CGC Trading Cards Featured Card(s) of the Month: Entei Gold Star, Raikou Gold Star and Suicune Gold Star

Game: Pokémon Trading Card Game

Set: EX Unseen Forces (2005)

Cards: Entei Gold Star, Raikou Gold Star and Suicune Gold Star

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What makes them special? The first cards to feature the Legendary Beasts in their shiny forms — Entei Gold Star, Raikou Gold Star and Suicune Gold Star — are a staple for any Pokémon card collection. Each card features the Legendary Beast in question in their alternate colors, with the Pokémon’s body coming out of the art box slightly for a 3D effect.

Entei, Raikou and Suicune Gold Star were printed for collection purposes and weren’t meant to be used in a deck. In fact, all three cards feature attacks that debilitate the player. For example, Suicune Gold Star’s Cross Wind attack costs three Water energy cards and reads, “If you have less Prize cards left than your opponent, discard all Energy cards attached to all of your Pokémon.” Entei Gold Star and Raikou Gold Star have attacks that have similar effects, discouraging collectors from using them in gameplay.

Did you know? Raikou, Entei and Suicune were the first legendary Pokémon to have their own special battle theme in the video games. In Pokémon Crystal Version, all of the Legendary Beasts shared the same synthesized theme. However, in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Version, the theme was remixed to suit each Pokémon separately — Raikou’s theme uses electric guitar, Entei’s uses a synthesizer and Suicune’s uses bells.

Total graded by CGC Trading Cards: As of February 2023, there are 710 graded examples of Entei Gold Star, 704 graded examples of Raikou Gold Star and 709 graded examples of Suicune Gold Star from the EX Unseen Forces set in the CGC Trading Cards Population Report.

CGC Trading Cards median grade:

• Entei Gold Star: CGC 9
• Raikou Gold Star: CGC 9
• Suicune Gold Star: CGC 9

CGC Trading Cards highest graded:

• Entei Gold Star: CGC Pristine 10 (23 examples)
• Raikou Gold Star: CGC Pristine 10 (32 examples)
• Suicune Gold Star: CGC Pristine 10 (29 examples)

Sales highlights: An Entei Gold Star graded CGC Pristine 10 sold for $1,830 in a PWCC Weekly Auction in October 2022. A Raikou Gold Star graded CGC Pristine 10 sold for $1,710 in the same October 2022 PWCC Weekly Auction, along with a Suicune Gold Star graded CGC Pristine 10 that sold for $1,650. Another Suicune Gold Star graded CGC Pristine 10 sold for $1,110 in a PWCC Weekly Auction in August 2022.

CGC Trading Cards Registry: As of February 2023, there are examples of Entei Gold Star, Raikou Gold Star and Suicune Gold Star in the top three individual EX Unseen Forces sets in the CGC Trading Card Registry. These include all three cards graded CGC Pristine 10 in the top set, EX Unseen Forces by CGC>PSALOL(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ, all three cards graded CGC 9 in EX UNSEEN FORCES by Pokesin and all three cards graded CGC 9.5 in EX Unseen Forces by Atomili.