entry point into the modern Charizard collector scene — especially for PSA 10 seekers.
If you’re a long-term collector who values visual variety or set completion, this one might be worth grabbing while it’s cold. But don’t expect it to lead the next bull run on modern Pokémon prices.
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