Ninetales

Numbered 12 of 102 in Base Set, released in January 1999, Ninetales is a Rare Holo, a Stage 1 Fire-type carrying 80 HP.

It evolves from Vulpix, so Ninetales is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.

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.

Ninetales carries this Pokédex flavor text: "Very smart and very vengeful. Grabbing one of its many tails could result in a 1,000-year curse."

The fully evolved Vulpix. Nine tails, mystical Japanese kitsune influence in the design. Base Set holo Ninetales is one of the more aesthetically beloved holos in the set and a steady performer in graded prices.

Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $24 to $500 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $1,980 to $2,030. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $2,000. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-06-02.

Base Set produced three print waves that collectors track separately: 1st Edition (the launch print, with an Edition 1 stamp under the artwork), Shadowless (no stamp and no drop shadow on the right of the frame), and Unlimited (the long-running print with the drop shadow restored). On Ninetales, the price gap between these prints can run 10x or more, so confirm the variant before any purchase.

Ninetales lives and dies on its holo surface in grading. The fire foil catches light at angles that hide hairlines in a flat photo, so tilt it under a lamp, then measure the borders, where Wizards-era centering is the second-most-common grade cap.

When you go to buy Ninetales, settle three things in order: the print variant, the condition, and a comp for that exact combination. A blended average across variants will mislead you on Ninetales, so price the specific copy in front of you.