Kingdra

Kingdra is card 8 of 111 in Neo Genesis, released in December 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Water-type with 90 HP.

As a Stage 2, it evolves from Seadra, which places Kingdra deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.

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 card's flavor text gives Kingdra a line of lore: "It is said that it usually hides in underwater caves. It can create whirlpools by yawning."

The Water-Dragon evolution of Seadra when traded with Dragon Scale. Neo Revelation holo Kingdra is a quiet collector favorite. Aquapolis Kingdra is one of the most-loved Crystal-treatment cards.

Kingdra is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Neo Genesis'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, Neo Genesis holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to Lugia at the top; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.

Neo Genesis produced 1st Edition, Unlimited prints. For Kingdra, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.

Grading Kingdra comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Kingdra 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 Kingdra well means pricing the exact print and grade, not the card name. The 1st Edition Kingdra trades above the Unlimited copy, so confirm the stamp before you agree a number. Always see the holo surface in good light first.