Noctowl · Neo Genesis, what to know.
About the Noctowl card
Noctowl sits at #42 in Neo Genesis, the eighth 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, Noctowl evolves from Hoothoot, which makes it a late-stage card in the line.
The flavor text on the card reads: "Its eyes are specially adapted. They concentrate even faint light and enable it to see in the dark." 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.
Print variants and how to spot them
Neo Genesis shipped in 1st Edition (stamped) and Unlimited prints. The 1st Edition stamp convention is identical to earlier Wizards sets. No Shadowless variant exists for the Neo era and no widely-recognized error prints.
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.
