What exactly is a 4th Print Blastoise, and why does it matter so much to Pokémon card fans in 2025? Let’s dive deep into this one card that has collectors buzzing, trading, and sometimes arguing over its spot in the Pokémon Trading Card Game world. This isn’t your everyday card like the ones from the shiny new Scarlet & Violet sets. No, the 4th Print Blastoise comes from the very first Pokémon set ever made, called Base Set, released back in 1999. It’s card number 2 out of 102, a holographic rare showing Blastoise, the massive turtle Pokémon with cannons on its shell, ready to blast water everywhere. But here’s the key twist: it’s from the fourth printing run of that Base Set, which makes it different from the super rare first edition or shadowless versions that fetch insane prices.
First off, picture the early days of Pokémon cards. Wizards of the Coast, the company that brought Magic: The Gathering to life, printed the original English Base Set cards. They did multiple print runs to keep up with the crazy demand from kids and adults going wild over Pikachu and friends. The first print run had that fancy “First Edition” stamp in the bottom corner. Then came shadowless prints, which skipped the shadow on the artwork border for a cleaner look. After that, the unlimited prints kicked in, and within those, there are print runs numbered 3, 4, 5, and so on, marked by tiny symbols in the bottom left corner. For 4th Print Blastoise, you’re looking for a little circle with a number 4 inside it, right near the First Edition box but without the stamp. These 4th Prints hit the market later in 1999, after the hype had built up but before supply fully caught up. They weren’t as limited as first editions, but they still carry that old-school charm from the golden age of Pokémon collecting.
Now, fast forward to 2025. What’s the value of this card right now? It depends a ton on its condition, whether it’s been graded by pros like PSA or BGS, and the current market mood. Ungraded 4th Print Blastoise cards, meaning just pulled from a binder or pack in decent shape, hover around $65 on average. That’s up a bit recently, with a small bump of about $6 in the last check. But don’t stop there—graded ones tell the real story. A PSA Grade 7 might go for $167, Grade 8 around $225 (though that’s dipped $15 lately), Grade 9 jumps to $539 (up $22), and Grade 9.5 at $587 steady. The holy grail, a PSA 10, sits at a whopping $3,730. These numbers come straight from sales data tracking sites that watch eBay, TCGPlayer, and auctions daily. Volume isn’t huge—maybe one ungraded sale a day, a couple graded higher ones per month—so prices can swing with just a few big trades.[1]
Why isn’t it cheaper or pricier? Let’s break it down simple. Blastoise has always been a fan favorite as the final evolution of Squirtle, the cute starter from the original games. In Base Set, it’s a powerhouse card in play: 120 HP (huge back then), attacks like Hydro Pump and Rain Dance that wrecked opponents. Collectors love it for nostalgia—remember opening those packs as a kid? But 4th Prints aren’t the top dogs. First Editions or shadowless versions can hit thousands even in lower grades because they’re scarcer. A recent eBay sale of a PSA 4 First Edition Blastoise #2 went for $50 to $75 just days ago, but that’s not 4th Print—those unlimited ones like 4th Print are more common, so values stay grounded.[1] Still, in 2025, with Pokémon TCG exploding thanks to influencers, YouTube unboxings, and new sets like Scarlet & Violet 151 bringing back starters, older cards like this get a boost. Videos talk about 2025 as the craziest year yet, with rare Blastoise variants making headlines—like a test print gold border one that echoes old Magic proofs, sold for $216,000 back in 2021, and even a PSA 9 shadowless hitting $625,000 in August 2025.[4]
Market trends play a huge role. Prices for Base Set holos have climbed steadily since 2020, fueled by investors jumping in during the pandemic boom. But 2025 has seen some cooling. Newer Blastoise cards, like the ex #200 from Scarlet & Violet 151, are hot—ungraded at $75, PSA 10 at $325, even BGS 10 Black Label over $4,000. That’s pulling eyes away from vintage stuff. One report notes the 151 Blastoise sliding after peaking at $100, showing how starter Pokémon hype can fade fast.[7] Japanese sets are nuts too—a 2025 Scarlet & Violet special deck with Blastoise, Charizard, and Venusaur goes for $129 to $250 on resale sites.[5] Proxies, fake cards for play, are even popping up cheap on places like Etsy for under $10, but those don’t touch real value.[8]
Grading changes everything. PSA, the big dog in card grading, slaps a number from 1 to 10 on condition—centering, edges, corners, surface scratches. A 4th Print in raw form might look mint to you, but graders are picky. Recent sales: a CGC 2.5 graded one for $44, PSA 2.5 at $162 way back, showing low grades still sell but cheap.[1] UK data pegs near-mint at £120 (about $150 USD) as of July 2025, with highs to £369 for standouts.[3] Why grade? Protection in a plastic slab, plus it proves authenticity in a world full of fakes. Centering is killer for Blastoise—those blue borders need to be perfect, or no gem mint 10.
Factors pushing value up in 2025 include scarcity within prints. Not every Base Set Blastoise is 4th Print; you have to check that symbol. Population reports (how many graded copies exist) are low for high grades—maybe a few hundred PSA 10s total across Base Set Blastoise variants, keeping gems rare. Nostalgia waves hit hard: Pokémon GO events, new games like Scarlet/Violet remakes, anime reruns. Big auctions from Goldin or Heritage smash records for Base Set cards—think $15,000 for Mewtwo first edition, $55,000 for Chansey holo.[6] Blastoise rides that wave but stays mid-tier.
On the flip side, risks drag value down. Market saturation from reprints in sets like 151 floods starter hype. Economic stuff—recessions make collectors hold cash. Fakes are everywhere; UV lights and magnifiers are must-haves to spot counterfeits with wrong holo patterns or ink. Storage matters too: sunligh
