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🃏 Pokémon🌐 English

Base Set 2 Pokémon cards — how many are there and what are they worth?

There are 130 Base Set 2 cards on file, 130 of them with a price, and the typical one costs $1.48.

Set · 130 cards · 130 with a price · $0.24 to $480.06 · read August 14, 2026

How much is a Base Set 2 Pokémon card worth?

The typical Base Set 2 card costs $1.48. Across the 130 of them that carry a price, the cheapest is $0.24 and the dearest is $480.06 — Charizard 4, at $480.06. That spread is why the group price is a starting point and not a valuation of any one card.

Card facts are read from openly published card files; prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026.

All setsRarityPrint variantPokédex numberRegulation markEnergy typeArtistEvolution stageCard mechanicAttack costAttack damageRetreat cost

Base Set 2 130 cardsSet

Base Set 2 price summary

130 with a price · $0.24 to $480.06 · No. 83 of 145 sets by typical price · +48.0% in 11 months · 64 HP on average · weak to Fire

Typical price, last 11 months$1.48+48.0% from $1.00
Card price ladder$480.06$2.46 to $480.06
Place among setsNo. 83CheapestMiddleDearestTypical price $1.48 · No. 83 of 145
62 sets cost less than this one
Cards on file130130 carry a priceMost expensive card$480.06Charizard 4Cheapest on record$0.24across all 130 priced cardsPrice rose+48.0%over the last 11 monthsPlace by priceNo. 83of 145 sets

What stands out about Base Set 2 cards

  • Scale 130 cards carry this set — 0.6% of the 20,444 English cards on file.
  • Price Half of the priced cards cost under $1.48, but the dearest reaches $480.06 — a gap of 324×.
  • Place By typical price this is No. 83 of 145 sets; 62 of them cost less.
  • Record 130 of the 130 cards have a price on file. The rest are counted but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

How 20,444 English cards narrow down to these 130

Full bar = that step's denominator · filled = what carries over
  • English cards on file 20,44420,033 cardsonly cards that record a set remain · 98.0% of 20,444
  • Cards with a set 20,033130 cardsonly Base Set 2 remain · 0.6% of 20,033
  • The 130 cards on this page130 cards0.6% of every English card on file

The middle step counts every card that records a set, including sets too small to have a page of their own. That is why its figure is larger than the totals on the set list, which only counts the groups it can open.

Base Set 2 Pokémon cards at a glance

  • What this group is. 130 cards share the set base4. A set is the expansion a card was printed in, and every card in the card files this site reads names exactly one. Sorting by set puts each release back together the way it was sold, so a card can be read next to the cards it shared a pack with.
  • What they cost. The typical card is $1.48. Across the 130 priced cards the range runs $0.24 to $480.06.
  • Where it stands. No. 83 of 145 sets by typical price, with 62 of them cheaper.
  • What the cards are like. They average 64 HP and 30 maximum damage, and are most often weak to Fire.
  • What is listed below. The 50 most expensive of the 130 cards that carry a price, each with its own price page. Cards without a price are counted in the total but are not listed.
  • When it was read. Every figure on this page comes from the archive as it stood on August 14, 2026.
Source: Counted from 130 cards on file, 130 of them with a price

Every Base Set 2 card with a price on file

The 50 dearest Base Set 2 cards, each one opening its own price page.
1Charizard 4 — Base Set 2Market $480.06Charizard [4]2Blastoise 2 — Base Set 2Market $150.80Blastoise [2]3Venusaur 18 — Base Set 2Market $99.41Venusaur [18]4Mewtwo 10 — Base Set 2Market $65.49Mewtwo [10]5Raichu 16 — Base Set 2Market $56.51Raichu [16]6Alakazam 1 — Base Set 2Market $54.54Alakazam [1]7Gyarados 7 — Base Set 2Market $43.98Gyarados [7]8Nidoking 11 — Base Set 2Market $43.76Nidoking [11]9Pidgeot 14 — Base Set 2Market $39.70Pidgeot [14]10Zapdos 20 — Base Set 2Market $39.56Zapdos [20]11Ninetales 13 — Base Set 2Market $34.59Ninetales [13]12Scyther 17 — Base Set 2Market $34.34Scyther [17]13Clefable 5 — Base Set 2Market $31.14Clefable [5]14Nidoqueen 12 — Base Set 2Market $30.90Nidoqueen [12]15Snorlax 30 — Base Set 2Market $29.32Snorlax [30]16Magneton 9 — Base Set 2Market $24.48Magneton [9]17Hitmonchan 8 — Base Set 2Market $23.80Hitmonchan [8]18Clefairy 6 — Base Set 2Market $22.97Clefairy [6]19Wigglytuff 19 — Base Set 2Market $21.84Wigglytuff [19]20Chansey 3 — Base Set 2Market $21.20Chansey [3]21Poliwrath 15 — Base Set 2Market $17.85Poliwrath [15]22Dragonair 22 — Base Set 2Market $10.04Dragonair [22]23Ivysaur 44 — Base Set 2Market $8.16Ivysaur [44]24Item Finder 103 — Base Set 2Market $7.87Item Finder [103]25Mr. Mime 27 — Base Set 2Market $6.51Mr. Mime [27]26Electrode 25 — Base Set 2Market $5.58Electrode [25]27Scoop Up 107 — Base Set 2Market $5.47Scoop Up [107]28Venomoth 31 — Base Set 2Market $5.28Venomoth [31]29Pidgeotto 28 — Base Set 2Market $5.10Pidgeotto [28]30Bulbasaur 67 — Base Set 2Market $5.09Bulbasaur [67]31Electabuzz 24 — Base Set 2Market $5.07Electabuzz [24]32Victreebel 32 — Base Set 2Market $5.06Victreebel [32]33Kangaskhan 26 — Base Set 2Market $4.58Kangaskhan [26]34Pokémon Breeder 105 — Base Set 2Market $4.45Pokémon Breeder [105]35Pinsir 29 — Base Set 2Market $4.43Pinsir [29]36Dugtrio 23 — Base Set 2Market $4.14Dugtrio [23]37Vulpix 99 — Base Set 2Market $3.88Vulpix [99]38Tauros 62 — Base Set 2Market $3.49Tauros [62]39Imposter Professor OakRareNo imageBase Set 2102Market $3.40Imposter Professor Oak [102]40Pokémon Trader 106 — Base Set 2Market $3.39Pokémon Trader [106]41Pikachu 87 — Base Set 2Market $3.23Pikachu [87]42Beedrill 21 — Base Set 2Market $3.14Beedrill [21]43Persian 56 — Base Set 2Market $3.13Persian [56]44Computer Search 101 — Base Set 2Market $2.95Computer Search [101]45Lass 104 — Base Set 2Market $2.95Lass [104]46Double Colorless Energy 124 — Base Set 2Market $2.88Double Colorless Energy [124]47Super Energy Removal 108 — Base Set 2Market $2.77Super Energy Removal [108]48Marowak 52 — Base Set 2Market $2.60Marowak [52]49Magikarp 50 — Base Set 2Market $2.47Magikarp [50]50Dodrio 37 — Base Set 2Market $2.46Dodrio [37]

The 50 most expensive Base Set 2 cards on file, dearest first. The badge on each card is its market price.

0 of the 130 cards on file carry no published price, so they are counted in every total on this page but are not drawn here rather than shown with a guessed figure.

The grid above runs dearest first. This list runs in printing order — by card number inside the set — so a card can be found the way it sits in a binder rather than by what it costs.

Each row opens that card's own price page.

The same 50 cards in printing orderCard number · name · rarity · market price
Alakazam 1 — Base Set 2 price page1Alakazam#1 · Rare Holo$54.54PsychicBlastoise 2 — Base Set 2 price page2Blastoise#2 · Rare Holo$150.80WaterChansey 3 — Base Set 2 price page3Chansey#3 · Rare Holo$21.20ColorlessCharizard 4 — Base Set 2 price page4Charizard#4 · Rare Holo$480.06FireClefable 5 — Base Set 2 price page5Clefable#5 · Rare Holo$31.14ColorlessClefairy 6 — Base Set 2 price page6Clefairy#6 · Rare Holo$22.97ColorlessGyarados 7 — Base Set 2 price page7Gyarados#7 · Rare Holo$43.98WaterHitmonchan 8 — Base Set 2 price page8Hitmonchan#8 · Rare Holo$23.80FightingMagneton 9 — Base Set 2 price page9Magneton#9 · Rare Holo$24.48LightningMewtwo 10 — Base Set 2 price page10Mewtwo#10 · Rare Holo$65.49Psychic
Show the rest of the list40 more cards in printing order+40
Nidoking 11 — Base Set 2 price page11Nidoking#11 · Rare Holo$43.76GrassNidoqueen 12 — Base Set 2 price page12Nidoqueen#12 · Rare Holo$30.90GrassNinetales 13 — Base Set 2 price page13Ninetales#13 · Rare Holo$34.59FirePidgeot 14 — Base Set 2 price page14Pidgeot#14 · Rare Holo$39.70ColorlessPoliwrath 15 — Base Set 2 price page15Poliwrath#15 · Rare Holo$17.85WaterRaichu 16 — Base Set 2 price page16Raichu#16 · Rare Holo$56.51LightningScyther 17 — Base Set 2 price page17Scyther#17 · Rare Holo$34.34GrassVenusaur 18 — Base Set 2 price page18Venusaur#18 · Rare Holo$99.41GrassWigglytuff 19 — Base Set 2 price page19Wigglytuff#19 · Rare Holo$21.84ColorlessZapdos 20 — Base Set 2 price page20Zapdos#20 · Rare Holo$39.56LightningBeedrill 21 — Base Set 2 price page21Beedrill#21 · Rare$3.14GrassDragonair 22 — Base Set 2 price page22Dragonair#22 · Rare$10.04ColorlessDugtrio 23 — Base Set 2 price page23Dugtrio#23 · Rare$4.14FightingElectabuzz 24 — Base Set 2 price page24Electabuzz#24 · Rare$5.07LightningElectrode 25 — Base Set 2 price page25Electrode#25 · Rare$5.58LightningKangaskhan 26 — Base Set 2 price page26Kangaskhan#26 · Rare$4.58ColorlessMr. Mime 27 — Base Set 2 price page27Mr. Mime#27 · Rare$6.51PsychicPidgeotto 28 — Base Set 2 price page28Pidgeotto#28 · Rare$5.10ColorlessPinsir 29 — Base Set 2 price page29Pinsir#29 · Rare$4.43GrassSnorlax 30 — Base Set 2 price page30Snorlax#30 · Rare$29.32ColorlessVenomoth 31 — Base Set 2 price page31Venomoth#31 · Rare$5.28GrassVictreebel 32 — Base Set 2 price page32Victreebel#32 · Rare$5.06GrassDodrio 37 — Base Set 2 price page33Dodrio#37 · Uncommon$2.46ColorlessIvysaur 44 — Base Set 2 price page34Ivysaur#44 · Uncommon$8.16GrassMagikarp 50 — Base Set 2 price page35Magikarp#50 · Uncommon$2.47WaterMarowak 52 — Base Set 2 price page36Marowak#52 · Uncommon$2.60FightingPersian 56 — Base Set 2 price page37Persian#56 · Uncommon$3.13ColorlessTauros 62 — Base Set 2 price page38Tauros#62 · Uncommon$3.49ColorlessBulbasaur 67 — Base Set 2 price page39Bulbasaur#67 · Common$5.09GrassPikachu 87 — Base Set 2 price page40Pikachu#87 · Common$3.23LightningVulpix 99 — Base Set 2 price page41Vulpix#99 · Common$3.88FireComputer Search 101 — Base Set 2 price page42Computer Search#101 · Rare$2.9543Imposter Professor Oak#102 · Rare$3.40Item Finder 103 — Base Set 2 price page44Item Finder#103 · Rare$7.87Lass 104 — Base Set 2 price page45Lass#104 · Rare$2.95Pokémon Breeder 105 — Base Set 2 price page46Pokémon Breeder#105 · Rare$4.45Pokémon Trader 106 — Base Set 2 price page47Pokémon Trader#106 · Rare$3.39Scoop Up 107 — Base Set 2 price page48Scoop Up#107 · Rare$5.47Super Energy Removal 108 — Base Set 2 price page49Super Energy Removal#108 · Rare$2.77Double Colorless Energy 124 — Base Set 2 price page50Double Colorless Energy#124 · Uncommon$2.88
Back to summary

Are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards going up in value?

This is the middle price of the whole set on each reading day, so it answers the question for Base Set 2 as a set rather than for one card.

What one Base Set 2 card cost over the readings on file

Middle price of one card · 13 readings · latest $1.48
Sep 12, 2025Middle price of one card$1.00Aug 14, 2026Middle price of one card$1.48From start+48.0%From previous+9.6%
Hover a band to read that readingTap a band to read that reading
Every point is a reading taken on that date, joined without smoothing. Cards that carry no price are left out of every point rather than counted as zero.
Back to summary

How Base Set 2 Pokémon card prices are spread

One number cannot describe a set whose cards run from pocket change to several hundred dollars. These points and the two ends below show the shape of it.

An average hides the shape of a set. These points say where the money actually sits among Base Set 2 cards.

A typical Base Set 2 card$1.48medianThat is 0.3% of the dearest single card at $480.06. "Base Set 2 cards are expensive" is a story about one card.
The cheapest Base Set 2 card$0.24Base Set 2 #122That is 16.2% of the typical price, so this set has cards you can buy for pocket change.
One in four costs less than this$0.69lower quarterA quarter of the priced cards sit under $0.69.
One in ten costs more than this$30.92upper tenthThat is 20.9× the typical price. This bar is the longest one here, and the tiles above are measured against it.

The two ends of that spread are both Base Set 2 cards. Put side by side, they show what you are actually paying for.

Dearest on fileCharizardBase Set 2 #4One card carries the reputation of the whole set at $480.06.
2,000 times apartBoth were opened out of the same packs.
A quarter of the set costs under $0.69.
130 of the 130 cards carry a price at all.
Cheapest on filePotionBase Set 2 #122The same set, in print, for $0.24.
Back to summary

What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are made of, and which of them hold the value

Base Set 2 prints 4 rarities across its 130 cards, and the biggest of them is Common with 42 cards.
4rarities printed
Common42 · 32.3%Uncommon42 · 32.3%Rare20 · 15.4%Rare Holo20 · 15.4%The rest6 · 4.6%

The rarities printed in Base Set 2, counted across all 130 cards on file.

Every rarity in Base Set 2, most printed first
Common32.3%$0.70 typical42 cards
Uncommon32.3%$1.40 typical42 cards
Rare15.4%$4.82 typical20 cards
Rare Holo15.4%$37.08 typical20 cards

Each bar is measured against the biggest rarity, Common with 42 cards, so the bars compare the rarities with one another. The percentage on each row is that rarity's share of all 130 cards.

The price on each row is the middle price inside that rarity, not the price of any single card.

Every rarity in Base Set 2, most printed first
GroupShareValue
Common32.3%42 cards
Uncommon32.3%42 cards
Rare15.4%20 cards
Rare Holo15.4%20 cards
7energy types
Grass27 · 20.8%Colorless23 · 17.7%Water14 · 10.8%Fighting11 · 8.5%Psychic9 · 6.9%Fire8 · 6.2%The rest38 · 29.2%

The energy types printed in Base Set 2. 100 of the 130 cards carry a type; the rest are cards with no energy type printed on them.

Every energy type in Base Set 2, most printed first
Grass20.8%$1.37 typical27 cards
Colorless17.7%$2.46 typical23 cards
Water10.8%$1.63 typical14 cards
Fighting8.5%$1.09 typical11 cards
Psychic6.9%$1.69 typical9 cards
Fire6.2%$2.13 typical8 cards
Lightning6.2%$5.33 typical8 cards

Bars are measured against the most printed type. Adding the rows gives 100 cards; the other 30 carry no energy type, which is why the rows do not add up to 130.

A wide spread of types means a set can supply the start of almost any deck. A set that leans on two or three types only helps those decks.

Every energy type in Base Set 2, most printed first
GroupShareValue
Grass20.8%27 cards
Colorless17.7%23 cards
Water10.8%14 cards
Fighting8.5%11 cards
Psychic6.9%9 cards
Fire6.2%8 cards
Lightning6.2%8 cards
24rule box cards
Rule box cards24 · 18.5%The rest106 · 81.5%
Rule box
24cards
18.5% · gives up an extra prize
The rest
106cards
81.5% · one prize when knocked out
Basic Pokémon
60cards
playable straight from hand
Highest HP
120
the real reason to run one

A rule box card carries a printed rule that hands the opponent an extra prize card when it is knocked out. 24 of the 130 cards in Base Set 2 carry one.

The count is read from the printed rule on the card face, so it covers ex, V, GX and every other rule box wording without needing a list of names.

Holo, reverse holo or plain — how Base Set 2 cards were printed
Normal84.6%$1.23 typical110 cards
Holofoil15.4%$37.08 typical20 cards

The printing finish of each card, with the middle price inside each finish beside it.

Holo, reverse holo or plain — how Base Set 2 cards were printed
GroupShareValue
Normal84.6%110 cards
Holofoil15.4%20 cards
How far up the evolution line Base Set 2 cards sit
Basic46.2%$1.02 typical60 cards
Stage 126.9%$2.24 typical35 cards
Stage 28.5%$39.70 typical11 cards

Basic cards can be played straight from hand; Stage 1 and Stage 2 need the card below them on the board first.

How far up the evolution line Base Set 2 cards sit
GroupShareValue
Basic46.2%60 cards
Stage 126.9%35 cards
Stage 28.5%11 cards
An evolution line printed inside Base Set 23 steps · every one of them in this set
BulbasaurBasic · Base Set 2 #67 · $5.09
IvysaurStage 1 · Base Set 2 #44 · $8.16
VenusaurStage 2 · Base Set 2 #18 · $99.41
Bulbasaur → Ivysaur → Venusaur
  • Every card in this line was printed in Base Set 2 itself, so the whole line can be put together out of the same set.
  • The card at the end of the line costs $99.41, against $5.09 for the one it starts from — a gap of 19.5×.
  • 25 of the 50 cards listed on this page name an earlier Pokémon they evolve from.
What Base Set 2 cards are played on top of6 named earlier Pokémon · most cards first
1 cardAbra0.8% of the set
1 cardBellsprout0.8% of the set
1 cardBulbasaur0.8% of the set
1 cardCaterpie0.8% of the set
1 cardCharmander0.8% of the set
1 cardCharmeleon0.8% of the set
Who drew the Base Set 2 cards
Ken Sugimori40.0%$2.60 typical52 cards
Keiji Kinebuchi26.9%$0.67 typical35 cards
Mitsuhiro Arita23.8%$1.74 typical31 cards
Kagemaru Himeno9.2%$1.53 typical12 cards

The 4 illustrators with the most cards in this set, out of 4 credited in total.

Who drew the Base Set 2 cards
GroupShareValue
Ken Sugimori40.0%52 cards
Keiji Kinebuchi26.9%35 cards
Mitsuhiro Arita23.8%31 cards
Kagemaru Himeno9.2%12 cards
Base Set 2 Pokémon cards by rarity
RarityCardsShare of the setTypical price
Common42 32.3%$0.70
Uncommon42 32.3%$1.40
Rare20 15.4%$4.82
Rare Holo20 15.4%$37.08

Counted across all 130 Base Set 2 cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row.

The most common rarity alone covers 32.3% of the set. The thicker that layer is, the less it costs to put a first deck together — the frame gets built out of cards that fall out of packs, and the scarce ones are kept for the slots that decide a game.

Base Set 2 prints 4 rarities, and the top three fill 80.0% of the set between them. The other 1 split the remaining 26 cards, which is the usual shape: the scarcer the tier, the more tiers there are and the fewer cards sit in each.

By energy type the set leans on Grass with 27 cards, and the thinnest type on file is Lightning with 8. A gap of 19 cards between the widest and the narrowest type is what decides whether this set can start a deck of any colour or only feeds two of them.

Back to summary

How much HP and damage Base Set 2 Pokémon cards print

An average hides the shape of a group: it reads the same whether every Base Set 2 card prints the same number or they run from one end of the scale to the other. These five points show which of the two is happening.
Base Set 2 Pokémon cards — how far apart the numbers on the cards sit
MeasureLowestLower quarterTypicalUpper quarterHighestCards counted
HP30486080120100
Biggest attack1010304010097

Trainer and energy cards carry no HP or attack, so they are left out of these counts rather than entered as zero. "Biggest attack" is the largest printed damage number on the card, before any condition the attack text adds.

The five points that describe Base Set 2 card HP
Lowest25.0% of the highest30 HP
Lower quarter40.0% of the highest48 HP
Typical50.0% of the highest60 HP
Upper quarter66.7% of the highest80 HP
Highest100.0% of the highest120 HP

HP printed on the 100 Base Set 2 cards that carry one. The typical card is 60 HP. Bar length is that HP against the highest in the group.

Half of these cards sit between 48 and 80 HP. The distance between the two ends is what a single average would have hidden.

The five points that describe Base Set 2 card HP
GroupShareValue
Lowest25.0% of the highest30 HP
Lower quarter40.0% of the highest48 HP
Typical50.0% of the highest60 HP
Upper quarter66.7% of the highest80 HP
Highest100.0% of the highest120 HP
The five points that describe the biggest attack on a Base Set 2 card
Lowest10.0% of the highest10 damage
Lower quarter10.0% of the highest10 damage
Typical30.0% of the highest30 damage
Upper quarter40.0% of the highest40 damage
Highest100.0% of the highest100 damage

The largest printed damage number on each of the 97 Base Set 2 cards that print one. The typical card hits for 30. Bar length is that number against the hardest hitter in the group.

Half of these cards hit between 10 and 40. Attack text that adds a condition is not counted here — only the printed number.

The five points that describe the biggest attack on a Base Set 2 card
GroupShareValue
Lowest10.0% of the highest10 damage
Lower quarter10.0% of the highest10 damage
Typical30.0% of the highest30 damage
Upper quarter40.0% of the highest40 damage
Highest100.0% of the highest100 damage
Back to summary

What are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards weak to?

Weakness is the one printed number that doubles incoming damage, so it decides more matches than HP does. Across the 95 Base Set 2 cards that print one, the most common is Fire on 21 of them.
What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are weak to
Fire22.1%21 cards
Fighting21.1%20 cards
Lightning18.9%18 cards
Psychic16.8%16 cards
Grass12.6%12 cards
Water8.4%8 cards

What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are weak to — 95 cards counted. Each track is the whole of that count, so a short bar means most of the group sits elsewhere.

An attack of this type does double damage to the card. Counted across the 95 Base Set 2 cards that print a weakness.

What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are weak to
GroupShareValue
Fire22.1%21 cards
Fighting21.1%20 cards
Lightning18.9%18 cards
Psychic16.8%16 cards
Grass12.6%12 cards
Water8.4%8 cards
Back to summary

Which Base Set 2 Pokémon cards print a resistance?

Resistance is the rarer of the two printed match-ups: only 39 of the 130 Base Set 2 cards on file carry one at all, and the rest simply leave the box empty.

What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards resist

What Base Set 2 Pokémon cards resist — 39 cards counted.
Share across 3 items. The largest is Fighting at 44%.44%Fighting
  • Fighting44%
  • Psychic38%
  • Lightning18%

Resistance cuts incoming damage from that type. Only some Base Set 2 cards print one, which is why this count is smaller than the card total.

Back to summary

How do Base Set 2 Pokémon cards evolve?

Evolution stage decides how many turns a card costs you before it can attack. These are the 106 Base Set 2 cards that print a stage.

How Base Set 2 Pokémon cards evolve

How Base Set 2 Pokémon cards evolve — 106 cards counted.
Share across 3 items. The largest is Basic at 57%.57%Basic
  • Basic57%
  • Stage 133%
  • Stage 210%

Basic cards are played straight from the hand; the later stages have to evolve from the card before them.

Back to summary

Can you still play Base Set 2 Pokémon cards, and what do they cost to retreat?

Retreat cost is the energy discarded to move a Pokémon back to the bench, and 20 of the 130 Base Set 2 cards cost three or more.
What it costs to retreat a Base Set 2 card
Retreat cost 011.5%discards nothing15 cards
Retreat cost 139.2%51 cards
Retreat cost 210.8%14 cards
Retreat cost 314.6%19 cards
Retreat cost 40.8%1 cards

Retreat cost is the number of energy cards discarded to move a Pokémon back to the bench. Counted across the 100 Base Set 2 cards that print one.

What it costs to retreat a Base Set 2 card
GroupShareValue
Retreat cost 011.5%15 cards
Retreat cost 139.2%51 cards
Retreat cost 210.8%14 cards
Retreat cost 314.6%19 cards
Retreat cost 40.8%1 cards
15.4%effectively stuck
Retreat cost 015 · 11.5%Retreat cost 151 · 39.2%Retreat cost 214 · 10.8%Retreat cost 319 · 14.6%Retreat cost 41 · 0.8%The rest30 · 23.1%

20 of the 130 cards on file cost three energy or more to retreat, which is where a Pokémon starts to be stuck in the active spot.

Cards that print no retreat cost at all are not Pokémon, so they never retreat and are counted in "the rest".

Can you still play Base Set 2 Pokémon cards in a tournament?
QuestionCardsShare of the group
Legal in Standard today107.7%
Legal in Expanded today1612.3%
Cards with an Ability96.9%
Cards with a special rule2418.5%

Standard and Expanded are the two tournament formats. A card leaves Standard when its set rotates out, so this share moves each year while the card itself does not change.

How much of the group each answer covers, out of 130 cards
Legal in Standard today7.7%10 cards
Legal in Expanded today12.3%16 cards
Cards with an Ability6.9%9 cards
Cards with a special rule18.5%24 cards

Each track is the whole of the 130 Base Set 2 cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share the answer does not cover.

These rows are not slices of one whole — a card can be legal in Standard and carry an Ability at the same time, so each bar is read on its own.

How much of the group each answer covers, out of 130 cards
GroupShareValue
Legal in Standard today7.7%10 cards
Legal in Expanded today12.3%16 cards
Cards with an Ability6.9%9 cards
Cards with a special rule18.5%24 cards

A card that costs three energy or more to retreat is stuck in practice: paying it empties the board of the energy that was meant to attack. 20 of the 130 cards here sit at that level, which is the argument for packing switch cards alongside them.

At the other end, 15 cards retreat for free. Those are the ones that open a game, because moving them out costs nothing that was going to be spent on an attack.

The rows above add up to 100 cards. The remaining 30 print no retreat cost at all — they never stand in the active spot, so they never retreat.

Back to summary

Which Base Set 2 Pokémon cards moved most this year

The set line is made of single cards, and they do not all move together. These are the two ends of that spread over the last twelve months.

Biggest risers over 12 months

Biggest fallers over 12 months

Counted on the 61 cards that carried a price on both the first and the last reading, so a card that only appeared recently is not in here.

Back to summary

The cheapest Base Set 2 Pokémon cards you can buy

The opposite end of the list above — the 6 Base Set 2 cards with the lowest price on file.
PotionCommon · Base Set 2Market $0.24Grass EnergyBase Set 2Market $0.32SwitchCommon · Base Set 2Market $0.33Psychic EnergyBase Set 2Market $0.34Water EnergyBase Set 2Market $0.34Super PotionUncommon · Base Set 2Market $0.35

Read on the same day as every other figure on this page. A cheap card is not a broken card — most of a set sits down here, which is what makes a set collectable at all.

Back to summary

How Base Set 2 compares with the other sets

Where Base Set 2 sits among the 145 sets on file, measured by what an ordinary card in each one costs.

"Which set is the most expensive" has more than one answer depending on what you measure, so this ladder keeps to one: what an ordinary card in each set costs.

Ranked by what an ordinary card costs, Base Set 2 is number 83 of 145 sets, with 62 of them cheaper.

Ranked by what an ordinary card costs, Base Set 2 is number 83

Every bar is measured against No. 1 Legendary Collection at $80.30
  • Legendary CollectionNo. 1 by price · 110 cardsbaseline$80.30
  • Nintendo Black Star PromosNo. 2 by price · 40 cards$57.33
  • Team Rocket ReturnsNo. 3 by price · 111 cards$54.85
  • Base Set 2No. 83 by price · 130 cardsYou are here$1.48
  • Emerging PowersNo. 84 by price · 98 cards$1.48
  • Cosmic EclipseNo. 85 by price · 272 cards$1.24

These are the sets that sit next to Base Set 2 on that ladder.

Legendary Collection — 110 cards110 with a pricetypical $80.30Nintendo Black Star Promos — 40 cards26 with a pricetypical $57.33Team Rocket Returns — 111 cards92 with a pricetypical $54.85Emerging Powers — 98 cards98 with a pricetypical $1.48Cosmic Eclipse — 272 cards272 with a pricetypical $1.24
Back to summary

The three dearest Base Set 2 cards, side by side

The cards that carry this set's reputation, with the plain facts of the set beside them.
The 3 dearest Base Set 2 cards on file — hover to draw one out
Middle · Blastoise Base Set 2 #2Most drawn by Ken Sugimori
Base Set 2 cards
130on file
130 of them carry a price
Rarities printed
4
Most often Common
Illustrators
4
Most often Ken Sugimori
Typical card
$1.48median
One in ten costs over $30.92
Typical HP60Typical attack30Weak toFireMost printed typeGrass

Base Set 2 Pokémon cards — frequently asked questions

How many Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are there?

There are 130 Base Set 2 cards in this archive, and 130 of them carry a price. A set is the expansion a card was printed in, and every card in the card files this site reads names exactly one. Sorting by set puts each release back together the way it was sold, so a card can be read next to the cards it shared a pack with.

How much is a Base Set 2 Pokémon card worth?

The typical one costs $1.48. Across the 130 priced cards the range runs from $0.24 to $480.06, so the group price is a starting point rather than a valuation of any one card.

What is the most expensive Base Set 2 Pokémon card?

Charizard 4 from Base Set 2, at $480.06. It is 324× the typical price of the group.

Are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards rare?

By price they rank No. 83 of 145 sets, with 62 cheaper than this one. By size the group holds 130 of the 20,444 English cards on file, or 0.6%. Those two together are what "rare" usually means in practice — few of them, and dear because of it.

Do all Base Set 2 Pokémon cards have a price?

No. 130 of the 130 carry a price on file. The rest have never been listed at a price this archive could read, so they are counted in the card total but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

Where can I see every Base Set 2 Pokémon card?

The list on this page holds the 50 most expensive of them, dearest first, and each card opens its own price page. The remaining 80 carry no published price, which is why they are not drawn.

How often are Base Set 2 Pokémon card prices updated?

Prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings. The figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026. Which cards belong to this group comes from openly published card files and changes only when a new set is added.

Are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards going up in value?

Over the last 11 months the typical Base Set 2 card rose from $1.00 to $1.48, a change of +48.0%. That is the middle of the whole group, so it describes an ordinary card of this kind rather than the headline one at the top.

How much does a cheap Base Set 2 Pokémon card cost?

One in four Base Set 2 cards costs $0.69 or less and the cheapest on file is $0.24. Three in four cost $4.55 or less, so the cards past that point are the exception rather than the rule for this group.

Which Base Set 2 Pokémon cards are worth the most?

Sorted by rarity, Rare Holo is the dearest kind of Base Set 2 card: 20 of them are on file and the middle one costs $37.08. The table on this page lists every rarity in the group beside its own typical price.

What is the highest HP on a Base Set 2 Pokémon card?

The highest printed HP among Base Set 2 cards is 120, and the lowest is 30. The typical one is 60 HP, with half of them between 48 and 80 — figures counted from the 100 cards in this group that print an HP value.

Are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards legal in tournaments?

10 of the 130 Base Set 2 cards are legal in Standard today and 16 in Expanded — 7.7% and 12.3% of the group. A card leaves Standard when its set rotates out, so this share moves each year even though the cards do not change.

What are Base Set 2 Pokémon cards weak to?

Most often Fire — 21 of the 95 Base Set 2 cards that print a weakness take double damage from it, with Fighting next at 20 cards. Weakness is printed per card, so the group tendency is a guide and the card itself is the answer.

Which Base Set 2 Pokémon card rose the most this year?

Snorlax 30 from Base Set 2, which went from $8.54 to $29.32 — a change of +243.3% between August 14, 2025 and August 14, 2026. It is one of 61 Base Set 2 cards that carried a price on both days.

How these Base Set 2 figures are collected, and where you can check them

Every figure on this page is counted from the 130 Base Set 2 cards this site holds on file — 130 of them with a price read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Nothing here is estimated: a card with no price is left out of the price columns rather than filled in. The places below are where the same card information can be checked.

Primary official source

First-party official sources — the body that issues the data itself, such as a government agency, a statutory register or a rights holder publishing its own records.

1
The Pokémon Company International — official tournament format and rotation announcements www.pokemon.com

Industry source

Second-party sources — marketplaces, trade associations, research institutes and companies that compile data about the market.

1
Pokémon TCG Data — openly published card files (card text, rarity, types, regulation mark, illustrator credits) github.com
2
TCGdex card database — openly licensed card files (set listings and printed names) github.com

Before you rely on these figures

Note: Prices on this page are asking and market prices for ungraded English Base Set 2 cards, taken from a daily snapshot of public marketplace listings read on August 14, 2026. They are not offers, they exclude shipping, duty and marketplace fees, and they move. Counts cover only the English cards this site holds on file. Graded prices, population counts, sealed product values and pack odds are not published on this site because no free commercial source provides them.

Last updated: 2026-08-14