Venusaur · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Venusaur card
Venusaur is card 18 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Grass-type with 100 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Ivysaur, which places Venusaur deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
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.
The Pokédex entry printed on Venusaur reads: "This plant blooms when it is absorbing solar energy. It stays on the move to seek sunlight."
About Venusaur in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved grass starter. A heavy-set quadruped with a large pink flower on its back. Tank archetype in the games. The grass Charizard equivalent in Base Set. Holo run dominates collector demand and Venusaur is the value play of the original three starters, with 1st Edition prices appreciating faster than Blastoise over the last 18 months.
What is Venusaur worth?
Venusaur is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Base Set 2'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, Base Set 2 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
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Venusaur, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Venusaur. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the grass foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Venusaur
If you are buying Venusaur, 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 Venusaur above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
