Japan — 1996 Bandai Carddass Charizard Green Prism Holo

**A CGC PRISTINE 10 (GOLD LABEL) REPRESENTS A TECHNICALLY HIGHER TIER OF CARD CONDITION AND STRICTER GRADING STANDARD THAN A STANDARD PSA 10 (GEM MINT) ***

Pokémon Carddass Part 1 | No. 006 | Green Prism Holo | Bandai, 1996 | CGC Pristine 10

Predating the widely recognized Pokémon Trading Card Game, this exceptional 1996 Bandai Carddass Charizard belongs to one of the earliest officially released Pokémon card series. Distributed through Bandai’s Carddass vending machines in Japan in September 1996, the Part 1 series appeared before the Japanese Pokémon Trading Card Game’s October launch. This distinction places the card at the very beginning of Pokémon’s collectible-card history, from a period when the franchise was still establishing the visual identity that would become a worldwide phenomenon. The Carddass releases are often discussed as some of the first Pokémon cards ever issued, separate from the later trading-card game itself.

The card features Charizard, Pokémon No. 006, rendered in the distinctive illustration style associated with the original generation. Its defining feature is the green prism holographic finish, which produces a shifting, multicolored effect across the card’s background. Bandai produced both red and green versions of the holographic Prism cards, creating separate visual variants of the same Pokémon. These were not simply different-colored backs or later collector modifications; the color variation was part of the original production. Charizard’s enduring popularity, combined with the distinctive prism treatment, has made both versions particularly sought after by vintage Pokémon collectors.

The Carddass series occupies a fascinating place in Pokémon history because it emerged before the familiar format of Pokémon cards featuring attacks, Energy requirements, and competitive deck-building. These cards functioned primarily as collectible Pokédex-style pieces rather than as playable cards in the modern Pokémon TCG. Their illustrations and printed information celebrated the original 151 Pokémon, translating the characters from Nintendo’s early Game Boy games into a physical collecting format. The cards were dispensed through vending machines, a distribution method that differs significantly from the sealed booster packs that later became synonymous with Pokémon collecting.

This example is particularly distinguished by its CGC Pristine 10 grade, the highest designation shown on its holder. Early Carddass cards were distributed through vending machines and were handled and collected in an era when few people anticipated their eventual significance. Finding examples that retain exceptional condition decades later is challenging, making top-graded specimens especially notable. A July 2025 auction record for a green Charizard Carddass Prism graded CGC Pristine 10 reported a population of just six at that time, illustrating the scarcity of examples at this grade; grading populations can change as additional cards are submitted.

Nearly three decades after its release, this card stands as a remarkable artifact from Pokémon’s earliest collecting era. Its significance rests on the convergence of the 1996 Bandai Carddass release, the green prism holographic variant, Charizard’s status as one of the franchise’s defining Pokémon, and the exceptional CGC Pristine 10 grade. Long before Pokémon cards became a global collecting phenomenon, Bandai’s vending-machine releases helped introduce the original Pokémon roster to collectors in a new format. This Charizard preserves that early chapter in outstanding condition.