Nidoqueen · Skyridge, what to know.
About the Nidoqueen card
Nidoqueen is card H21 of 182 in Skyridge, released in May 2003, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Grass-type with 110 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Nidorina, which places Nidoqueen deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
About Nidoqueen in the Pokémon world
The Ground-Poison final form of the Nidoran♀ line. One of the rare "queen" Pokémon. Jungle holo Nidoqueen is a quiet collector favorite. Centered PSA 10 examples are harder to find than expected for the print run.
What is Nidoqueen worth?
Nidoqueen is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Skyridge'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, Skyridge 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 Nidoqueen before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Nidoqueen. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the grass foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Nidoqueen
If you are buying Nidoqueen, 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 Nidoqueen above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
