Butterfree · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Butterfree card
Numbered 34 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, Butterfree is an Uncommon, a Stage 2 Grass-type carrying 70 HP.
It evolves from Metapod, so Butterfree is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Illustrated by Kagemaru Himeno. Himeno is one of the most-recognized vintage illustrators, with a softer, more textured style that shows up across the Jungle and Neo runs.
Printed on the card, the Butterfree Pokédex entry reads: "In battle, it flaps its wings at high speed to release highly toxic dust into the air."
About Butterfree in the Pokémon world
The bug-flying final form of the Caterpie line. Compound eyes, large purple wings, a butterfly silhouette. Jungle holo Butterfree has a small but loyal collector following. PSA 10 examples are reasonably accessible.
What is Butterfree worth?
Butterfree 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
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Butterfree, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Butterfree 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 Butterfree
Raw copies of Butterfree are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Butterfree is the practical move.
