Ivysaur · Scarlet & Violet 151, what to know.
About the Ivysaur card
Ivysaur sits at #167 in Scarlet & Violet 151, released in September 2023. Scarlet & Violet 151 is part of the modern English Pokémon TCG era and uses the standard contemporary card frame and rarity tiers. Illustration by Yoriyuki Ikegami. In the games, Ivysaur evolves from Bulbasaur, which makes it a late-stage card in the line.
The flavor text on the card reads: "Exposure to sunlight adds to its strength. Sunlight also makes the bud on its back grow larger." 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 Ivysaur in the Pokémon world
The middle stage of the Bulbasaur line. The bud on its back has swollen and begun to open. The transitional stage in a line collectors usually buy as a set. Almost always purchased as part of a Bulbasaur to Venusaur evolution run rather than as a standalone, which keeps prices honest.
Print variants and how to spot them
Scarlet & Violet 151 shipped in Holofoil, Reverse Holo, ex, Full Art, and Special Illustration. Each of the 151 original Kanto Pokémon appears in some form across the set. Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare (#199) is the headline pull and drove extreme launch demand.
Grading and condition
For graded buyers, modern cards have cleaner cardstock than the Wizards-era prints, so the grading bar is higher. A PSA 10 on a modern holo or alt-art requires close to flawless centering and pristine surface. PSA 9 populations are large; PSA 10 populations on the marquee chases (Special Illustration Rares, alt arts) are the cards that actually move price. Submission math favors clear PSA 10 candidates and stays away from PSA 8 or 9 outcomes.
If you are buying this card
If you are buying this card, the order of operations is rarity tier first, then condition. Confirm whether you are looking at the standard holo, an alt art / Special Illustration variant, or a Hyper Rare; the price spread between tiers is often 10x or more. For raw purchases on chase-tier modern cards, insist on photo or video showing the holo surface and edges. Modern cardstock is stiffer than Wizards-era stock but the high pull rates mean PSA 10 supply is large; price your buy against PSA 10 population reports.
