Tyranitar · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Tyranitar card
Tyranitar is card 29 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Darkness-type with 120 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Pupitar, which places Tyranitar deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Kimiya Masago.
About Tyranitar in the Pokémon world
A Rock-Dark pseudo-legendary. Large bipedal silhouette. One of the most-feared Generation 2 Pokémon. Neo Discovery holo Tyranitar is a marquee Generation 2 holo. Obsidian Flames Tyranitar ex revived modern collector demand.
What is Tyranitar worth?
Tyranitar is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Expedition Base Set's value. The print variant decides most of it: a 1st Edition copy in high grade commands a large premium over a Shadowless or Unlimited one. In top-grade 1st Edition, Expedition Base Set holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Confirm the print and finish on Tyranitar before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Grading Tyranitar comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Tyranitar can drop from a 10 to a 9 on a single hairline. Inspect the window at an angle and the corners against the frame.
If you are collecting Tyranitar
If you are buying Tyranitar, work in order: confirm the print variant first, then the grade, then price against recent sales for that exact variant and grade. For a raw Tyranitar above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
