Rattata

Numbered 61 of 102 in Base Set, released in January 1999, Rattata is a Common, a Basic Colorless-type carrying 30 HP.

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

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.

Rattata carries this Pokédex flavor text: "Bites anything when it attacks. Small and very quick, it is a common sight in many places."

A small purple rodent. Common as the very first wild Pokémon you encounter in many routes. Common card across multiple early sets. Low collector demand; useful for learning to spot Shadowless distinctions.

Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $1.41 to $29 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $85 to $430. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $430. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-05-17.

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 Rattata, the price gap between these prints can run 10x or more, so confirm the variant before any purchase.

Rattata is the most forgiving tier to grade in the set. Centering on the framed border is the usual cap, and the soft Wizards-era cardstock picks up edge whitening easily, but high print runs keep clean copies affordable.

Raw copies of Rattata are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Rattata is the practical move.