Venonat · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Venonat card
Numbered 97 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, Venonat is a Common, a Basic Grass-type carrying 40 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Venonat needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
Printed on the card, the Venonat Pokédex entry reads: "Lives in the shadows of tall trees where it eats insects. It is attracted by light at night."
About Venonat in the Pokémon world
A purple insect Pokémon with large eyes. Jungle Common with limited collector interest.
What is Venonat worth?
Venonat is a Common, so raw copies trade for very little and most of the print run survives. The only real value is in pristine, high-grade copies, where even a Common can reach low triple digits in 1st Edition PSA 10. See the live price above for the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Venonat, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Venonat 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 Venonat
Raw copies of Venonat are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Venonat is the practical move.
