01Card Stats

Basic

HP 40

TypeFighting

RarityCommon

IllustratorKen Sugimori

WeaknessGrass ×2

Retreat●

SetBase Set

Released1999

02Editions and Print Runs

Printed in the WotC era when 1st Edition, Shadowless, and Unlimited distinctions still applied.

1st Edition

How to spot it: 1st Edition stamp in the bottom-left of the artwork frame.

First print window; smaller run than Unlimited.

Shadowless

How to spot it: No drop shadow on the right and bottom of the artwork box; thinner, lighter frame.

Early Unlimited sub-print between 1st Edition and Unlimited; scarcer than standard Unlimited.

Unlimited

How to spot it: No 1st Edition stamp; standard print frame.

Most common version of this card.

04Variants and Foiling

Rarity tiers: Common
Foiling: Non-holo standard finish.
Alt art / specials: No full-art, secret rare, or alternate-art version documented for this print.

05Language and Regional Versions

English: Standard English release.
Japanese: Released in the equivalent Japanese set.
European: Localized European prints exist with translated text.
Other: No documented language-exclusive errors or major regional variants.

06Current Market Value

Market value

~$1.06 raw

Raw copies run $0.19 to $0.71

No graded (PSA) sales in our index yet - check recent eBay sold prices below for the grading upside.

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07Why Collectors Want It

Released in 1999's Base Set — the first Pokémon TCG set ever printed and the WotC era's launching pad.
The 1st Edition variant is the headline-chase parallel; the base Unlimited print remains widely available and historically significant.
1st Edition raw asking sits around $23; Shadowless and Unlimited variants trade lower, with PSA 10 1st Ed copies grading into the hundreds.
A foundational pickup for any Sandslash-line collection or WotC-era Kanto run.

08Competitive Playability

Tier: None

Basic Sandshrew with 40 HP; top attack around 10 damage. Functions as an evolution-chain piece rather than a tournament attacker.

09Card Moves and Abilities

Sand-attack Cost: Fighting · 10 damage

If the Defending Pokémon tries to attack during your opponent's next turn, your opponent flips a coin. If tails, that attack does nothing.

Weakness: Grass ×2
Resistance: Lightning -30
Retreat cost: 1

10Grading and Population

PSA 10 estimate: WotC-era Sandshrew PSA 10 populations vary; small numbers across most sets.

Graded copies command notable premiums over raw, especially for 1st Edition prints.

Other graders: BGS and CGC also grade vintage Pokemon; PSA dominates secondary-market liquidity.

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Sandshrew