Raichu · Neo Revelation, what to know.
About the Raichu card
Raichu is card 21 of 66 in Neo Revelation, released in September 2001, a Rare. It is a Stage 1 Lightning-type with 80 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Pikachu, which places Raichu deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Masako Yamashita.
The Pokédex entry printed on Raichu reads: "If the electric pouches in its cheeks become fully charged, both ears will stand straight up."
About Raichu in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Pikachu. Larger, orange-yellow body, with a long tail. Rare in the wild; usually requires a Thunder Stone evolution. Base Set holo Raichu is one of the famous "where is mine" cards. Its print run had inconsistent centering, and a famously rare prerelease variant exists.
What is Raichu worth?
Raichu is a non-holo Rare. In Neo Revelation, value concentrates in the holo rares, so a Raichu 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
Neo Revelation produced 1st Edition, Unlimited, Shining prints. For Raichu, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Non-holo Rares like Raichu are easier on surface but no kinder on centering. Wizards-era cards were less protected than the holos, so high-grade Raichu survivors can be scarcer than expected, with edge whitening the usual cap.
If you are collecting Raichu
For Raichu, 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 Raichu can make sense.
