Blastoise · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Blastoise card
Numbered 4 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, Blastoise is a Rare Holo, a Stage 2 Water-type carrying 100 HP.
It evolves from Wartortle, so Blastoise is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Illustrated by Kimiya Masago.
About Blastoise in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved water starter. A heavy turtle with water cannons mounted on its shell. A defensive powerhouse in the games and a frequent tournament pick. The water Charizard equivalent. There is also a famous 1999 Galaxy Star Holo Blastoise presentation prototype which is a separate artifact from the standard print and trades for high six figures.
What is Blastoise worth?
Blastoise 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 Blastoise before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Grading Blastoise comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Blastoise can drop from a 10 to a 9 on a single hairline. Inspect the window at an angle and the corners against the frame.
If you are collecting Blastoise
When you go to buy Blastoise, settle three things in order: the print variant, the condition, and a comp for that exact combination. A blended average across variants will mislead you on Blastoise, so price the specific copy in front of you.
