Kadabra · Expedition Base Set, what to know.
About the Kadabra card
Kadabra sits at #84 in Expedition Base Set, the thirteenth of the Wizards of the Coast print runs. Illustration by Hajime Kusajima. In the games, Kadabra evolves from Abra, which makes it a late-stage card in the line.
About Kadabra in the Pokémon world
The middle Abra stage. Notably absent from the TCG for decades due to a real-world legal dispute. Returned in 2023. Kadabra appears in Base Set then disappeared from the TCG until late 2023. The Base Set print is the only Wizards-era Kadabra and has unique cross-era collector interest because of the absence.
Print variants and how to spot them
Expedition shipped in Standard and Reverse Holo prints. The defining feature is the dot-code strip printed on the bottom of each card, designed to be scanned with the Nintendo e-Reader peripheral for bonus minigames. Functional collector value of the dot codes is minimal today, but they make Expedition cards visually distinct.
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.
