Koga's Pidgey

Numbered 49 of 132 in Gym Challenge, released in October 2000, Koga's Pidgey is an Uncommon, a Basic Colorless-type carrying 40 HP.

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

Koga is the Poison-type Gym Leader of Fuchsia City, a ninja who later rises to the Elite Four. Koga's Pidgey 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 first normal-flying Pokémon collectors meet in the games. Brown sparrow silhouette. Vintage Pidgey is a budget collector entry point. PSA 10 prints from Base Set are inexpensive and a good first grading submission.

Koga's Pidgey 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 Koga's Pidgey carries the Edition 1 stamp and a premium over Unlimited in matching grade.

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