Poliwrath · Base Set 2, what to know.
About the Poliwrath card
Poliwrath is card 15 of 130 in Base Set 2, released in February 2000, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 2 Water-type with 90 HP.
As a Stage 2, it evolves from Poliwhirl, which places Poliwrath 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 Poliwrath reads: "An adept swimmer at both the front crawl and breaststroke. Easily overtakes the best human swimmers."
About Poliwrath in the Pokémon world
The Water-Fighting final form of the Poliwag line via Water Stone. Heavy muscled silhouette. Base Set holo Poliwrath is one of the original 16 holos. Quietly traded, with PSA 10 1st Edition appreciating slowly.
What is Poliwrath worth?
Poliwrath is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Base Set 2'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, Base Set 2 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
Base Set 2 produced Unlimited prints. For Poliwrath, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
Grading Poliwrath comes down to the holo surface and the borders. The era's foil scratches easily, so even a pack-fresh Poliwrath 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 Poliwrath
If you are buying Poliwrath, 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 Poliwrath above a few hundred dollars, insist on angled-light photos of the holo so you can spot hairlines.
