Why Is Base Set Beedrill Becoming More Valuable Each Year?
Base Set Beedrill, one of the original Pokemon trading cards from 1999, keeps climbing in price because collectors chase its rare print versions and errors, while new players spark demand through modern games. This insect powerhouse from the first Pokemon TCG set features Beedrill as a Stage 2 evolution from Weedle and Kakuna, with attacks like Twineedle that flip coins for double damage. Over 25 years later, its value rises steadily due to a mix of scarcity, nostalgia, and fresh hype.
First, rarity drives the surge. Base Set came in different prints: unlimited, shadowless, 1st edition, and even rarer shadowless 1st edition. Shadowless cards, like those sold on sites such as TCGplayerhttps://www.tcgplayer.com/search/pokemon/product?q=PlusPower+Base+Set+%28Shadowless%29, lack the drop shadow under the artwork, making them tougher to find in top condition. A near-mint shadowless Beedrill can fetch hundreds, while 1st edition holographics push into thousands at auctions. As original print runs dry up, prices climb 10-20% yearly for graded copies.
Error cards add extra appeal. Beedrill itself ties into Base Set’s misprint legacy, like nearby cards with text flaws such as Rapidash saying “Put Rapidash on the Stage 1 card” instead of “Basic Pokemon.”https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Error_cards These uncorrected mistakes turn common cards into treasures. Collectors hunt Beedrill holos for subtle print variances, boosting demand as grading services like PSA spotlight them.
Nostalgia fuels the fire. Fans who grew up with Base Set in the late 90s now have money to spend. Conventions and online markets see veterans grading childhood cards, pulling Beedrill from attics into slabs worth big bucks.
Lately, Pokemon TCG Pocket, a mobile game, reignites interest. Decks built around Beedrill ex use Quick Grow Extract for fast evolutions and pair with Ariados to hike retreat costs, locking foes in place.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhytXfEGbVQ Videos from December 2025 show these combos dominating ranked play, drawing new collectors to the physical Base Set version for authenticity.
Supply shrinks as hoarding grows. Fewer unopened packs exist, and opened cards degrade without care. Population reports from graders show low numbers for high-grade Beedrills, pushing values up.
Market data backs this: entry-level Beedrills doubled since 2020, with holos tripling. As Pokemon TCG evolves, Base Set staples like Beedrill stay hot.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhytXfEGbVQ
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Error_cards
https://www.tcgplayer.com/search/pokemon/product?q=PlusPower+Base+Set+%28Shadowless%29
