Kingler · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Kingler card
Numbered 15 of 165 in Expedition Base Set, released in September 2002, Kingler is a Rare Holo, a Stage 1 Water-type carrying 80 HP.
It evolves from Krabby, so Kingler is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Illustrated by Shin-ichi Yoshida.
About Kingler in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Krabby. Massive disproportionate claw. Jungle Rare with thin standalone demand.
What is Kingler worth?
Kingler is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Expedition Base Set'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, Expedition Base Set 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
Confirm the print and finish on Kingler before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Grading Kingler comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Kingler can drop from a 10 to a 9 on a single hairline. Inspect the window at an angle and the corners against the frame.
If you are collecting Kingler
When you go to buy Kingler, 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 Kingler, so price the specific copy in front of you.
