Whether you collect Pokemon cards or got some Pokemon cards from friends or relatives, you may probably know about the value that some of the cards have on both online and street marketplaces. One of those cards is Blastoise which can be extremely valuable if in pristine condition and from some significant collection such as the Base Set. Even today, these Pokemon cards are very popular which makes many collectors want to obtain different versions of them.
Just like with most Pokemon cards, the oldest collections and premium editions are the most valuable on the market, but it’s not always the case if the card is in poor condition. Blastoise Pokemon cards have shown to be quite popular among collectors but they will always hunt the Base Set shadowless and those with a shadow.
Many factors play an important role in how valuable Pokemon cards are, and Blastoise Pokemon cards are no exception. Many people get these cards with both intentions to play and collect, but they don’t take good care of them, and after a few years they’ll be in a poor, heavily-played condition which decreases their value.
The bad news is that their value may be much lower than pristine mint-state cards that can cost thousands of dollars. However, the good news is that pretty much everyone manages to sell Pokemon cards regardless of condition and that collecting houses often purchase old cards to keep them in their ever-growing collections.
Something that also seems to be quite misleading in the world of Pokemon cards is that some people think that just because their card is from an old collection it’s valuable. There are a lot of factors that affect the value of Pokemon cards, and those factors constantly dictate new values.
If you have an old Pokemon card that someone passed down on you or you’ve been collecting, you may feel a little overwhelmed by all the circulating information around. Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to evaluate your Blastoise Pokemon card.
Continue reading this article to see whether your Blastoise card has any value and what other Blastoise Pokemon cards are just as popular. This article is also dedicated to novice collectors who’d like to add a rare Blastoise card to their collection.
Quick Summary: Blastoise Pokemon cards are incredibly rarer compared to most other Pokemon cards. That being said, the cheapest options may cost anywhere from $15 to $50. The most valuable Base Set cards such as First Edition and Shadowless can be valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
About Blastoise Pokemon Card
Whether you’re a collector or trying to sell your Blastoise Pokemon Card, it’ll always come in handy to have some information about the Pokemon you’re trying to sell. Descriptive information on your product page on eBay may convince someone else to give more money, especially if your card is tied to some sentimental story or event.
The first Blastoise Pokemon card made its debut in Japan, back in 1995. They weren’t the typical Pokemon cards you see today. They had shades of green and red and rather looked like typical desk cards with a Pokemon print on the front.
Given that they’re in Japanese, they could have amazing value if you own one. They are still circulating on online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay, but many of them are not in the pristine condition one would hope for.
Still, this is the first Pokemon card that features Blastoise, and it’s worth mentioning that this is long before Wizards of the Coast enabled USA-based Pokemon fans to enjoy the Pokemon Trading Card euphoria with English descriptions.
As the “Topsun” cards took off, Japan released the first official Pokemon card collection in 1996, known as the Pokemon Base Set. The Pokemon descriptions were written in Japanese, and what made that version of Blastoise particularly popular was that there was a low chance of dragging him out, as it is a relatively rare Pokemon to be found in the collection.
Later on, the cards were also featured by Wizards of the Coast for the USA market. One problem they all had to face is the printing of fake cards, which were extremely common in the USA, compared to Japanese cards.
The worst part was that it was quite difficult to identify the fake cards. Luckily, fake Blastoise cards are distinguishable from the rest and can be spotted relatively easily, thanks to the color and printing distortions.
The Base Set cards came in several editions, and all of them are different both in look and in their values. Those cards were also called holo cards because they had holograms which are quite attractive to collectors. There are:
- 1st Edition cards
- Shadowless cards
- Unlimited cards (they have a shadow on the right side of the Pokemon)
Do Blastoise Pokemon Cards Have Any Value?
You’d be surprised to know that Blastoise Pokemon cards are so popular that they can’t be compared to some mainstream Pokemon. As mentioned above, it was rare to draw a Blastoise card from the deck of cards people bought from the collection.
That’s why the 1st Edition cards, the Shadowless cards, and Unlimited cards are considered the holy grail of all Pokemon cards, regardless of whether it’s Blastoise on them or some other Pokemon. If you’re trying to sell your Pokemon card from an older collection, but you aren’t quite sure which card exactly it is, there are a few things that you can do.
As long as your card is real and not a falsified card, your older Blastoise card should be decorated with the 1st edition symbol, which is located anywhere on the card. Those cards are most valuable and if they’re in mint condition, you can sell them for thousands of dollars.
Don’t worry, even if your card is not in perfect condition, many collectors would still like to lay their hands on their version of the 1st Edition Blastoise, except that you’re likely not going to get thousands of dollars like you would for the mint option or near-mint option.
Although fake cards are relatively easy to spot, especially when it comes to the 1st Edition cards, it is still possible to stumble upon a fake that has obscured the proof that it’s a fake to the point those itty bitty details are not recognizable.
That’s why if you suspect that your card is fake, you should take it for a professional evaluation at PSA or some other card-grading company. Don’t take your cards to street vendors or small local stores that you can’t trust 100%, because there’s a huge chance that you’re going to get scammed.
This especially applied to people who recently started collecting cards and don’t have the experience and knowledge that many try to exploit.
That’s about the value of 1st Edition cards. When it comes to Shadowless and Unlimited Blastoise cards, Shadowless cards are much more valuable compared to Unlimited cards which have a shadow to them. These three variants of the Blastoise cards are present in the Base Pokemon Set.
The last Base Set Pokemon Blastoise Cards were printed in 1999, particularly the Unlimited Cards. Unfortunately, the Unlimited Cards are the least valuable Pokemon cards from the base set.
Nevertheless, they can still be worth a lot of money if they’re in good to great condition, and even more, if they are graded 9 to 10 mint. Collectors will gladly settle for the shadow Blastoise card until they get a better option for themselves.
The cards from later years are less valuable, but they still have a good selling point on eBay and other online marketplaces. Keep in mind that these cards are more available, so you’re likely not going to sell your card for thousands of dollars unless it’s in perfect condition.
Also Read:
- Rarest & Most Valuable Raichu Pokemon Cards (Worth Up to $9,000)
- Pikachu Pokémon Card Value Guide (Most Valuable Rare One Sold For $840,000)
- Pokemon Card Grading Explained (Best Grading Service For Pokemon Cards)
- Most Valuable Gold Pokémon Card List (Your Gold-Plated Cards from Burger King Aren’t Worth Squat)
Blastoise Pokemon Card Value: How Much Does it Worth?
We spent a significant portion of the article guide explaining what Blastoise Pokemon cards were featured the first, and what are their values compared to newer sets and collections. Now, it’s time to look into the values of Blastoise Pokemon cards which are said to be quite rare on the market.
To prove to you that Blastoise cards are so extremely rare just shows the fact that even the cards that have grades 6 to 8 can be sold for thousands of dollars, especially if they’re some type of an error or belong to a special holo collection.
Don’t get us wrong, some cards have a value of only $1 to 40 dollars, but these cards are extremely circulated and abundant on the global market, which leads to lower values. As the rarity, set and condition improve, the value also increases.
Are you ready to see how much the most valuable Blastoise Pokemon card sold? Blastoise Hologram Galaxy Star card was sold for an astonishing $360,000 at an auction, which tops the vast majority of Pokemon auctions we’ve ever seen. It wasn’t even in mint condition. Instead, it was rated as near-mint with grade 8.
The Gold Border Blastoise Pokemon card from 1998 was sold for $216,000 even though it was rated only as 6.5. However, that’s the power of the First Edition cards which were not only rare to be drawn, but also quite sought after by both Pokemon card game fans and collectors.
Needless to say, the error cards are also quite valuable among Blastoise collectors. For example, this card from the Unlimited edition was printed with a square cut, which is a visible printing error, and sold for $6,000. It’s worth noting that it is in mint condition.
The printing error on the 25th anniversary Pokemon cards is less valuable than those on the base set. Still, this Blastoise card in the near-mint state was sold for $500.
Most Valuable Blastoise Pokemon Cards
If you’re not sure whether your Blastoise card is rare or valuable, we set aside 5 of the most valuable rare Blastoise Pokemon cards. Make sure to check if your card is one of these five cards. It’ll help you get a lot of money if your card is in a good condition and one of these five.
Blastoise XY Black Star Promo EX (2016)
- Sold for: $1,020
Promo cards serve to promote an upcoming edition or a collection and usually come as part of the boxed stack of Pokemon cards. Usually, they’re not too valuable because they lack many of the features that original cards have printed out.
Nevertheless, as time passes by, the value simply builds itself up, especially in case of Blastoise XY Black Star promo card. Even though this card came out only some years ago, its value built up to over $1,000 and that doesn’t surprise us at all given how valuable this Pokemon is.
This particular card was in mint state, as rated by PSA, which just adds up to its original value. You can usually find this card for anywhere from $5 to $50 depending on the condition it is in and whether it was graded professionally.
Blastoise Base Set (1999)
- Sold for: $43,200
When it comes to Base Set 1 and Base Set 2, these are two almost identical cards. Although some collectors value the Set 2 option to be more valuable compared to its older sibling. Nevertheless, the arrangement of the Pokemon logo and some other features is slightly different which is about the only thing that can set these two apart.
This Base Set card was sold for over $43,000 which sets it to be one of the more valuable Blastoise Pokemon cards, although not as valuable as other ones. If you search eBay, you’ll see that this card is listed in varying values. However, in the end, you’ll see that it all comes down to the condition and grade that the card received by PSA or some other company.
Blastoise Plasma Storm Secret Rare (2012)
- Sold for: $2,000
The Plasma Storm card is also among the more popular ones. It was featured in 2012, which just goes to show that even the more recent Pokemon cards can have an extremely high value. That’s because this is a secret rare card that usually gets covered in a rainbow gradient hologram to highlight its importance and rarity.
Since there are some of the earliest secret rare cards, they’re simply highlighted with a gold border to show that they’re a secret rare and that they’re different compared to other cards you may have. These cards are still quite valuable. This one was sold for $2,000 and was graded with 10 mint grade. Even the cards graded with lower marks are quite valuable on the market and may cost over $200.
Team Rocket Dark Blastoise (2000)
Sold for: $6,000
There are several versions of this card, one is the regular mainstream Team Rocket Dark Blastoise card which tends to go from $15 to $30 depending on the condition it is in. However, the Hologram Dark Blastoise card is extremely rare and can be put for thousands of dollars in the open market. This is one such card, which was sold for $6,000 which just goes on to show how valuable it is. Keep in mind that grade plays the most important role in determining the final value of the card.
Base Set Shadowless Blastoise (1999)
Sold for: $80,000
As we mentioned earlier, these cards are the most valuable Blastoise cards next to First Edition cards, and this being sold for $80,000 proves that. Some variants were similarly valued, and some were sold for, even more, depending on their condition. This one was a clean 10 out of 10 mint state card.
The cards that are fairly graded at 4 to 6 can be still sold for hundreds of dollars. It’s just important to appraise with someone reliable, and if you believe that your card is in a good condition take it to some grading company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Given that Blastoise is such a rare card, there must be a lot of questions about it concerning you. That being said, we created this section to help you have them answered.
Where Can You Buy Rare Blastoise Cards?
If you’re curious about where you can buy the best quality Blastoise cards, you should visit eBay. The Pokemon cards there are quite prominent and if you check it regularly and thoroughly, we’re sure some ultra-rare cards may pop up. Tracking old sales and auctions will also help you set the value for your cards.
Occasionally, other sites may offer some good Blastoise cards, but very rarely. Most of the sites are not so reliable, so it’d be best to stick to eBay as long as you can verify that the seller is trusted on the platform.
How to Know My Pokemon Card’s Grade?
If you visited eBay or some other online marketplace where you can buy or sell Pokemon cards, you must’ve noticed that some sellers got their cards graded professionally. Professionals will look at your cards and determine their condition, rarity and value. The best cards are graded from 9 to 10, and those are known as mint or pristine cards.
Anywhere from 8 (near-mint) is considered highly valuable. Still, when it comes to a card as rare as Blastoise, we’re sure that even those cards that are graded lower have a quite high value.
What Are Some Pokemon Card Grading Companies?
Some of the most popular Pokemon card grading companies are CGC, Beckett, and PSA, with PSA being everyone’s most reliable choice.
