A pristine, first-edition, shadowless Holographic Charizard Pokémon card from 1999 is going up for auction Friday, tokenized via Ethereum scaling network Polygon and auctioned by collectibles platform Courtyard.
Polygon Labs and Courtyard have teamed up to tokenize the PSA 10-graded card, securely stored in a Brink's vault, with an estimated value of $250,000. The 30-day online auction aims to demonstrate blockchain's potential in the collectibles market, the companies said.
"This auction isn't just about a Charizard card; it's about showing how blockchain can revolutionize the collectibles world," Polygon Labs Chief Executive Officer Marc Boiron made the following statement. "From traditional collectors to DeFi enthusiasts, we're inviting everyone to experience the benefits of on-chain ownership."
Digital platform that allows for the instant sale of physical products (such as cards) using blockchain tokens or NFTs. Features include secure storage, high-resolution models and international trading. The digital platform allows collectors to access immutable records of ownership and facilitate trades without the need for physical shipping. The vault can be shipped out to owners who wish to hold the card.
A representative of Polygon Labs said that the company is a leader in its field. “purchased the card directly from a reputable seller in the trading card space.” Public.com data shows that similar cards are being sold at prices between 264,000 dollars and 400 thousand dollars since 2020.
"Tokenization is changing the game for collectibles,” said Courtyard CEO Nicolas le Jeune, in a statement. “With this auction, we're not just spotlighting an iconic card; we're demonstrating how Courtyard's platform is transforming how people collect and trade."
Note from the editor: this article was written using AI. This article was edited and fact checked by Andrew Hayward. After publication, the note was added to indicate that this card is one of the rarest. "shadowless" variety.