Why Is Base Set Dewgong Increasing in Value Long Term?
Pokemon Base Set Dewgong, card number 25, comes from the original 1999 set that started the whole trading card craze. This uncommon card shows Dewgong as a sleek ice and water type Pokemon, ready to freeze opponents with its attacks like Aurora Beam and Sheer Cold. Right now, ungraded copies sell for around $1.90, but graded versions climb fast: a PSA 10 can hit $109 or more based on recent sales.[1] First edition shadowless versions are even hotter, with sales like $41.95 in late 2025.[3] While raw prices dip a bit short term, the long term trend points up for high grades, and here’s why collectors keep buying in.
First, scarcity plays a huge role. Base Set printed in massive numbers back in 1999, but Dewgong is not a chase card like Charizard or Blastoise. Commons and uncommons like this one got played hard in early decks, tossed in binders, or lost over time. Survivors in top shape are rare. Look at sales data: only two ungraded sales per month, and PSA 10s move once a year or less.[1] Low supply means when a gem mint copy pops up, like that CGC 10 sold for $34.90 in January 2025, prices hold firm or push higher.[1]
Grading demand fuels the rise too. As more people send vintage cards to PSA or CGC, pristine Dewgong scores become trophies. A grade 9.5 sits at $31 steady, while PSA 10 jumps to $109 with no drop.[1] Collectors chase these for complete Base Set rainbows, where every card in PSA 10 is a flex. Dewgong fits as a solid mid-tier uncommon, not too common to flood the market, not too rare to break the bank yet.
Nostalgia keeps pulling buyers back. Base Set defined Pokemon TCG. Kids who opened packs then are adults now with cash, rebuilding childhood collections. Dewgong evokes those early gym battles and ice decks. Even if it spiked recently in sets like Base Set 2 at $1.23 market price, the original Base Set version benefits from that halo effect.[2] Vintage WOTC cards from 1999, including Dewgong lots, sell as history pieces.[5]
Market shifts help long term. Pokemon booms cycle every few years with new games, anime, or reprints. Base Set stays untouched as the holy grail. Prices for uncommons like Dewgong lag behind holos but catch up as sets complete. Recent sales show stability: a CGC 6.5 at $12.50 in May 2025, and first ed at $41.95 in October.[1][3] Low volume sales mean small demand bumps send values up.
Investors spot this too. With fewer beat-up copies left, and grading popping more 9s and 10s from safe storage finds, Dewgong rides the wave. It won’t hit Blastoise levels, but for under $2 raw or $100 gem mint, it offers real growth potential over years. Track it on sites like PriceCharting to watch the climb.[1]
