Machamp · Base Set, what to know.
About the Machamp card
Machamp is card 8 of 102 in Base Set, released in January 1999, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Fighting-type with 100 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Machoke, which places Machamp deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
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.
The Pokédex entry printed on Machamp reads: "Using its amazing muscles, it throws powerful punches that can knock its victim clear over the horizon."
About Machamp in the Pokémon world
The Fighting-type final form of the Machop line. Four arms. Base Set holo Machamp is the only holo card guaranteed to appear in 1st Edition Base Set starter decks (the Bulbasaur preconstructed deck). Its 1st Edition print is dramatically more common than other Base holos in 1st Edition because of this. The Unlimited print population mostly came from booster packs and is much smaller.
What is Machamp worth?
Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $35 to $64 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $10,000 to $12,200. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $12,200. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-05-29.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set produced three print waves that collectors track separately: 1st Edition (the launch print, with an Edition 1 stamp under the artwork), Shadowless (no stamp and no drop shadow on the right of the frame), and Unlimited (the long-running print with the drop shadow restored). On Machamp, the price gap between these prints can run 10x or more, so confirm the variant before any purchase.
Grading and condition
Grading Machamp comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Machamp 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 Machamp
If you are buying Machamp, work in order: confirm the print variant first, then the grade, then price against recent sales for that exact variant and grade. For a raw Machamp above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition 1 stamp under the artwork. The scarcest and most valuable Machamp print.
No stamp and no drop shadow on the right of the frame. A short transitional print.
Drop shadow restored. The long-running print and the most affordable copy.
