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The base set of Team Rocket was released on April 24, 2000. Despite recently celebrating its 25th anniversary, it’s still heralded in the community.
What made Team Rocket unique at the time was its focus on villains, something that hadn’t been done before. Its namesake, Team Rocket, is a criminal organization from the original Pokémon games and TV show.
Members of Team Rocket were known for stealing Pokémon instead of capturing their own, tricking and ambushing unsuspecting trainers and generally using dishonest tactics to their advantage.
The cards in this set are characterized by “Dark Pokémon,” which represent the Pokémon that were influenced and controlled by the shady practices of Team Rocket.
Many of the fan-favorites and most important characters in the Pokémon TCG universe are featured in the set, with some of them being worth a lot of money. Let’s take a look at three of the most valuable cards from Pokémon Team Rocket!
#3: Team Rocket 1st Edition Dark Blastoise #3 – $124.99
The third card in the Team Rocket set, this Dark Blastoise card is another one that can fetch a decent amount of money.
Even though they aren’t as iconic as cards like Charizard, Blastoise cards still evoke a significant amount of nostalgia due to the Pokémon’s status as a classic in its history. Out of all the cards in this set, this is one of the most visually appealing ones with the starry background and Dark Blastoise’s water cannons ready to fire.
This card is known for its striking design and limited amount of high grades, which elevates the value of these Dark Blastoise Holofoil cards. According to the Ludex app, these cards come in with an estimated value of $124.99.
#2: Team Rocket 1st Edition Dark Charizard #21 – $149.99
Consistently one of the most valuable Pokémon in the history of the hobby, Charizard appears in the Team Rocket set in the “Dark Charizard” form for the first time.
The artwork in this “Dark Charizard” card is unique when compared to other card art, as Charizard has a more aggressive and shadowy appearance in this one.
Similar to a lot of Charizards from early Pokémon sets, this Dark Charizard card is worth quite a bit of money. According to the Ludex app, they estimate that one of these cards is $149.99. In the same set, there’s a Holofoil version of Dark Charizard. One of these that’s been graded at the gem-mint condition can cost thousands of dollars.
#1: Team Rocket 1st Edition Dark Dragonite #5 – $179.99
Perhaps the most valuable card to pull from the Team Rocket set is this Dark Dragonite card.
This card ended up being a favorite for many fans of the Pokémon universe, as it put a twist on the usual vibes for Dragonite. Despite typically being known for being a friendly and upbeat character, especially for a dragon-type, in this card things are different. Dark Dragonite is pictured in front of a dark sky and more serious facial expression, perhaps showing that he’s been changed by Team Rocket.
Per the estimation of the Ludex app, if you wanted to purchase this Dark Dragonite card, it would cost you around $179.99. This shows how much these vintage Team Rocket cards can be worth.
On May 30, a new addition to the Pokémon TCG collection was released. One of the most anticipated releases of the year, Scarlet and Violet – Destined Rivals, dropped at stores across the country and its new cards have entered the hobby.
If you’re interested in learning more about valuable Pokémon cards, here’s a list of the Top 3 Pokémon Cards In Base Set 2 from the Ludex blog.
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