Summary
The fourthPokemon TCGset ever released was 2000’s Team Rocket, which was notable for a number of reasons. Perhaps most importantly, the Team Rocket expansion was the first to feature “dark” versions of popular Pokemon – something that other sets would revisit in later years.
Beyond that, this was the first non-reprint set that featured the far superior cosmos holofoil method, which is both more artistically satisfying and slightly easier to view versus the original starlight holofoil method that predated it in the TCG’s first three sets. These notable attributes are likely why these ten Team Rocket cards have retained impressive value nearly 25 years after they debuted.
The card prices quoted all come fromTCGPlayer’s Market 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.
10Dark Slowbro – Holofoil
Market Price: $22.25
Seeing as the Team Rocket expansion was the first one to feature “dark” Pokemon (aka evil versions of their original selves), it’s no surprise that the first ‘mon mentioned (and all Pokemon mentioned, in fact) is a dark one – Dark Slowbro.
Featuring terrific Mitsuhiro Arita artwork that showcases the normally docile and vacant Slowbro as a villainous-looking ‘mon with “angry eyes” under the tutelage of a shadowyTeam Rocketmember in the background, this card’s Pokemon Power: Reel In made it an important utility piece for notable decks of the era, as returning Pokemon cards from your discard pile to your hand is always useful.
9Dark Hypno – Holofoil
Market Price: $22.54
This set including “dark” Pokemon was a masterstroke from an art perspective, as this strikingly illustrated Dark Hypno card conveys. Absolutely breathtaking Kagemaru Himeno artwork showcases Hypno employing its trademark hypnosis, with the talisman of its mesmerism actually being shown in motion.
While the foil version is the one that commands over $20 on the secondary market these days, the non-foil version allows you to see the brilliant artwork’s background better, which features something that looks like a proto-Trick Room (a famed mainline Pokemon game move).
8Dark Gyarados – Holofoil
Market Price: $23.65
Dark Gyarados was a fun Pokemon to run in latter-day Rain Dance decks, as it could serve as a notable stalling ‘mon thanks to its Pokemon Power: Final Beam, which, upon winning a coin flip, dealt 20 damage to the active ‘mon that knocked it out for each water energy attached to it.
Gyarados is a ‘mon that boasts evergreen popularity, and its “dark” version from Team Rocket still retains an impressive value on the secondary market. This card even saw a reprint as part of Celebrations “classic collection” in that 2021 TCG set.
7Dark Machamp – Holofoil
Market Price: $26.39
Another card with absolutely brilliant artwork from master Pokemon illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita, this Machamp artwork features nothing save for a blank, ethereal blue hue as its background – and it works perfectly, as the Machamp seems to be in mid-attack, seemingly leaping off the card from a empty blue void.
Dark Machamp’s first attack (30 damage for two fighting energy) was fine for the time, but it’s the card’s second attack, Fling, that is the more interesting one. This card serves as a forced Scoop Up, which meant that your foe had to take their active Pokemon and shuffle it and all cards attached to it into their deck – which could really mess up your foe’s strategy if it hit.
6Dark Charizard – Rare
Market Price: $33.84
The only non-Holofoil card on this list shows the overwhelming appetite among fans and collectors for the most famous Pokemon TCG card of all time: Charizard. While Base Set Charizard was reprinted before the release of Team Rocket as part of Base Set 2, it was the new Dark Charizard from Team Rocket that garnered more attention at the time of its release.
And with good reason. While Dark Charizard’s Continuous Fireball attack was heavily reliant on both fire energy and coin flips, the damage output was potentially massive. Say you had four fire-type energies attached to Dark Charizard. You use the attack and flip two heads out of four, which deals 100 damage and loses you two fire energies, meaning you probably defeated an important ‘mon and still have enough energy to knock out another ‘mon next turn. Not bad!
5Dark Alakazam – Holofoil
Market Price: $33.95
Alakazam is another frequently popular ‘mon that saw its first “dark” version featured in the Team Rocket set. Art-wise, this card features Ken Sugimori’s original Base Set Alakazam artwork changed to a side view with a spotlight seemingly shining on this powerful psychic-type ‘mon.
This makes it look as if Alakazam is about to perform a magic show, but for Dark Alakazam, it’s unlikely that anyone would want to be around to watch Team Rocket employ such a powerful Pokemon for their own nefarious, Pokemon-stealing ends.
4Dark Raichu – Holofoil
Market Price: $47.12
The first-ever “secret rare” in Pokemon TCG history, this card was listed as number 83 out of 82 cards for the Team Rocket set. As such, this card holds impressive value among fans and collectors, and the novelty factor alone is enough for the card to hold tremendous cache.
Featuring awesome Mitsuhiro Arita artwork that shows an angry-looking Raichu surrounded by swirling lightning strikes, this card in particular is a terrific showcase for the far-superior cosmos holofoil method. Opening this card in a Team Rocket pack felt incredible, and it’s nice to see the card hold a near-$50 value almost 25 years later.
3Dark Dragonite – Holofoil
Market Price: $70.25
Now we’re getting into the big guns. The original printing of Dragonite occurred in Fossil, which was the set directly preceding Team Rocket, and holofoil Dragonite is actually themost valuable cardfrom that release. Dragonite is normally a Pokemon associated with a vaguely goofy design, and canonically, it’s supposed to be a helpful Pokemon that comes to those who need aid.
In Team Rocket, however, Dark Dragonite looks notably evil as the trademark “angry eyes” of Pokemon within this set look downright terrifying on a ‘mon as sweet and gentle as Dragonite. Pseudolegendary Pokemon such as Dragonite are always popular, so it’s no surprise to see this card attain a price point above $70 on the secondary market.
2Dark Blastoise – Holofoil
Market Price: $85.78
Much like pseudolegendaries, starter Pokemon are always popular among collectors and connoisseurs, so seeing Dark Blastoise this high up makes perfect sense. This card in particular was a notable competitive beast when it was released, as its sheer damage output was eminently useful in the Rain Dance archetype.
While it lacked Base Set Blastoise’s Pokemon Power (the eponymous Rain Dance) and high HP, this card’s Hydrocannon attack could deal a whopping 70 damage for only four water-type energies. Combine that with singularly brilliant artwork from Mitsuhiro Arita and you’re looking at a card that today often reaches the $100 threshold in good condition.
1Dark Charizard – Holofoil
Market Price: $150.32
Not unsurprisingly, the second Charizard card ever printed in the TCG retains an impressive price point close to 25 years after it was released. While it is hard-pressed to reach the stratospheric heights of itsBase Set brother, over $150 on the secondary market is nothing to sneeze at.
Showcasing truly menacing artwork from Ken Sugimori – this Charizard looks utterly unhinged – as well as the new cosmos holofoil method, this card certainly deserves its place as one of the most valuable cards from the Pokemon TCG’s first four sets.
