#10 most beneficial Venusaur playing cards – Destructoid

The Kanto starters are among the many most recognizable Pokémon of all time throughout all the franchise – the highest-grossing throughout all media, besides – and their remaining evolutions marked a few of the hottest and highly effective ‘mon from the primary era of video games.

Within the TCG, Charizard’s historic cachet from the unique Base Set printing and its many different highly effective and uncommon variants make it probably the most well-known Pokémon card of all time. However what of ‘Zard’s Grass-type rival: Venusaur?

Venusaur debuted again within the TCG’s Base Set in 1999 alongside ‘Zard and Blastoise, and it stays probably the most iconic playing cards from that launch. However what’s the most beneficial Venusaur card of all time? Frenzy Plant your self on the sofa, and let’s have a look.

Notice: All costs are by way of PriceCharting and TCGPlayer and symbolize ungraded copies of those playing cards. Graded copies fetch far larger premiums.

10. Holofoil Venusaur 198/165 (Particular Illustration Uncommon) – Scarlet & Violet 151

Market Worth: $77.14

The latest card on this record is from the eminently widespread Scarlet & Violet 151 set from 2023. This set solely featured playing cards from the primary era of Pokémon video games (aka the “authentic 151”) and had a plethora of particular illustration rares, full-art playing cards, and loads of different goodies that saved collectors and devoted followers completely happy.

This gorgeous SIR Venusaur card is a part of a sequence of 9 full-art playing cards that includes the primary 9 Pokémon of all time (by Pokedex quantity, that’s): Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard, Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise. All arts are stunning and thematically linked based mostly on their evolution line – with this beautiful Venusaur card resting peacefully in a verdant, flowering subject. An incredible card that kicks off the record auspiciously.

Market Worth: $79.29

A massively uncommon card, this Darkish Venusaur marks the one card within the TCG’s historical past that turns the unique Grass-type remaining starter evolution into an “evil” model of itself. This card is extraordinarily arduous to search out, because it was solely launched throughout BattleZone Pokémon TCG tournaments in Might 2003.

This card’s attention-grabbing, moody artwork (I really like the yellowish flower atop Venusaur’s again that’s usually pink) and supreme shortage imply that discovering a good-quality copy of this card is sort of troublesome, not to mention a highly-graded one.

Market Worth: $90.47

One other extremely uncommon promo card, this Venusaur represented a reprinting of the Venusaur EX discovered within the widespread XY Evolutions set from 2016. It was included in special-edition “Purple & Blue Assortment Containers” alongside varied packs from the X&Y period of the TCG.

This card’s beautiful, action-packed Naoki Saito art work contains a lunging Venusaur smashing by means of some barrier with a menacing Scyther in flight beneath Venusaur and an excited-looking Vileplume holding onto one in every of Venusaur’s potent vines. An incredible – and uncommon – card; it’s no shock to see its worth above $90 on the secondary market practically 10 years after launch.

7. Holofoil Venusaur – Expedition

Market Worth: $96.77

The eReader sequence of Pokémon TCG playing cards is definitely divisive. Whether or not or not it’s the artwork type of this period or the large honking yellow border on playing cards that was expanded to accommodate the eReader barcode for choose Recreation Boy Advance titles, you both love these playing cards or hate them.

No matter your opinion, playing cards from the three eReader units (Expedition, Aquapolis, Skyridge) are price a premium on the secondary market attributable to restricted print runs, uncommon card designs, and putting art work. All of these traits lead this holo Venusaur card to be price practically $100 on the secondary market. Notably, there was a non-holo Venusaur card from this set as nicely (#67), however, in fact, the holographic card is price way more.

6. Holofoil Venusaur (Shadowless) – Base Set

Market Worth: $108.23

Probably the most notable function of the primary two Pokémon TCG units launched was that each boasted a notable misprint. This “shadowless” end appears starkly totally different from the common Base Set playing cards, and that distinction is sufficient to make shadowless playing cards among the many most beneficial within the sport’s historical past.

Actually, that impacts the Base Set printing of Venusaur, as a shadowless model is price near double what a non-shadowless model is (about $53). Whereas customary Base Set playing cards absolutely look extra “full,” there’s one thing concerning the shadowless variations which can be tremendously enticing. Maybe it’s the sky-high worth tags!

Market Worth: $110.84

The primary card that includes Ken Sugimori’s authentic Venusaur art work was not the Base Set model – which boasted art work by legendary Pokémon TCG artist Mitsuhiro Arita – however moderately this WoTC Black Star Promo (#13).

That includes the putting cosmos holofoil end and an attention-grabbing Pokémon Energy: Photo voltaic Energy, this card was solely accessible within the Pokémon Buying and selling Card Recreation: Official Nintendo Participant’s Information, which was launched in March 2000—therefore its over $110 worth level and supreme shortage at the moment.

4. Holofoil Venusaur ex – Hearth Purple & Leaf Inexperienced

Market Worth: $115.50

The Ruby & Sapphire period of the Pokémon TCG launched high-powered “ex” playing cards to the sport, which have gone by means of a number of iterations (EX, GX, V, VMAX, and so on.) earlier than lastly settling as soon as once more, within the Scarlet & Violet period, again into the “ex” realm.

The primary Venusaur ex card was discovered within the Hearth Purple & Leaf Inexperienced set from 2004 and boasted some putting computer-generated art work from Ryo Ueda. Maybe probably the most notable function of the ex playing cards from this period of the TCG is that the cosmos holofoil technique expands all the best way to the silver border of the playing cards – making them each stunning and useful collectors’ objects.

3. Holofoil Erika’s Venusaur (First Version) – Fitness center Problem

Market Worth: $172.50

The primary accomplice Pokémon playing cards within the TCG have been discovered within the Fitness center Heroes and Fitness center Problem units. These playing cards have been represented as ‘mon that belonged to particular trainers within the sport, akin to Misty, Giovanni, Lt. Surge and – most notably for Venusaur – Erika.

Erika, the Celadon Metropolis gymnasium chief in Pokémon Purple & Blue, Gold & Silver, and different mainline video games from the franchise, doesn’t boast a Venusaur within the video games themselves however does have a strong remaining evolution of Bulbasaur within the TCG. With superior Ken Sugimori art work and that eminently useful “First Version” image, this card’s worth level approaches $200 25 years after it launched.

2. Reverse Holofoil Venusaur (Fireworks) – Legendary Assortment

Market Worth: $186.25

As evidenced by probably the most useful playing cards from Legendary Assortment, reverse holos from that set (that includes the wonderful “fireworks” end) are among the many most beneficial playing cards of all time – and that pattern holds true for the Legendary Assortment reverse holo model of Venusaur as nicely.

Grass-types look particularly good with the fireworks holo end, as there’s one thing about that mint-green colour that pairs completely with the cascading holographics of the fireworks holofoil type. Whereas Charizard and Darkish Blastoise are the extra useful playing cards from that set, the Legendary Assortment Venusaur is the second-most useful Venusaur card of all time, behind solely…

1. Holofoil Venusaur (First Version Shadowless) – Base Set

Market Worth: $747.64

Unsurprisingly, probably the most useful Venusaur card is the First Version Shadowless copy of the cardboard from the TCG’s first-ever launch: Base Set. This card is straight away recognizable and particular, as are nearly all playing cards from the set – even lowly trainers akin to Defender or Upkeep.

There’s merely one thing ineffable about Pokémon TCG’s Base Set playing cards. Maybe it’s nostalgia, or maybe it’s the unique art work, however it doesn’t matter what, getting your fingers on a duplicate of a First Version Venusaur from Base Set will set you again near $800. In fact, in order for you a graded copy, count on to shell out wherever from $850 (PSA 5) to – gulp – $30,000 (BGS Black Label 10).