Zapdos · Aquapolis, what to know.
About the Zapdos card
Zapdos is card H32 of 182 in Aquapolis, released in January 2003, a Rare Holo. It is a Basic Lightning-type with 80 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Zapdos needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
Illustrated by Hajime Kusajima.
About Zapdos in the Pokémon world
A Legendary Electric-Flying bird. The Electric of the three Legendary birds. Both Base Set holo Zapdos and Fossil holo Zapdos exist. The Base Set print is more famous and more valuable.
What is Zapdos worth?
Zapdos is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Aquapolis'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, Aquapolis 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 Zapdos before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
For graded buyers, the holo window on Zapdos is where most points are won or lost. Surface scratches and foil misregistration are common on Wizards-era cards, and centering was inconsistent enough that clean PSA 10s stay scarce. Read the lightning foil at a 45-degree angle under strong light before committing.
If you are collecting Zapdos
If you are buying Zapdos, 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 Zapdos above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
