Ivysaur · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Ivysaur card
Numbered 44 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, Ivysaur is an Uncommon, a Stage 1 Grass-type carrying 60 HP.
It evolves from Bulbasaur, so Ivysaur is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Illustrated by Ken Sugimori. Sugimori is the lead character designer of Pokémon itself, so his card art carries the tight, on-model look that defined how the creatures appear in the games.
Printed on the card, the Ivysaur Pokédex entry reads: "When the bulb on its back grows large, the Pokémon seems to lose the ability to stand on its hind legs."
About Ivysaur in the Pokémon world
The middle stage of the Bulbasaur line. The bud on its back has swollen and begun to open. The transitional stage in a line collectors usually buy as a set. Almost always purchased as part of a Bulbasaur to Venusaur evolution run rather than as a standalone, which keeps prices honest.
What is Ivysaur worth?
Ivysaur 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
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Ivysaur, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Ivysaur 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 Ivysaur
Raw copies of Ivysaur are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Ivysaur is the practical move.
