Metagross Star
Quick take
- Card 113/113, the set-ender slot in EX Delta Species
- One of three Gold Stars in the set, alongside Groudon and Kyogre
- A Metal-type Metagross thanks to the Delta Species twist
- Art by Masakazu Fukuda, a name vintage collectors chase
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in EX Delta Species
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 113/113 · $951.99 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyThe Metal-type Metagross that ends Delta Species
Metagross Star sits at 113/113, the last numbered card in EX Delta Species. That set-ender slot matters to collectors. It is the card you need to finish the numbered run, and it is one of only three Gold Stars in the set, alongside Groudon and Kyogre.
“Card 113/113, the set-ender slot in EX Delta Species”
The Holon storyline is what makes Delta Species odd in a good way. Pokemon reshaped by electromagnetic radiation took on types they never had. This Metagross is a Metal-type. Critical Collection pulls Metal Energy back from the discard, and Hyper Beam swings on a coin flip. It was never a tournament terror. The pull is the art, the shiny treatment, and the Gold Star pedigree.
For master set builders, this is one of the marquee slots in the whole Holon block. Track it down in the condition you can afford. The gap between a raw copy and a clean graded one only widens the higher you go.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This is a top-tier vintage chase card. Raw copies trade well up the price ladder, and that climbs fast with grade. Gold Stars from the EX era sit firmly in the blue-chip vintage tier.
Vintage Gold Stars have held and built value over the long run. Supply stays fixed, and the EX-era collector base keeps growing. Demand for clean, high-grade copies has been the steadiest part of the market.
Vintage Gold Stars are about as established as collectible Pokemon cards get. The risk here is condition and authenticity, not whether anyone will want it. Buy the best copy your budget allows and verify it carefully.
The jump from raw to graded is steep, and gem mint copies command a large multiple over ungraded examples. PSA 10s are genuinely scarce. The two-decade-old foil and centering make a true gem hard to find, so the top-grade premium is one of the widest in the set.
EX-era Gold Stars came at roughly one per two booster boxes, somewhere around 1 in 72 packs. Delta Species spreads that across only three Gold Stars, so pulling this specific Metagross rather than the Groudon or Kyogre stretched the odds further still. These were never easy hits even when the product was on shelves. Two decades on, sealed Delta Species is scarce in its own right. For most builders, the realistic path is the singles market, not the pack.
As one of only three Gold Stars in Delta Species, this sits at the very top of the set's rarity ladder, above every EX and holo. Within the Holon block, the Gold Stars are the most coveted pulls of all.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Fukuda is one of the artists most closely tied to the Gold Star run, and his EX-era illustrations carry a following of their own. Collectors seek out his cards specifically, which adds a layer of demand on top of the rarity.
Metagross lunges forward through a cosmic, star-speckled void. The claws are extended, the metallic body gleams, and swirls of color catch on its plating. It reads as motion and weight at once, a heavy steel Pokemon caught mid-charge against deep space.
Gold Stars use the shiny, alternate-color version of the Pokemon, set against a starfield-style holo with the small gold star next to the name. The treatment runs across the full card face rather than a contained art box. That is part of why these print so cleanly and why surface flaws show up so easily.
The shiny coloring plus the cosmic background gives Metagross a futuristic look that suits a steel pseudo-legendary. It is one of the cleaner Gold Star designs of Gen 3, and the closing 113/113 number makes it feel like the bow on the whole set.
BackgroundAbout Metagross Star
Metagross is the final evolution of Beldum and a Gen 3 pseudo-legendary, the signature Pokemon of Champion Steven Stone. Normally Steel and Psychic, it became a fan favorite through the games for its bulk and presence. Here the Delta Species mechanic reworks it into a pure Metal-type.
- ›Pseudo-legendary status carries built-in fan demand
- ›Tied to Steven Stone, a memorable Hoenn Champion
- ›Strong, distinctive design that suits metallic foil treatment
- ›The Gold Star is the most collectible version of the card
- ›Steven Stone's ace Pokemon in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
- ›One of the headline Gold Stars of the Holon block
Own it wellCollector guide
The full-bleed holo style shows whitening on edges and corners easily, and the foil scratches. Centering varies. Inspect under angled light for surface lines and check the corners closely. Most raw copies on the market sit below gem mint for these reasons.
For anything beyond a played placeholder, buy already graded or grade a strong raw copy. The premium for high grades is large, and the authentication that comes with a slab is worth it on a card this valuable and this often faked. Read the grading guide →
Keep raw copies in a penny sleeve inside a top loader or a sealed semi-rigid holder, away from heat and direct light to protect the foil. For graded slabs, store upright in a cool, stable spot and avoid stacking pressure on the cases. See the storage guide →
Decide on a grade tier before you shop, because the price spread across grades is enormous here. Buy from sellers who show real photos front and back. On big-money raw copies, lean toward graded examples from PSA, BGS, or CGC, and verify authenticity carefully before paying vintage Gold Star money. See the singles buying guide →
Gold Stars are among the most counterfeited vintage cards, so authenticate before you buy. Do the light test: hold the card to a bright source and look for the black core layer inside the cardstock that fakes usually lack. Feel for the slight texture and stiffness of genuine EX-era stock. Check that the holo pattern behaves correctly when tilted rather than looking flat or printed. Inspect the back swirl for a smooth blue gradient with crisp borders. When in doubt, buy it already graded by a reputable company.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors consistently rank this among the standout Gold Stars of Gen 3. The combination of a beloved pseudo-legendary, the cosmic art, and the set-ender slot keeps it in conversations about the best-looking Holon cards.
- ›High-grade copies are scarce and trade well above raw examples in premium vintage territory
Delta Species and its Gold Stars come up often in vintage collecting circles, both for the unusual delta typings and for the chase appeal of the Metagross, Groudon, and Kyogre trio. High-grade copies draw attention whenever they surface.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Other EX Delta Species master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
