Erika's Clefairy

Numbered 40 of 132 in Gym Challenge, released in October 2000, Erika's Clefairy is an Uncommon, a Basic Colorless-type carrying 50 HP.

As a Basic Pokémon, Clefairy needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.

Erika is the Grass-type Gym Leader of Celadon City, a calm tea enthusiast who tends the city's gardens. Erika's Clefairy is part of that themed lineup.

Illustrated by Atsuko Nishida. Nishida is the original designer of Pikachu and many Gen 1 Pokémon, and her card work has a soft, rounded warmth that suits the friendlier creatures.

A pink fairy-type Pokémon (originally Normal in Gen 1). Famous for being almost-mascot before Pikachu took the slot in the anime. Base Set holo Clefairy is one of the original 16 holos and trades steadily. Its connection to the early Pokémon marketing makes it a sentimental pick.

Erika's Clefairy is an Uncommon, so raw copies are inexpensive and easy to find. The value is in condition: a genuine PSA 10, especially 1st Edition, can still reach a surprising figure for an otherwise common card. The live price above breaks it down by grade.

Gym Challenge shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The trainer-prefix naming runs across the set, and the 1st Edition Erika's Clefairy carries the Edition 1 stamp and a premium over Unlimited in matching grade.

Erika's Clefairy grades forgivingly, but the same centering and edge standards apply. Pack-fresh raw copies are easy to find, which makes a clean PSA 10 submission a low-cost way to learn how the cardstock behaves under grading.

Raw copies of Erika's Clefairy are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Erika's Clefairy is the practical move.