POKEMON / NOV 2026
Gengar 048/172: Uta's holo Gengar from VSTAR Universe
A closer look at Uta’s Gengar illustration, its card identity and the artist’s wider work.
The art of
Uta
Gengar
VSTAR Universe (s12a) · 048/172 · Japanese · Standard (no edition marking) · Holo · Raw
01 / A closer look
A holo rare in the VSTAR Universe high-class pack
Gengar 048/172 belongs to the Japanese VSTAR Universe set, identified by the code s12a. It is a holo rare with an illustration credited to Uta. The card depicts a Stage 2 Psychic-type Pokémon with 120 HP; those details help separate it from other Gengar releases.
[3, 1]An ability that works from the discard pile
Its ability lets the player, once during their turn, put this Gengar from the discard pile onto the Bench and then place 3 damage counters on it.
[3]Scream Circle
Its attack places 2 damage counters on the opponent's Active Pokémon for each of the opponent's Benched Pokémon.
[3]02 / Behind the artwork
Uta
Uta illustrates Pokémon through expressive poses and carefully staged natural settings.
The VSTAR Universe Gengar, Cosmic Eclipse Ponyta and Crown Zenith Absol all carry Uta’s illustrator credit. Together they provide a useful introduction to the artist’s Pokémon work, moving between a bright outdoor scene and a darker, more expansive setting.
Artist directories associate this illustrator with @Uta12955079. The published card credits are the basis for the connections made here; they do not establish personal biographical details.
[5, 7, 8, 3, 4]More cards. Same imagination.
Ponyta’s raised legs and streaming mane carry movement sideways across the sloping meadow. Gengar’s approach is more confrontational: its face points straight out of the image, with the receding rails directing attention toward its grin.
Absol sits off-centre beneath heavy clouds, leaving room for the rocky valley and water to recede behind it. Where Gengar fills its frame with a nearly symmetrical face, this composition spreads the tension between the creature and the unsettled landscape.
03 / The collector
Cheap and liquid raw market
PriceCharting lists 29 ungraded eBay sales in about twelve days, so raw copies sell often and at low, consistent prices. PSA 10 copies also trade regularly at a much higher level.
[1]04 / The value
The market, in focus.
Gengar · 048/172 · Japanese · USD ($) · Research checked 5 Nov 2026
3.59USD · reference value
Median of 29 ungraded eBay sales of the Japanese VSTAR Universe Gengar 048/172 listed on PriceCharting from 24 Oct 2026 to 4 Nov 2026 is $3.59; the middle half sold between $2.89 and $4.19.[1]
Recorded sale history
1 Nov–4 Nov 2026 · USD ($)
Each dot is one recorded sale. Full dates and sources are in the evidence table.
Where the grades trade
Selected completed sales · USD ($)
Raw / ungraded
6 sales · 1 Nov–4 Nov
$3.68–$6.79
The line spans the observed low and high; the dot marks the median. The same scale is used for every grade.
Raw sold prices
PriceCharting lists 29 matching ungraded eBay sales from 24 Oct 2026 to 4 Nov 2026, from $1.12 to $6.79, with a median of $3.59. One listing described as reverse holo was left out. The most recent sale was $4.48 on 4 Nov 2026.
[1]Graded context
29 PSA 10 eBay sales listed on PriceCharting had a median of $57.00, ranging from $41.00 to $90.27.
[1]Identity checks
Values assume the Japanese VSTAR Universe holo Gengar 048/172, not the English or promo Gengar prints. Prices are US marketplace sales in USD; shipping and taxes are not included.
[1, 3]View all 6 cited observations
| Date | Grade | Price | Venue & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $4.48 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
| 2 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $3.91 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
| 2 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $3.68 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
| 1 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $4.28 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
| 1 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $4.50 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
| 1 Nov 2026 | Raw / ungraded | $6.79 USD · Sold | eBay (via PriceCharting)[1] |
Grade valuation notes
Raw / ungraded
$2.89–$4.19 · typical $3.59
Median of 29 ungraded eBay sales of the Japanese VSTAR Universe Gengar 048/172 listed on PriceCharting from 24 Oct 2026 to 4 Nov 2026 is $3.59; the middle half sold between $2.89 and $4.19.[1]
medium confidence
Sources & references
Published 5 Nov 2026.
- PriceCharting — Gengar 048/172
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Selected dated market references and exact-card image. PriceCharting is cited and linked; original valuation analysis is by SIBIDZ.
- PSA Population Report
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public PSA census; it does not cover ungraded copies.
- Limitless TCG: Gengar, VSTAR Universe (S12a) #48
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public card facts (illustrator, card text, HP) only; its prices are not used.
- Limitless TCG: Japanese cards illustrated by Uta
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public illustrator credit listing only.
- Uta — illustrator profile
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Uta — card catalogue
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Uta — Ponyta
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Official Pokémon scan; printed artist credit verified.
- Uta — Absol
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Official Pokémon scan; printed artist credit verified.
- Artist portrait — SIBIDZ
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Original portrait illustration; creation and reference details retained in its provenance record.
About the evidence
- Sold listings are as reported by PriceCharting and were not individually checked; they are US eBay sales.
- Raw prices depend heavily on condition, which was not assessed.
- The card image is reference artwork, not the customer's card.
Population. The identified card is raw (ungraded); a PSA population report counts only graded copies, so there is no population for an ungraded card.[2]