Ekans · Fossil, what to know.
About the Ekans card
Numbered 46 of 62 in Fossil, released in October 1999, Ekans is a Common, a Basic Grass-type carrying 40 HP.
As a Basic Pokémon, Ekans needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.
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.
Ekans carries this Pokédex flavor text: "Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds such as Pidgey and Spearow whole."
About Ekans in the Pokémon world
The Poison-type snake. Its name is "snake" spelled backwards, a recurring naming trick in Gen 1. Fossil Ekans is a low-demand Common but holds steady raw value among set completionists.
What is Ekans worth?
Ekans 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
Fossil shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The Edition 1 stamp under the artwork separates the scarcer 1st Edition Ekans from the Unlimited copy.
Grading and condition
Ekans 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 Ekans
Raw copies of Ekans are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Ekans is the practical move.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition 1 stamp under the artwork. Trades above Unlimited in matching grade.
No stamp. The standard, more affordable print.
