Summary
ThePokemon Trading Card Gamefollowed up its massively popular first set, simply called Base Set, with the Jungle expansion in the summer of 1999. While Base Set featured some of the most popular cards ever printed in the TCG’s history, Jungle filled out more of the Pokedex with tons of new cards – many of which were grass or poison type.
While prices for cards from the Jungle expansion don’t quite hit the stratospheric highs that cards from Base Set do, there are still a number of big-money cards in the set that, if you still have them kicking around in a shoebox or old card binder, might be worth excavating. So grab your backpack and compass, and let’s explore the Jungle’s most expensive cards.
The card prices quoted all come fromTCGPlayer’sMarket Price History over the past calendar year and may fluctuate over time. Also, no First Editions are included on this list even though they are extremely rare and, thus, wildly more expensive than the Unlimited versions of these cards.
11Pinsir – Holofoil
Market Price: $19.06
Pinsir, one of Generation 1’s more interesting bug-type Pokemon, made its debut in the TCG with this card. Featuring some very nifty artwork and two fairly strong attacks, it’s no surprise that this card was sought after both when it was printed and over 20 years after that.
Many cards in the Jungle expansion slot into the grass-type energy group, which is fitting, as what do you most find in the jungle? Flora and fauna, of course. Pinsir remains fairly popular in Pokemon, and it even received an exceptionally strong Mega Evolution in Pokemon’s Generation 6.
10Venomoth – Holofoil
Market Price: $19.56
As a Pokemon player that’s nearly 35 years old, I tend to be drawn to the simple, original artwork of original Pokemon designer Ken Sugimori. The Jungle printing of Venomoth features artwork by the venerable Sugimori, and it makes this card highly desirable.
In terms of gameplay, Jungle Venomoth featured an interesting Pokemon Power: Shift, which allowed it to change its type at will (as long as that type was in play). This meant that Venomoth, in theory, could change its typing to suit the defending Pokemon’s weakness every turn, again, as long as that type is in play.
9Victreebel – Holofoil
Market Price: $20.01
The final evolutionary form of Bellsprout made its debut in Jungle. Not an immensely powerful card in-game, but the classic Ken Sugimori artwork coupled with this ‘mon being a final stage evolution make it all the more scarce – and valuable – on the secondary market today.
There’s simply something about this card that makes it really “pop,” whether that be the elegantly designed attacks or the original Sugimori artwork, but collectors seem to agree as it retains a high price point today.
8Mr. Mime – Holofoil
Market Price: $20.68
One of the weirder Pokemon designs ever (why is it humanoid?), this low-HP ‘mon was actually something of a heavy hitter competitively when it was released. While it only features a piddling 40 HP, its Pokemon Power: Invisible Wall nullified all damage from attacks that did more than 20 damage at a time.
Seeing as most high-level ‘mons were doing heaps of damage at a time, playing a Mr. Mime was tantamount to saying “you lose” to major tournament decks such as Rain Dance. While Haymaker and Damage Swap decks could easily bypass Mr. Mime’s ability, the card’s price tag still indicates its past importance to the game.
7Vileplume – Holofoil
Market Price: $21.15
Another grass-type final-stage evolution that made its debut in Jungle, Vileplume is the final form of the adorable Oddish. Another card that was eminently enjoyable to crack open during the heyday of “Pokemania,” Gloom’s evolution actually could pack something of a wallop in-game as well.
While its Pokemon Power: Heal was underpowered at the time and looks laughably weak these days, its three-energy Petal Dance attack could actually deal up to 120 damage – which was even stronger thanBase Set Charizard’s Fire Spin. Of course, you had to flip three coins and get three heads and then afterwards Vileplume became confused, but 120 damage is 120 damage.
6Wigglytuff – Holofoil
Market Price: $21.25
One of the strongest competitive cards released up to this point in the Pokemon TCG, Jigglypuff’s final form was a devastating attacker thanks to its second attack, the amusingly named Do The Wave. While that honestly sounds quite fun, especially in the context of a sporting event, it was deadly in the hands of Wigglytuff.
As long as your bench was full, this powerhouse attack dealt a whopping (at the time) 60 damage to the opponent’s Pokemon, which was normally enough to knock it out in a single turn or two turns at maximum. No wonder this card retains plenty of value over 20 years after it was released.
5Scyther – Holofoil
Market Price: $24.29
Still one of the coolestBug-type Pokemonof all time, Scyther’s debut in the TCG helped upgrade the already powerful Haymaker deck archetype with a speedy attacker that had no retreat cost and could attack as early as two thanks Double Colorless Energy.
Seeing as its attack only required colorless energy, Scyther could be safely slotted into any deck, and it was for a time, though using Swords Dance turn one and then tossing a Double Colorless energy and attacking for 60 was a truly spicy way to begin games back in the day when this card was released.
4Pidgeot – Holofoil
Market Price: $26.51
For some reason, Pidgeotto was as far as the Pidgey evolution line went in the TCG’s Base Set. Thankfully, Jungle remedied that by debuting the first-ever Pidgeot card in the TCG.
Featuring striking art and two reasonably strong attacks, it’s no surprise that Pidgeot approaches the $30 threshold on the secondary market these days. However, compare the power level of one of the more recent printings of Pidgeot – inObsidian Flames– to see “power creep” at work.
3Flareon – Holofoil
Market Price: $39.36
The top three on this list absolutely lap the field in terms of their value on the secondary market, and all three are extremely popular ‘mons that have remained relevant to the fandom at large since their debut. The top three begins with one of Eevee’s original evolutions: the fire type, Flareon.
Perhaps the best art in the entire Jungle expansion (especially the non-holo version, in this writer’s opinion), Flareon just misses the $40 threshold on the secondary market today.Eeveelutionsremain an incredible popular evolutionary line, and the first ones debuting in Jungle only make them more desirable over 20 years after release.
2Jolteon – Holofoil
Market Price: $45.00
Another Eeveelution stands as the second-most valuable card in the Jungle set, and with good reason. Adorable artwork features Jolteon sticking its tongue out cutely, and two strong attacks meant it was highly sought after upon release.
Coin-flip attacks were all the rage in the early days of the Pokemon TCG, and Jolteon’s second attack could do an imposing 80 damage if you flipped four heads. With a price tag approaching $50, Jolteon is one of the holy grails from the Jungle set.
