Raticate · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Raticate card
Raticate is card 58 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, an Uncommon. It is a Stage 1 Colorless-type with 60 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Rattata, which places Raticate 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 Raticate a line of lore: "It uses its whiskers to maintain its balance. It seems to slow down if they are cut off."
About Raticate in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Rattata. Larger, more aggressive, with a famous unverified internet rumor about its anime fate. Base Set Raticate has steady raw demand. Holo Raticate does not exist in Wizards-era prints.
What is Raticate worth?
Raticate 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
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Raticate, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Raticate 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 Raticate
Raw copies of Raticate are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Raticate is the practical move.
