Dragonair · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Dragonair card
Numbered 22 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, Dragonair is a Rare, a Stage 1 Colorless-type carrying 80 HP.
It evolves from Dratini, so Dragonair is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
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.
Printed on the card, the Dragonair Pokédex entry reads: "A mystical Pokémon that exudes a gentle aura. Has the ability to change climate conditions."
About Dragonair in the Pokémon world
The middle Dratini stage. Long serpentine body with crystal orbs. Base Set Uncommon. Quietly beautiful art makes it a fan favorite.
What is Dragonair worth?
Dragonair is a non-holo Rare. In Base Set 2, value concentrates in the holo rares, so a Dragonair trades modestly, though a clean, well-centered 1st Edition copy in PSA 10 is scarcer than the print run suggests and carries a real premium. Check the live price above for the figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Dragonair, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Dragonair grades on centering and edges more than surface. The card was played and traded more freely than the holos, so a clean, well-centered Dragonair is worth more than collectors assume.
If you are collecting Dragonair
For Dragonair, check centering by eye, edge whitening on all four sides, and surface under angled light. Non-holo Rares from this era are cheap enough that a PSA 10 submission on a clean Dragonair can make sense.
