Ivysaur

Ivysaur sits at #44 in Base Set 2, the fourth of the Wizards of the Coast print runs. Illustration by Ken Sugimori. Sugimori is the lead character designer of the Pokémon franchise itself. His TCG illustrations carry a tighter, more on-model feel because they are by the same hand that defined how the Pokémon look in the games. In the games, Ivysaur evolves from Bulbasaur, which makes it a late-stage card in the line.

The flavor text on the card reads: "When the bulb on its back grows large, the Pokémon seems to lose the ability to stand on its hind legs." 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.

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.

Base Set 2 shipped in a single Unlimited print run. No 1st Edition stamp, no Shadowless treatment, no error prints of note. The Base Set 2 set symbol (a small "2" inside the Base mark) is the diagnostic. Holos from this set carry significantly lower prices than the original Base Set equivalents despite being the same card art.

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.

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.