Machamp · Legendary Collection, what to know.
About the Machamp card
Machamp is card 15 of 110 in Legendary Collection, released in May 2002, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Fighting-type with 100 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Machoke, which places Machamp 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 Machamp a line of lore: "Using its amazing muscles, it throws powerful punches that can knock its victim clear over the horizon."
About Machamp in the Pokémon world
The Fighting-type final form of the Machop line. Four arms. Base Set holo Machamp is the only holo card guaranteed to appear in 1st Edition Base Set starter decks (the Bulbasaur preconstructed deck). Its 1st Edition print is dramatically more common than other Base holos in 1st Edition because of this. The Unlimited print population mostly came from booster packs and is much smaller.
What is Machamp worth?
Machamp is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Legendary Collection'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, Legendary Collection holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Confirm the print and finish on Machamp before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Machamp. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the fighting foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Machamp
Buying Machamp well means pricing the exact print and grade, not the card name. The 1st Edition Machamp trades above the Unlimited copy, so confirm the stamp before you agree a number. Always see the holo surface in good light first.
