Tentacool · Fossil, what to know.
About the Tentacool card
Numbered 56 of 62 in Fossil, released in October 1999, Tentacool is a Common, a Basic Water-type carrying 30 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Tentacool 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.
Tentacool carries this Pokédex flavor text: "Drifts in shallow seas. Anglers who hook them by accident are often punished by its stinging acid."
About Tentacool in the Pokémon world
A water-poison jellyfish Pokémon. Fossil Common. Cheap and abundant.
What is Tentacool worth?
Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $2.34 to $3.79 depending on the print and a PSA 10 trades around $129. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $129. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-05-28.
Print variants and how to spot them
Fossil shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The Edition 1 stamp under the artwork separates the scarcer 1st Edition Tentacool from the Unlimited copy.
Grading and condition
Tentacool is the most forgiving tier to grade in the set. Centering on the framed border is the usual cap, and the soft Wizards-era cardstock picks up edge whitening easily, but high print runs keep clean copies affordable.
If you are collecting Tentacool
Raw copies of Tentacool are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Tentacool 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.
