Giovanni's Gyarados

Giovanni's Gyarados is card 5 of 132 in Gym Challenge, released in October 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 1 Water-type with 90 HP.

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

Giovanni is the Ground-type Gym Leader of Viridian City and the secret boss of Team Rocket. Giovanni's Gyarados is part of that themed lineup.

Illustrated by Ken Sugimori. Sugimori is the lead character designer of Pokémon itself, so his card art carries the tight, on-model look that defined how the creatures appear in the games.

The fully evolved Magikarp. A massive serpentine water-flying dragon. Famous for the disproportionate evolution arc. Base Set holo Gyarados is one of the most aesthetically beloved holos in the set. Steady graded demand and appreciation.

Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $98 to $413 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $2,190 to $7,500. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $7,500. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-05-19.

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

For graded buyers, the holo window on Giovanni's Gyarados is where most points are won or lost. Surface scratches and foil misregistration are common on Wizards-era cards, and centering was inconsistent enough that clean PSA 10s stay scarce. Read the water foil at a 45-degree angle under strong light before committing.

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