Charizard VMAX Rainbow Rare – Out of Favor or Undervalued in 2025?
When Darkness Ablaze launched in 2020, all eyes were on Charizard VMAX — the first mass-market TCG appearance of Gigantamax Zard.
While the regular version was widely printed, the Rainbow Rare version became the real prize: harder to pull, flashier, and tied to the biggest Pokémon in the brand.
Now, in April 2025, it feels like hardly anyone talks about Rainbow Zard anymore.
But maybe — just maybe — that’s exactly when you should be paying attention.
📦 Card Overview
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| 📦 Set | Darkness Ablaze (Sword & Shield) |
| 📅 Release Date | August 14, 2020 |
| 🎨 Art Style | Full-art rainbow foil Charizard in VMAX form |
| 🏷️ Card Number | 020/189 (Secret Rare) |
📈 Price Timeline (April 2025)
| Period | Raw (NM) Price | PSA 10 Price |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2020 (Launch) | ~$300 | ~$1,000 |
| Q2 2021 (Peak) | ~$400 | ~$1,400 |
| Q2 2023 | ~$180 | ~$600 |
| April 2025 (Now) | $160–175 | $525–600 |
- 📉 Prices have dropped ~55% from peak
- 🧊 PSA 10s are steady, suggesting collector floor demand remains
- 🔁 Raw copies flood the market, but clean gradable copies still command a premium
🧠 Why It Fell
- 📦 Overprinted: Darkness Ablaze was produced in huge quantities during the COVID boom.
- 🔄 Rainbow fatigue: Full-art rainbows became less “special” as Sword & Shield progressed.
- 🔥 Newer Zards: Obsidian Flames, Celebrations, 151, and Crown Zenith all diluted Zard chase attention.
🧠 Why It Might Rise Again
- 🧠 First Rainbow Zard in Sword & Shield era — historical relevance matters long-term
- 🛡️ Easier to grade than later Sword & Shield rainbows (better centering on Darkness Ablaze prints)
- 🧲 Nostalgia lag effect: Kids opening Darkness Ablaze in 2020–2021 are teens/young adults now — buying back soon
- 🔁 Sealed booster box prices rising (~$175–190 as of April 2025) may start dragging singles up
📊 How It Compares to Other Modern Zards (April 2025)
| Card | Raw Price | PSA 10 Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Charizard VMAX (Darkness Ablaze) | ~$170 | ~$550 |
| Shiny Charizard VMAX (Shining Fates) | ~$140 | ~$400 |
| Charizard ex SIR (Obsidian Flames) | ~$90 | ~$250 |
| Base Set Unlimited Charizard | ~$2,500 | ~$10,000 |
- 🧠 Rainbow Zard holds up well compared to other modern Zards
- 🔥 It’s cheaper than Shiny VMAX Zard right now — but has first appearance advantage
📈 Investment Take (April 2025)
| Horizon | View | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short-Term | ⚪ Cautious | No clear catalysts for rapid spike |
| Mid-Term | 🟡 Accumulate | Quietly buying PSA 10s under $600 could pay off |
| Long-Term | 🟢 Quiet winner | As Darkness Ablaze sealed dries up, nostalgia will kick in |
🧵 Final Thoughts
Rainbow Charizard VMAX isn’t dead — it’s sleeping.
It was the face of Sword & Shield’s earliest era, the first Gigantamax Zard chase, and a symbol of the pandemic TCG boom.
At current prices, it may quietly become one of the best value buys for collectors who want a mix of nostalgia, power, and true Sword & Shield era history.
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