Butterfree · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Butterfree card
Butterfree is card 5 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Grass-type with 80 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Metapod, which places Butterfree deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
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 a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Expedition Base Set'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, Expedition Base Set 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 Butterfree before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Butterfree. 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 Butterfree
If you are buying Butterfree, 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 Butterfree above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
