Poliwhirl · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Poliwhirl card
Poliwhirl is card 57 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, an Uncommon. It is a Stage 1 Water-type with 60 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Poliwag, which places Poliwhirl 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 card's flavor text gives Poliwhirl a line of lore: "Capable of living in or out of water. When out of water, it sweats to keep its body slimy."
About Poliwhirl in the Pokémon world
The middle Poliwag stage. Now bipedal with arms but retained spiral belly. Notably the card on the cover of the original Game Boy Pokémon manual. Mid-stage demand.
What is Poliwhirl worth?
Poliwhirl is an Uncommon, so raw copies are inexpensive and easy to find. The value is in condition: a genuine PSA 10, especially 1st Edition, can still reach a surprising figure for an otherwise common card. The live price above breaks it down by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Poliwhirl, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Poliwhirl grades forgivingly, but the same centering and edge standards apply. Pack-fresh raw copies are easy to find, which makes a clean PSA 10 submission a low-cost way to learn how the cardstock behaves under grading.
If you are collecting Poliwhirl
Raw copies of Poliwhirl are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Poliwhirl is the practical move.
