Pinsir · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Pinsir card
Pinsir is card 29 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, a Rare. It is a Basic Grass-type with 60 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Pinsir 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 Pokédex entry printed on Pinsir reads: "If it fails to crush the victim in its pincers, it will swing its victim around and toss it hard."
About Pinsir in the Pokémon world
A Bug-type stag beetle with prominent pincers. Jungle holo Pinsir is one of the more aggressive-looking Jungle holos and has steady collector demand.
What is Pinsir worth?
Pinsir is a non-holo Rare. In Base Set 2, value concentrates in the holo rares, so a Pinsir trades modestly, though a clean, well-centered 1st Edition copy in PSA 10 is scarcer than the print run suggests and carries a real premium. Check the live price above for the figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Pinsir, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Pinsir grades on centering and edges more than surface. The card was played and traded more freely than the holos, so a clean, well-centered Pinsir is worth more than collectors assume.
If you are collecting Pinsir
For Pinsir, check centering by eye, edge whitening on all four sides, and surface under angled light. Non-holo Rares from this era are cheap enough that a PSA 10 submission on a clean Pinsir can make sense.
