What Are Metal Pokémon Cards? Official, Custom and Fake

By Ankita Neogi

Updated Oct 7, 2026Published Jun 15, 202311 min read

Note (October 2026): This guide was corrected. Not all metal Pokémon cards are unofficial (Burger King sold licensed gold-plated cards in 1999, and The Pokémon Company International has released official metal cards since 2021), a Wizards of the Coast logo does not prove a metal card is genuine, and the Gold Star Espeon and Shadowless Charizard are paper cards, not metal ones.

Metal Pokémon cards are Pokémon cards made of metal or metal-plated material instead of card stock. A few are official: the 23-karat gold-plated cards Burger King sold in 1999, and six metal cards The Pokémon Company International packed into Ultra-Premium Collection boxes between 2021 and 2024. Most other metal cards sold online are fan-made customs or counterfeits.

Metal Pokémon cards are collectible cards made from metal rather than card stock, and the gold-colored ones attract the most attention from collectors.

What Are Metal Pokémon Cards? A Guide to Official, Custom and Fake Metal Cards

There is a lot of hype surrounding gold Pokemon cards, whether it is the original gold cards from 1999 or third-party tributes being offered on Wish and other sites. Here is the essential information on metal Pokemon cards, including what they are, how much they are worth, and how to purchase them.

Metal Pokemon cards – What are they?

Metal Pokémon cards are cards made of metal or metal-plated material. A few are official or licensed products, while many others are unofficial fan-made or counterfeit pieces with a gold-colored coating.

The best-known early metal Pokémon cards are the 23-karat gold-plated cards Burger King sold in 1999: from November 15 that year, customers could buy one for $1.99 with the purchase of a meal. The cards promoted Pokémon: The First Movie and came in a plastic Poké Ball with a certificate of authenticity. The set of six featured Pikachu, Charizard, Jigglypuff, Mewtwo, Poliwhirl and Togepi.

Other metal Pokémon cards can be found on Wish, Etsy and other online stores. These are usually made by fans or third-party sellers and are not official Pokémon TCG products.

Types of Metallic Pokemon Cards

Metallic Pokémon cards are usually described as either holographic or non-holographic.

The more popular kind of metallic Pokémon cards are holographic metallic cards. On the card design, they have a holographic foil effect. When viewed from various angles, it reflects light in a manner resembling a rainbow.

Non-holographic metallic cards have no rainbow foil effect, but they still have a strong metallic finish. The entire card surface is covered in a metallic appearance. It gives off a smooth, polished aspect that helps bring out the colors and features in the artwork. Sellers often describe non-holographic metallic cards as less common than holographic ones, although no production figures exist for fan-made pieces. Collectors may still find them worthwhile, particularly when the design is unusual.

Metallic Pokémon Cards, both holographic and non-holographic, can be found in a range of rarities. They can be common, uncommon, or even ultra-rare. Additionally, some Metallic Pokémon cards can include:

• Promotional designs
• Exclusive editions
• Unique artwork.

Metallic Pokemon Cards – Are they rare?

Rarity is a key factor in how valuable and collectible a metal Pokémon card is. The fewer copies of a card that exist, the rarer it is and, usually, the more it costs. Numerous other factors also affect rarity. They are the card’s age, state, design, and accessibility.

The following categories, in general, affect how rare Metallic Pokémon are:

• Common: These Metallic Pokémon cards are the most typical and widely accessible ones. They are rather simple to find, and collector demand is not usually very strong.
• Uncommon: These cards are a little bit more difficult to locate than ordinary cards. Additionally, they might have limited stock or one-of-a-kind artwork.
• Rare: These cards are considerably harder to locate than common or uncommon ones. And they frequently come in limited edition releases or with a unique design.
• Ultra-Rare: These Metallic Pokémon cards are the most expensive and rarest. They frequently have distinctive artwork, special releases, or limited quantities. Pokemon cards that are extremely uncommon are highly sought-after and can fetch thousands of dollars.

What is the price of Metallic Pokemon Cards?

Metal Pokémon card prices vary widely. The price depends mainly on whether the card is official, how much demand there is, and the card’s age, condition and rarity. Collectors and traders should weigh all of these factors when setting or accepting a price.

Cards that are extremely rare and in high demand might fetch thousands of dollars. While less valuable cards might only bring in a few dollars. A card’s condition is also crucial. Cards with visible wear and tear are less desirable than cards that are in mint or almost mint condition.

Another important element in deciding Metallic Pokémon pricing is demand. A card’s price may rise sharply if it is in high demand, even when it is not especially scarce. Other factors that influence the price include:

• The artwork on the card
• The extent of popularity of the specific Pokemon
• The availability of the card

Older cards with fewer surviving copies may be rarer and more expensive, and older cards that are still in excellent condition are scarcer still.

Two cards often mentioned alongside gold and metallic cards in price discussions are listed below, although neither is a metal card:

• The Gold Star Espeon cards
• The Holographic Shadowless Charizard.

Espeon ☆ (the Gold Star Espeon) is a paper holo card from the POP Series 5 set, and the Shadowless Charizard is a paper holo card from an early Base Set print run. Both can fetch thousands of dollars when sold in top condition.

What kinds of metal Pokémon cards are there besides official ones?

CUSTOM

Fans create personalized cards with care and attention to detail. Fans have been creating their own metal Pokémon cards for many years. These personalized cards are created and sold by some eBay or Etsy vendors who make a profession at it.

Metal cards are a popular specialty among custom-card makers, and these pieces really are made of metal. Although many are silver or full color, they are often gold. A wonderful and original gift idea for a special event like a wedding or birthday can be having a bespoke metal card made.

FAKE

Although technically all custom cards are “fakes,” not all fakes are bespoke. In actuality, a lot of fakes are rejected and imperfect copies. Metal cards used to simply be special gifts, but they now also have the potential to be fraudulent cards. Since 2021, The Pokémon Company International has included genuine metal cards in a small number of retail collector boxes, and that has given counterfeit metal cards a foothold. Understanding how to recognize fraudulent cards is crucial.

How to spot genuine and credible Pokemon cards?

Following are some hints for identifying fake Metallic Pokémon cards:

• Check the maker and the era: Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) handled the English Pokémon TCG only from 1998 to 2003, while the official metal cards date from 2021 onward and came in Pokémon Company International collector boxes. A metal card presented as a WOTC release is therefore a red flag, not a sign of reliability;
• Verify the print quality: Pokémon that are metallic should have excellent printing with distinct lines and vivid colors. Counterfeit playing cards may have hazy or unevenly colored graphics;
• Compare with regular Pokémon cards: Compare the metal card with the ordinary paper version of the same card, since official metal cards reproduce an existing card’s artwork and text.
• Check the weight, texture and layout: Make sure the fonts, colors and layout are consistent with the official card. A genuine metal card should feel heavier and more rigid than a paper card.
• Utilize a magnifying glass: Under a magnifying glass, genuine Metallic Pokémon cards show a fine, metallic sheen. It’s possible that fake cards won’t have the same glossy luster. They might also be plainly pixelated.

Where is the right place to sell and purchase Metallic Pokemon Cards?

If you want to purchase or sell Metallic Pokémon cards, you have a variety of possibilities. Online marketplaces, niche stores, and gatherings are among them.

Online stores like TCGplayer, Amazon, and eBay are popular choices. There, Pokémon Gold Metal cards can be purchased and sold. Through these channels, collectors can:

• Search for certain cards;
• Evaluate costs;
• Easily make purchases or sells.

Collectors, however, should use caution when making purchases from private dealers. On these platforms, fake cards can occasionally be purchased and sold.

Other places to trade Metallic Pokémon include specialty stores and conventions. They frequently have a large selection of cards on hand. They include cards that are uncommon and in high demand.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) continues to release new sets and collector products, and The Pokémon Company International put metal cards into premium collector boxes four times between 2021 and 2024.

The future of Gold Metal Pokémon cards and the Pokémon Trading Card Game may be impacted by the evolution of collector cards in general. Some collectors expect interest in trading cards to keep growing, but collectible prices can fall as well as rise, so metal cards are best bought for enjoyment rather than as an investment.

Which Official Metal Pokémon Cards Exist?

Official metal Pokémon cards are metal replicas of existing Pokémon TCG cards that The Pokémon Company International included in Ultra-Premium Collection boxes. As of October 2026, Bulbapedia’s list of official metal cards names six:

According to the official Pokémon product page, the Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection was released in late 2021 for the brand’s 25th anniversary and contained two commemorative metal cards of Base Set Pikachu and Base Set Charizard, alongside a gold Pikachu V, a gold Poké Ball card, a metal coin and booster packs. The Celebrations metal cards have gold-colored faces and blue-and-yellow backs; the Arceus cards that followed in 2022 were made in full color.

The Greninja ex Ultra-Premium Collection, released on November 1, 2024 as a GameStop exclusive in the United States according to product announcements, paired a regular Greninja ex card with a metallic print of the same card. Many newer premium boxes contain a metal coin rather than a metal card: the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection (November 2025) and the 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections, listed for November 6, 2026, each include one metal coin and foil promo cards, according to their official product pages.

Burger King Gold Cards vs Official Metal Cards

The 1999 Burger King gold cards and the modern metal cards are often confused, but they are different products. Bulbapedia notes that the official metal cards should not be confused with the 23-karat gold cards Burger King distributed in 1999.

The Burger King certificate of authenticity was signed by Howard Lincoln, then Chairman of Nintendo of America. A Burger King gold card that still has its Poké Ball, box and certificate is generally more desirable to collectors than a loose card. For the paper side of gold collecting, see the most expensive gold Pokémon cards guide.

How Can You Tell an Official Metal Card From a Custom or Fake One?

An official metal Pokémon card matches one of the six designs above, reproduces an existing card, and normally comes from the matching Ultra-Premium Collection. Use these checks before buying:

1. Match the design to the official list. A metal Umbreon, Rayquaza or full-art trainer, for example, does not appear on the official list, so it is a custom piece however it is described.
2. Compare every detail with the paper card. The set number, attack text, artwork and fonts should match the original card listed in the table.
3. Check the card back. Compare it with a known genuine back; the guide to every Pokémon card back design shows what official backs look like.
4. Check the size. Measure the card against a standard paper card; the guide to every size of Pokémon card lists official dimensions.
5. Ask for the box. A seller with the original Ultra-Premium Collection packaging gives buyers more confidence than a loose card shown in stock photos.
6. Be wary of bundles. Listings that offer several gold metal cards at once, or Charizard in many variants, are typically custom products.

What Affects the Value of a Metal Pokémon Card?

• Official status: one of the six official metal cards or a Burger King gold card is generally of more interest to collectors than a custom piece.
• The Pokémon featured: popular Pokémon such as Charizard and Pikachu usually draw more demand.
• Condition: scratches, dents and worn plating reduce value.
• Packaging: an unopened Ultra-Premium Collection, or a Burger King card with its Poké Ball and certificate, usually sells for more than a loose card.
• Recent sales: prices change over time, so check completed sales on major marketplaces rather than asking prices.

Prices for metal cards move with demand, so this guide does not quote fixed figures. For paper cards, the Pokémon card prices guide explains how values are set.

Written byAnkita Neogi

Ankita Neogi has published 791 articles on Justwebworld since 2020, mostly covering Food, Mind and People.

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