Feeling a bit peckish? Well, if you recently found yourself with a spare $90,000, you could have been in the bidding race for a unique piece of Pokémon memorabilia. A Cheeto dubbed “Cheetozard,” which some claim resembles Charizard, was recently up for grabs at auction. After everything was said and done, including the buyer’s premium fee, it sold for just over $87,000.
Now, instead of investing in Pokémon TCG Pocket packs, you could have opted for an aged cheese puff—possibly as old as eight years—that faintly resembles a dragon.
This particular Flamin’ Hot Cheeto was part of an auction hosted by Goldin Auctions, a U.S.-based auction house known for collectables. When the auction wrapped up on March 2, the Cheeto had fetched a winning bid of $72,000. Just for a bit of context, that’s less than what a game-worn Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls jersey from the ’90s is currently going for at the same auction house, but it surpassed bids for a game-worn LeBron James Lakers jersey.
The auction description on the site reads: “Presented is a 3-inch long Flamin’ Hot Cheeto in the shape of the Pokémon Charizard, affixed to a customized Pokémon card and encapsulated in a clear card storage box.” This Cheeto was found and preserved by 1st & Goal Collectibles sometime between 2018 and 2022, and it skyrocketed in social media fame by late 2024.
Take a look at the image of the Cheetozard. Pretty iconic, right? It’s enshrined in all its cheesy glory, thanks to Goldin Auctions.
In total, there were 60 bids for this non-edible snack, and sympathy goes out to the bidder who initially offered $67,000, only to be outbid a mere 11 minutes later by the ultimate victor.
But here’s the kicker: honestly, I don’t think you’ve missed out on much. This might sound like heresy to some, but I think the Cheeto looks more like a standard dragon than it does Charizard specifically. Honestly, in my humble opinion, considering how unmistakably orange Cheetos are—which, let’s face it, is not a natural trait—it’s doing most of the work in making people see Charizard. Sure, the shape of the arms might hint at Charizard more than at any other famous dragons, but that’s about it.
We’d love to hear your thoughts—how much would you have shelled out for Cheetozard? Let us know, and in the meantime, check out our collection of TCG Pocket guides for expert tips on trading, deck-building, and everything from Cresselia to Yanmega.
