Magikarp · Team Rocket, what to know.
About the Magikarp card
Magikarp is card 47 of 83 in Team Rocket, released in April 2000, an Uncommon. It is a Basic Water-type with 30 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Magikarp needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
Illustrated by Kagemaru Himeno. Himeno is one of the most-recognized vintage illustrators, with a softer, more textured style that shows up across the Jungle and Neo runs.
The card's flavor text gives Magikarp a line of lore: "Recent research has revealed the presence of dragon DNA in this species of Pokémon."
About Magikarp in the Pokémon world
A water-type fish famous for being almost useless until it evolves into Gyarados. Base Set Common. Sentimental and emotionally significant for many collectors.
What is Magikarp worth?
Magikarp 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.
Print variants and how to spot them
Team Rocket shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The 1st Edition Magikarp carries the Edition 1 stamp under the artwork and trades above the Unlimited copy in matching grade. The set is also home to Dark Raichu, the first Secret Rare ever printed.
Grading and condition
Magikarp 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.
If you are collecting Magikarp
Raw copies of Magikarp are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Magikarp is the practical move.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition 1 stamp under the artwork. Trades above Unlimited in matching grade.
No stamp. The standard, more affordable print.
