Dark Wartortle · Legendary Collection, what to know.
About the Dark Wartortle card
Dark Wartortle is card 39 of 110 in Legendary Collection, released in May 2002, an Uncommon. It is a Stage 1 Water-type with 60 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Squirtle, which places Dark Wartortle deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Team Rocket darkened Wartortle under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
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.
The Pokédex entry printed on Dark Wartortle reads: "A Pokémon with a negative attitude, it hides in its shell whenever it's in a bad mood—which is often."
About Wartortle in the Pokémon world
The Squirtle middle stage. Longer ears, tail-feathers, and a more aggressive posture than Squirtle. Almost exclusively bought as part of a complete water starter line. Standalone demand is modest.
What is Dark Wartortle worth?
Dark Wartortle 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
Confirm the print and finish on Dark Wartortle before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Dark Wartortle 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 Dark Wartortle
Raw copies of Dark Wartortle are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Dark Wartortle is the practical move.
