Cubone · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Cubone card
Numbered 70 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, Cubone is a Common, a Basic Fighting-type carrying 40 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Cubone needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
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.
Cubone carries this Pokédex flavor text: "Because it never removes its skull helmet, no one has ever seen this Pokémon's real face."
About Cubone in the Pokémon world
A small ground Pokémon that wears its mother's skull as a helmet. Significant tragic backstory in the games. Fossil Common. Emotional collector draw.
What is Cubone worth?
Cubone is a Common, so raw copies trade for very little and most of the print run survives. The only real value is in pristine, high-grade copies, where even a Common can reach low triple digits in 1st Edition PSA 10. See the live price above for the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Cubone, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Cubone is the most forgiving tier to grade in the set. Centering on the framed border is the usual cap, and the soft Wizards-era cardstock picks up edge whitening easily, but high print runs keep clean copies affordable.
If you are collecting Cubone
Raw copies of Cubone are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Cubone is the practical move.
