Ariados · Neo Genesis, what to know.
About the Ariados card
Ariados is card 27 of 111 in Neo Genesis, released in December 2000, an Uncommon. It is a Stage 1 Grass-type with 60 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Spinarak, which places Ariados deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Ken Sugimori. Sugimori is the lead character designer of Pokémon itself, so his card art carries the tight, on-model look that defined how the creatures appear in the games.
The card's flavor text gives Ariados a line of lore: "It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It's hard to tell which end is which."
What is Ariados worth?
Ariados is an Uncommon, so raw copies are inexpensive and easy to find. The value is in condition: a genuine PSA 10, especially 1st Edition, can still reach a surprising figure for an otherwise common card. The live price above breaks it down by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Neo Genesis produced 1st Edition, Unlimited prints. For Ariados, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Ariados grades forgivingly, but the same centering and edge standards apply. Pack-fresh raw copies are easy to find, which makes a clean PSA 10 submission a low-cost way to learn how the cardstock behaves under grading.
If you are collecting Ariados
Raw copies of Ariados are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Ariados is the practical move.
