Dark Raichu · Legendary Collection, what to know.
About the Dark Raichu card
Numbered 7 of 110 in Legendary Collection, released in May 2002, Dark Raichu is a Rare Holo, a Stage 1 Lightning-type carrying 70 HP.
It evolves from Pikachu, so Dark Raichu is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Team Rocket darkened Raichu under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
Printed on the card, the Raichu Pokédex entry reads: "Stores up electricity in its body, then suddenly releases it to surprise and shock everyone."
About Raichu in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Pikachu. Larger, orange-yellow body, with a long tail. Rare in the wild; usually requires a Thunder Stone evolution. Base Set holo Raichu is one of the famous "where is mine" cards. Its print run had inconsistent centering, and a famously rare prerelease variant exists.
What is Dark Raichu worth?
Dark Raichu is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Legendary Collection'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, Legendary Collection 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 Dark Raichu before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Dark Raichu. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the lightning foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Dark Raichu
For Dark Raichu, variant comes before condition. A 1st Edition and an Unlimited Dark Raichu are different markets for the same art, so settle the print before you negotiate. Demand a clear photo of the Dark Raichu holo for any raw purchase.
