Kabutops · Neo Discovery, what to know.
About the Kabutops card
Numbered 6 of 75 in Neo Discovery, released in June 2001, Kabutops is a Rare Holo, a Stage 2 Water-type carrying 90 HP.
It evolves from Kabuto, so Kabutops is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Illustrated by Kimiya Masago.
Kabutops carries this Pokédex flavor text: "In the water, it tucks its limbs to become more compact, then it wiggles its shell to swim fast."
About Kabutops in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Kabuto. Scythes for arms, prehistoric predator silhouette. Fossil holo Kabutops is a striking design and a steady holo in Fossil. PSA 10 examples have appreciated quietly.
What is Kabutops worth?
Kabutops is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Neo Discovery's value. The print variant decides most of it: a 1st Edition copy in high grade commands a large premium over a Shadowless or Unlimited one. In top-grade 1st Edition, Neo Discovery holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Neo Discovery produced 1st Edition, Unlimited prints. For Kabutops, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Kabutops lives and dies on its holo surface in grading. The water foil catches light at angles that hide hairlines in a flat photo, so tilt it under a lamp, then measure the borders, where Wizards-era centering is the second-most-common grade cap.
If you are collecting Kabutops
When you go to buy Kabutops, settle three things in order: the print variant, the condition, and a comp for that exact combination. A blended average across variants will mislead you on Kabutops, so price the specific copy in front of you.
