M Charizard EX X Secret
Quick take
- The Mega Charizard X (108/106), not the Y (107/106), is the Flashfire chase and usually carries the premium
- Gold full-art secret rare from 2014, illustrated by 5ban Graphics
- Flashfire was the set that introduced Mega Evolution cards to the TCG
- Charizard plus secret-rare status keeps demand steady year over year
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in XY - Flashfire
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 108/106 · $1501.23 — 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 Flashfire gold secret rare collectors actually chase
Flashfire shipped two Mega Charizard secret rares. Card 107 is the orange Mega Y, card 108 is the black Mega X. Both sit past the printed set count of 106, both wear the gold full-art border, and both carry that EX-era pedigree. The X version is the one most collectors chase. It tends to run a premium over its Y sibling, and it sits at or near the top of the whole set.
“The Mega Charizard X (108/106), not the Y (107/106), is the Flashfire chase and usually carries the premium”
Why X over Y? Part of it is the form. Mega Charizard X is the black-and-blue dragon, the variant fans latched onto the moment X and Y launched. It reads as the rarer, edgier one even though both were equally common in packs. The rest is just Charizard being Charizard. Any Charizard secret rare from the mid-2010s pulls money, and a gold-bordered Mega X from the set that introduced Mega Evolution to the TCG hits the boxes a master-set builder cares about.
For anyone working the Flashfire master set, this is the keystone. Plan the binder around it. Most of the rest of the set is reachable on a reasonable budget. This card sets the ceiling on what you will spend and how long you will wait.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This is one of the most expensive cards in Flashfire raw, sitting at or near the top of the set and typically ahead of the Mega Y secret rare. Clean copies trade well above the rest of the set, and damaged copies drop off sharply.
Charizard secret rares from the XY block have held value better than most of the era. The card has not spiked the way modern Special Illustration Rares do, but it has been a slow, steady climber, propped up by the name and the form.
A vintage-modern card with a solid floor. It is unlikely to crater given the Charizard demand under it, but it is also a known, well-supplied quantity, so do not expect dramatic gains. Buy it because you want the set finished, and treat appreciation as a bonus.
Graded copies separate hard from raw at the top. A clean high-grade gem trades for a strong multiple of a raw near-mint, and the jump from a PSA 9 to a PSA 10 is steep. Mid grades carry only a modest premium over raw, so grading mainly pays off on genuinely clean copies.
Flashfire predates the modern Scarlet and Violet rarity ladder, so today's published odds (roughly 1 in 5 for a Double Rare, 1 in 12 for an Illustration Rare, 1 in 15 for an Ultra Rare, 1 in 90 for a Special Illustration Rare, and 1 in 300 to 700 for a Hyper Rare) do not apply here. Secret rares in XY-era sets sat at the very bottom of the pull tables, well rarer than the standard ultra rares. With two Mega Charizard secret rares splitting that slot, landing this specific Mega X out of a pack was a genuine long shot. Most collectors acquire it as a single rather than pulling it.
There are two secret rares of the same Pokemon in the set: Mega X (108) and Mega Y (107). They were printed at comparable rarity, but the X version tends to command the higher price on demand for the form, not on scarcity.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
5ban Graphics is the studio behind most of the EX and XY-era full-art and secret-rare cards. It is a studio, not a single illustrator in the traditional sense, and it specializes in digital 3D-rendered Pokemon for the ultra-rare slots. That is why the work looks glossy and computer-rendered rather than hand-painted. If you collect secret rares from this period, you own a lot of 5ban whether you realize it or not.
A full-art render of Mega Charizard X, the black-bodied Mega form, jaws and wings throwing blue fire. The art runs to the edges with no white border, framed by the gold secret-rare treatment that marks the top rarity of the set.
Gold-bordered full-art secret rare on holofoil stock. The easiest tell separating this from the regular ultra-rare Mega X is the gold border around the Mega Evolution rule box and set symbol. The secret rare has it, the standard ultra rare does not.
It pairs the most bankable Pokemon with the more striking of its two Mega forms, then puts both behind a gold border. The 3D 5ban style dates it to a specific moment in the hobby, which is exactly what nostalgia-driven collectors are buying.
BackgroundAbout M Charizard EX X Secret
Charizard has been the face of the franchise since Base Set. Mega Charizard X arrived with Pokemon X and Y in 2013, splitting Charizard into two Mega forms: the orange Y and the black-and-blue X, which becomes Fire/Dragon in the games. The X form, with its blue flames and darker palette, quickly became the cult favorite of the two.
- ›Charizard's permanent status as the hobby's most-collected Pokemon
- ›Mega Charizard X being the rarer-feeling, edgier of the two Mega forms
- ›Nostalgia for the early XY era and the launch of Mega Evolution
- ›The blue-flame color scheme standing out against typical fire-type art
- ›Pokemon X and Y video games, where Mega Charizard X debuted as a Fire/Dragon Mega form
- ›XY Flashfire (2014), the TCG set that introduced Mega Evolution cards
Own it wellCollector guide
The gold full-art border shows whitening and chipping fast, especially on the corners and edges. Holo surfaces from this era also scratch easily. Inspect the edges and the back closely before buying. This is a card where condition swings the price hard.
Grade only clean, sharp copies. The gem-grade premium is large, but mid grades barely clear the raw price after fees. If a card shows visible edge wear or surface scratches under a light, it is usually better left raw or sold as-is. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader, or a magnetic case, at minimum given the value. The foil and gold border scratch easily, so avoid loose handling and keep it out of direct light and humidity. For long-term storage, a graded slab is the safest home. See the storage guide →
Confirm you are buying the X (108/106), not the Y (107/106). Listings mix them up constantly and the price gap is real. For anything beyond pocket money, buy graded from a reputable seller. This is a heavily counterfeited Charizard, so a raw copy from an unknown source is a gamble. See the singles buying guide →
This card is faked often. Do the standard checks. A light test through the card should reveal the black core layer that genuine cards have and most fakes lack. Feel the surface texture, which should match other secret rares from the era. Check the holo pattern and how it behaves under tilt against a known-real card. Look at the back, where the blue swirl gradient and color should match a legitimate Pokemon back exactly. For serious money, buy it already graded and authenticated.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors treat this as the definitive Flashfire grail. It comes up constantly in master-set and Charizard-collection discussions, and the consensus is that the X is the one to own between the two secret rares. Sentiment is steady rather than hype-driven. People want it for the set and the name, not because of a sudden trend.
- ›Graded gem copies have sold for multiples of raw near-mint prices, with the gap widening sharply at the top grade
Charizard collection videos and master-set posts routinely feature this card as a centerpiece of the XY era. The X-versus-Y debate is a recurring talking point, and the X form usually wins on preference.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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