Mewtwo Gold Star: The EX Era's Definitive Chase Card
The gold-star cards were the first true ultra-rare chase of the mid-2000s, and Mewtwo from Holon Phantoms is the one collectors point to. Here is what drives it and what to check.
Before full arts and secret rainbow rares, the mid-2000s had the gold stars — a tiny run of ultra-rare cards marked with a gold ✦ next to the name, pulled at brutal odds. The Mewtwo Gold Star from 2006's Holon Phantoms, card 103/110, is the one that defines the subset: a shining alternate coloring of the most iconic Psychic Pokémon, and the first true chase card for a whole generation of collectors.
Gold stars were the cards you never actually pulled. You knew someone who knew someone. That scarcity of memory is part of why they command what they do now.The EX-era collector's rule of thumb
Why gold stars command a premium
Gold stars were seeded at roughly one per box or worse, so the print population is genuinely small — unlike most modern chase cards, this is a scarcity story as much as a demand one. Layer Mewtwo's franchise-wide popularity and the shining alternate coloring on top of that thin supply, and you get a card that has been a blue-chip EX-era grail for the better part of two decades.
The condition and authenticity problem
Because supply is thin and prices are high, gold stars are among the more counterfeited cards of their era, and genuine copies are often found with the edge and surface wear typical of mid-2000s foils. That combination is why so much gold-star money flows into graded, authenticated slabs: the grade certifies both condition and authenticity in one step.
What to check before you buy
Authenticity first — for a card at this price, prefer a slab from a major grader or demand clear, in-hand photos and provenance for a raw copy. Then centering, the holo surface under raking light, and the corners. If you are buying a slab, verify the cert against the grader's population lookup so you know the population and the exact card you are paying for.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gold star card?
Gold stars are ultra-rare cards from the 2004-2007 EX era, marked with a gold ✦ next to the Pokémon's name and printed in a shining alternate coloring. They were pulled at very low odds — roughly one per box — which makes their print population small.
Should I buy raw or graded?
For a card this valuable and this frequently counterfeited, most collectors prefer a graded copy from a major grader. A grade certifies authenticity and condition together, which matters more on gold stars than on almost any other EX-era card.