Lt. Surge's Electabuzz

Numbered 6 of 132 in Gym Heroes, released in August 2000, Lt. Surge's Electabuzz is a Rare Holo, a Basic Lightning-type carrying 70 HP.

As a Basic Pokémon, Electabuzz needs no prior evolution to put into play, which made it a practical card in the era's decks.

Lt. Surge is the Electric-type Gym Leader of Vermilion City, a former soldier nicknamed the Lightning American. Lt. Surge's Electabuzz is part of that themed lineup.

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.

An Electric-type fighter Pokémon. Base Set Rare with steady demand.

Lt. Surge's Electabuzz is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Gym Heroes'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, Gym Heroes holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to Sabrina's Gengar at the top; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.

Gym Heroes shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The trainer-prefix naming runs across the set, and the 1st Edition Lt. Surge's Electabuzz carries the Edition 1 stamp and a premium over Unlimited in matching grade.

For graded buyers, the holo window on Lt. Surge's Electabuzz is where most points are won or lost. Surface scratches and foil misregistration are common on Wizards-era cards, and centering was inconsistent enough that clean PSA 10s stay scarce. Read the lightning foil at a 45-degree angle under strong light before committing.

For Lt. Surge's Electabuzz, variant comes before condition. A 1st Edition and an Unlimited Lt. Surge's Electabuzz are different markets for the same art, so settle the print before you negotiate. Demand a clear photo of the Lt. Surge's Electabuzz holo for any raw purchase.