Wartortle

Numbered 171 of 207 in Scarlet & Violet 151, released in September 2023, Wartortle is an Illustration Rare, a Stage 1 Water-type carrying 100 HP.

It evolves from Squirtle, so Wartortle is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.

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.

Wartortle carries this Pokédex flavor text: "It cleverly controls its furry ears and tail to maintain its balance while swimming."

The Squirtle middle stage. Longer ears, tail-feathers, and a more aggressive posture than Squirtle. Almost exclusively bought as part of a complete water starter line. Standalone demand is modest.

Wartortle is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Scarlet & Violet 151's value. The rarity tier decides most of it, since the same card prints at several tiers with very different prices. In top-grade 1st Edition, Scarlet & Violet 151 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.

Confirm the print and finish on Wartortle before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.

Expect the holo window to set the grade on Wartortle. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the water foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.

When you go to buy Wartortle, settle three things in order: the print variant, the condition, and a comp for that exact combination. A blended average across variants will mislead you on Wartortle, so price the specific copy in front of you.