Sandslash · Fossil, what to know.
About the Sandslash card
Numbered 41 of 62 in Fossil, released in October 1999, Sandslash is an Uncommon, a Stage 1 Fighting-type carrying 70 HP.
It evolves from Sandshrew, so Sandslash is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
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.
Printed on the card, the Sandslash Pokédex entry reads: "Curls up into a spiny ball when threatened. It can roll while curled up to attack or escape."
About Sandslash in the Pokémon world
The fully evolved Sandshrew. Spiky brown plates, large claws. Fossil Rare Sandslash has steady demand among Ground-type collectors.
What is Sandslash worth?
Sandslash 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
Fossil shipped in 1st Edition and Unlimited, with no Shadowless print. The Edition 1 stamp under the artwork separates the scarcer 1st Edition Sandslash from the Unlimited copy.
Grading and condition
Sandslash 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 Sandslash
Raw copies of Sandslash are inexpensive enough that grading rarely pays unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completion, a clean sleeved Sandslash is the practical move.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition 1 stamp under the artwork. Trades above Unlimited in matching grade.
No stamp. The standard, more affordable print.
