Alakazam · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Alakazam card
Alakazam is card 1 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Psychic-type with 100 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Kadabra, which places Alakazam deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Hajime Kusajima.
About Alakazam in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Abra line. Two silver spoons, large mustache. Base Set holo Alakazam (#1 in the set) is the first card in the run. Sells for a premium over other Base holos because of position significance.
What is Alakazam worth?
Alakazam is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Expedition Base Set's value. The print variant decides most of it: a 1st Edition copy in high grade commands a large premium over a Shadowless or Unlimited one. In top-grade 1st Edition, Expedition Base Set holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Confirm the print and finish on Alakazam before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Alakazam lives and dies on its holo surface in grading. The psychic foil catches light at angles that hide hairlines in a flat photo, so tilt it under a lamp, then measure the borders, where Wizards-era centering is the second-most-common grade cap.
If you are collecting Alakazam
If you are buying Alakazam, work in order: confirm the print variant first, then the grade, then price against recent sales for that exact variant and grade. For a raw Alakazam above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
