Wartortle

Numbered 42 of 102 in Base Set, released in January 1999, Wartortle is an Uncommon, a Stage 1 Water-type carrying 70 HP.

It evolves from Squirtle, so Wartortle 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 Wartortle Pokédex entry reads: "Often hides in water to stalk unweary prey. When swimming quickly, it moves its ears to maintain balance."

The Squirtle middle stage. Longer ears, tail-feathers, and a more aggressive posture than Squirtle. Almost exclusively bought as part of a complete water starter line. Standalone demand is modest.

Based on recent eBay sales, raw copies trade from $4.57 to $99 depending on the print and a PSA 10 runs from $325 to $15,000. The 1st Edition print is the most valuable, with a PSA 10 near $15,000. The table on this page breaks the price down by print and grade, updated 2026-06-01.

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

Wartortle 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.

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