CGC Cards Hot List: Mega Evolution Black Star Promos

In anticipation of the upcoming 30th anniversary set releasing in September, CGC has seen a surge of submissions that include Mega Evolution Black Star Promo cards. Black Star Promo cards have been around since the early days of the Pokémon TCG and remain popular among both tournament players and collectors. The latest era of the TCG, Mega Evolution, includes some amazing Black Star Promos, including a Mega Charizard X ex (which is on our list). Here are the five Mega Evolution Black Star Promo cards that were most submitted through the month of March.

CGC Cards’ Hot List: Top 5 Mega Evolution Black Star Promos

Charcadet – 022

The Pokémon Company began including full-art Black Star Promos in Elite Trainer Box (ETB) products as a small bonus in the Scarlet and Violet era of the Pokémon TCG. Phantasmal Flame’s ETB came packaged with this alternate art Charcadet, excitedly watching an ongoing sports event. The card’s main ability, Gather Strength, also makes it desirable in decks because it allows players to farm two Basic Energy cards for the price of one. CGC has certified nearly a thousand examples of this Charcadet Black Star Promo, according to the CGC Cards Population Report.

Mega Venusaur ex – 013

Mega Venusaur ex is a fantastic example of a Black Star Promo that is desirable to tournament players. Its main ability, Solar Transfer, lets players move around their Grass Energy cards as much as they like during the main phase of their turn, giving them freedom to set up their main Pokémon and benches incredibly quickly given the right conditions. This Mega Venusaur ex was distributed through the Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection, which was released alongside Mega Evolution.

Haunter – 027

Haunter — the middle evolution of the Gastly line, and the pre-evolved form of Gengar — is generally well-liked among Pokémon fans. It’s no wonder, then, that its promo card is extremely popular among collectors. Just look at it — illustrator Arai Kiriko beautifully captures Haunter’s spookiness by painting it sitting in a background of dark foliage with a full orange moon in the sky. If you’re a fan of Gengar, Haunter or Gastly, this card is a must-have for your collection.

Mega Charizard X ex – 023

Mega Evolutions returned in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which meant the return of everyone’s favorite mega-evolved fire-breathing lizard! Mega Charizard X shows off in all of its blue-and-black glory in this stunning full-art illustration, complete with the kanji attack text in the background. For collectors who didn’t pull the alternate art Mega Charizard X ex in Phantasmal Flames, this Black Star Promo is an excellent substitute for a binder or graded collection. Other collectors seem to think so, too, because CGC has already certified more than 13,000 examples of this Mega Charizard X ex promo card, according to the CGC Cards Population Report.

Oricorio ex – 024

Released alongside the Mega Charizard X ex promo in the Mega Charizard X Premium Collection, this Oricorio ex card features a full-art illustration by Shinji Kanda, the artist behind the Paldean Fates alternate art Magikarp. Many collectors have dedicated sections in their collections for Kanda’s artwork, which has led to a surge in popularity for Oricorio ex. CGC has certified more than 12,000 examples of Oricorio ex, according to the CGC Cards Population Report.

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Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.

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