Gloom · Jungle, what to know.
About the Gloom card
Gloom sits at #37 in Jungle, the second of the Wizards of the Coast print runs. Illustration by Keiji Kinebuchi. Kinebuchi contributed a smaller body of Wizards-era cards but is responsible for several memorable holos. His style runs warmer and more textured than the Sugimori work alongside it. In the games, Gloom evolves from Oddish, which makes it a late-stage card in the line.
The flavor text on the card reads: "The fluid that oozes from its mouth isn't drool; it is a nectar that is used to attract prey." Pokédex entries from this era are short and often quirky, written by the original Japanese localization team for a specific stat-block layout that no longer exists in modern cards.
About Gloom in the Pokémon world
The middle Oddish stage. Splits into Vileplume or Bellossom depending on evolution method. Middle-stage card with thin demand.
Print variants and how to spot them
Jungle shipped in two print waves: 1st Edition (stamped) and Unlimited. There is also a famous "No Symbol" error on some early Unlimited prints where the set symbol was accidentally left off the artwork. No Symbol variants trade for a meaningful premium over the standard Unlimited print and are a quiet specialty within Jungle collecting.
Grading and condition
Uncommons grade more forgivingly than Rare Holos but the same centering and edge requirements apply. Raw copies in pack-fresh condition are easy to find. A PSA 10 submission on a clean Uncommon is a low-cost way to learn how the grading process scores Wizards-era cardstock.
If you are buying this card
Raw copies of this card are inexpensive enough that the grading math rarely justifies submission unless you have a clearly pack-fresh example. For set completionists, picking up a clean raw copy and sleeving it is the practical move.
