Erika's Dragonair

Erika's Dragonair is card 4 of 132 in Gym Heroes, released in August 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 1 Colorless-type with 80 HP.

As a Stage 1, it evolves from Erika's Dratini, which places Erika's Dragonair deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.

Erika is the Grass-type Gym Leader of Celadon City, a calm tea enthusiast who tends the city's gardens. Erika's Dragonair 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.

The middle Dratini stage. Long serpentine body with crystal orbs. Base Set Uncommon. Quietly beautiful art makes it a fan favorite.

Erika's Dragonair is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Gym Heroes'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, Gym Heroes holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to Sabrina's Gengar at the top; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.

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

Grading Erika's Dragonair comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Erika's Dragonair can drop from a 10 to a 9 on a single hairline. Inspect the window at an angle and the corners against the frame.

Buying Erika's Dragonair well means pricing the exact print and grade, not the card name. The 1st Edition Erika's Dragonair trades above the Unlimited copy, so confirm the stamp before you agree a number. Always see the holo surface in good light first.