Charmander · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Charmander card
Numbered 98 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, Charmander is a Common, a Basic Fire-type carrying 50 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Charmander needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
Illustrated by Yuichi Sawayama.
About Charmander in the Pokémon world
The fire starter. A small bipedal reptile with a tail-flame that signals its health. Famous for being the most-picked starter in the original generation. Base Set Charmander has outsized collector interest because of its connection to Charizard. PSA 10 examples are surprisingly difficult given the soft cardstock of the era.
What is Charmander worth?
Charmander is a Common, so raw copies trade for very little and most of the print run survives. The only real value is in pristine, high-grade copies, where even a Common can reach low triple digits in 1st Edition PSA 10. See the live price above for the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Confirm the print and finish on Charmander before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Charmander is the most forgiving tier to grade in the set. Centering on the framed border is the usual cap, and the soft Wizards-era cardstock picks up edge whitening easily, but high print runs keep clean copies affordable.
If you are collecting Charmander
Raw copies of Charmander are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Charmander is the practical move.
