Gyarados Pokémon Card Value

Gyarados Pokémon Card Guide

Gyarados has appeared in a number of video games, movies, and tv anime. Known as the Atrocious Pokémon, Gyarados is the evolved form of Magikarp. The process of raising a Migikarp into a Gyarados is extremely time consuming, but worth the payoff. In the end you get an awesome water dragon that will become one of your best Water-type Pokémon.

Since Gyarados is one of the original 150 Pokémon, is Gyarados a good card to collect?

And are Gyarados cards worth any money?

Introduction

The Gyarados Cards

Gyarados is closely based on a sea dragon, a Kraken, or a Chinese dragon. It is also based on the legend about how carp that leaped over the Dragon Gate would become dragons. Gyarados is known for its fierce temper and destructive tendencies. Once this Pokémon is worked up into a rage, it cannot calm down until everything around it is destroyed. During evolution, Gyarados undergoes dramatic structural changes to its brain, leading to this violent nature. 

Category and Element of Gyarados

Gyarados is a Pokémon that is inspired by dragons, mainly those seen in Chinese mythology. The concept of Magikarp evolving into Gyarados is based on the ancient Chinese tradition that carp would evolve into a dragon.

Gyarados is a Water-type and Flying-type Pokémon who is weak against Electric and Rock Pokémon. Gyarados is strong against Grass, Fighting and Fire Pokémon. When Gyarados Mega Evolves, it becomes bulkier. While its brain has a powerful destructive instinct, it will obey a Trainer it trusts. 

1999 Pokémon Game Gyarados- Holo 1st Edition

This 1999 1st Edition Holo Gyarados was a part of the January 1999 Base Set expansion. This is the first set to feature Generation I Pokémon in the card game. This card features a Water-type Basic Gyarados with artwork from Mitsuhiro Arita. This is the most expensive Gyarados card, which is the case for most Kanto region 1st Edition Pokémon. This card might not be as much as a Pikachu or Charizard, but for a non-starter Pokémon, it really packs a price punch. The artwork features a Holofoil Gyarados moments before he preforms Dragon Rage. This card can vary in value but has potential to possible reach near $20,000 here soon. 

PSA Population Report:

There has been a total of 1,265 cards that have been graded by the PSA. The lowest grade given was a grade of Auth. The highest, and most common grade given, was a perfect Gem Mint 10 condition card with 407 receiving this grade. That is an impressive number of cards getting a perfect grade. This card is worth a lot of money in Mint 10 condition and would be a collectors dream to have. 

2006 Pokémon Gyarados- Holo EX Holon Phant.- Gold Star

This 2006 Gold Star Gyarados has only appeared five times in the TCG. It was released as part of the EX Holon Phantoms expansion, released in English on May 3, 2006. This expansion was set in Holon, due to the more natural habitat, fewer of the Delta Species Pokémon are dual-type. This card features Gyarados as a red Fire-type Pokémon, differing from the usual Water-type that is Gyarados. The appearance of this Gyarados is a red, Shiny version of Gyarados, with a red card color.

The artwork is drawn by Masakazu Fukuda and showcases Gyarados as a Shiny red Pokémon with fire covering its body, the fire also comes out of the artwork box to the left. This is a very spectacular card and shows Gyarados in a setting we rarely see him in. This is a very rare card that shows Gyarados in a different light, making this card pretty valuable.

PSA Population Report:

There have been 478 cards that have been graded by the PSA. The lowest grade was a PR 1, while the most common grade was a Mint 9 with 141 cards. There have been only 32 cards graded perfect Gem Mint 10. The PSA is showing a very steady increase in this card. 

2001 P.M. Neo Revelation Shining Gyarados Holo- 1st Edition

This 2001 Shinning Gyarados was a part of the 2001 Neo Revelation expansion. This expansion introduced Shining Pokémon, which is a different coloration for what Gyarados usually is. This card has Gyarados as a Water-type Pokémon with a Super Rare rarity.  Ken Sugimori was the artist for this card, showing a Red Gyarados erupting out of the ocean during a storm, almost capsizing a person in a small paddle boat, with Holofoil water drops falling everywhere. Because this is a Red Gyarados, he does have a Dark-type move, Devastate. Because this is an older card in 1St Edition, this Shinny Super Rare Gyarados is worth some money.  

PSA Population Report:

There have been 847 of these cards graded by the PSA. The lowest grade given was a Auth. The most common grade, having a whopping 430, is Mint 9. There are only 105 cards that are in perfect Gem Mint 10 graded by the PSA. The PSA is showing a slight increase in price for this card. There is a huge drastic difference in price between a Mint 10 and 9. 

1995 P.M. Japanese Topsun Gyarados Blue-Back

Released in Japan in June of 1997, this card was included with a pack of gum. There are three different cards for these Topsun cards, Green-back, Blue-back and Holofoil. This was the first origin card for what we today know as Gyarados. The Blue-back cards are rarer than their Green-back version. The front of this card features a half-art of Gyarados, with half of the card red and green, and different shadow-outlines of Pokemon. His stats and attack are on the front. The back of the card features a Blue- back with blue Japanese writing. Back in the day, Pokémon wasn’t as popular and no one really thought to collect these cards that came with a pack of gum, making them pretty valuable. 

PSA Population Report:

There have only been 13 of these Gyarados Blue-back cards sent in to the PSA for grading. The lowest grade given was a VG 3, which is not that bad considering this card is from 1995 and was originally sold in a pack of gum. The most common grade given was a Mint 9, with 5 cards given this grade. There have only been 2 cards that have received a perfect Gem Mint 10 condition. The PSA is showing a steep increase in price in this card due to demand and more people wanting one of the first Gyarados cards ever made. 

1996 P.M. Japanese Basic Gyarados- Holo No Rarity Symbol

This card features a Water-type Basic Gyarados in the Japanese Expansion Pack, released in Japan on October 20, 1996 as the first expansion for the TCG, four years earlier than the English Base Set version. This card, much like the English Base Set card, shows a Holofoil Gyarados as he is preforming Dragon Rage. The artwork has a dark-blue Holofoil with water spots.

Unlike the English version, this 1996 Japanese Gyarados does not feature a rarity symbol. The no rarity Pokémon cards are extremely rare, the very first printing of the Japanese Base Set did not include the rarity symbols, and were only speculated that they were printed for two weeks before they put rarity symbols. Due to the age and limited print run, when in perfect condition these cards are extremely valuable. 

PSA Population Account:

Only 93 of these cards have been sent in to the PSA for grading. The lowest grade given was an Auth. While the most common grade given was a NM- Mt 8, with 33 cards receiving this grade. Only 5 of these cards have earned the perfect Gem Mint 10 grade. This card is expected to continue to increase in value. 

2003 Pokémon Skyridge Gyarados- Holo

This Holo 2003 Gyarados was included in the Pokémon-e: Skyridge expansion released in English on May 12, 2003. This card features a Rare Holo Water-type Gyarados, with artwork by Kimiya Masago. This card featured a wider left-side border to make room for the e-Reader bar code. The Pokédex entry for this card comes from the Pokémon Crystal stats. This artwork shows Gyarados with his mouth open, showing his 4 fangs and long tongue. You can really get a sense of his power and attitude with how the artwork is drawn. Due to this card being an e-Reader card, many times these cards are in bad shape. If in perfect condition, this card can be pretty valuable. 

PSA Population Account:

Only 349 of these cards have been graded by the PSA. The lowest grade given was a grade of PR1. The most common grade, with a total of 164, was a grade of Mint 9. There have only been 88 cards graded a perfect Gem Mint 10 condition.

2010 Pokémon HG & SS Gyarados- Rev. Foil

This 2010 Reverse Foil Gyarados was a part of the HeartGold & SoulSilver expansion pack released in English on February 10, 2010. This expansion pack included a new card design. The card border was changed to gold and silver, the evolution circle moved to the very top-left with a gold/gray circle, there was a new graphic of the name and HP strip. This cards artwork is by Wataru Kawahara, and shows a Red Gyarados with a close up of its head in the top right corner, and lower body in the lower right-hand corner. The outside of the card is a shiny Reverse Holofoil blue color. 

PSA Population Account:

There have only been 43 of these cards graded by the PSA. The lowest grade given was an EX 5. The most common grade, with 15 cards, was a NM- MT8. There has only been 1 card receiving a perfect Gem Mint 10. The PSA is showing an increase in this cards price. 

2015 P.M. Jpn. XY Promo Gyarados P.M Center Hiroshima

This card was released in 2015 as a part of the XY Black Star Promos, with artwork by Tokiya. This card was released as an unnumbered XY-P Promotional card and given to players who participated in the Gyarados Battle, held at Pokémon Centers on August 22 and 23, 2015. In commemoration of the opening of the Pokémon Center Hiroshima. The top players at each event were also awarded a Red Gyarados medal. With only 138 of these cards graded by the PSA they are very rare and are a cool prize for Pokémon collectors. 

PSA Population Account:

There have only been 138 of these cards sent in for PSA grading. The lowest grade given was a grade of EX 5. The highest, and most common grade given was a perfect Gem Mint 10 condition. These cards are pretty cool due to them only being given out for the Gyarados Battle. 

2006 Pokémon Gyarados- Rev. Foil EX Holon Phantoms

This Reverse Foil Gyarados was part of the EX Holon Phantoms released on May 3, 2006. This was one of the two Gyarados cards released in the EX Holon Phantoms set. This Gyarados was featured as a dual-type Lightning/Metal Stage 1 Pokémon card, and featured Lightning energy versus the typical Water-type.

The artwork for this card is by Hajime Kusajima and features a multi-colored Gyarados skipping from the water, with a dark purple/pink water illuminated from the disappearing sun. The bold colors of the Holographic card color helped make the artwork stand out. This card is rare and has a black star on the bottom right corner. 

PSA Population Account:

There have only been 93 of these cards that have received a PSA grade. The lowest grade given was a grade of VG- EX 4. The most common grade given was a grade of Mint 9. There have only been 19 perfect Gem Mint 10 condition cards graded by the PSA. 

2000 Pokémon Gym Challenge Misty’s Gyarados Holo- 1st Edition

Misty’s Gyarados was released in the Gym Challenge expansion released on October 16, 2000. Gyarados is shown as a Water- type Stage 1 Pokémon on this card, with Misty’s face on a logo at the bottom right-hand corner. This card has artwork drawn by Ken Sugimori. Misty’s Gyarados was a Pokémon that she adopted in the Kanto region, and was her 10th Pokémon. This Gyarados is rare, as it is the only Water- type Pokémon that is not weak to the Grass type. Out of all of Misty’s Pokémon, this Gyarados used the most moves, with a total of nine. This card allowed fans to be able to have Misty’s version of Gyarados, trained by their favorite gym leader. At the bottom of the card is a rare symbol, this card is a highly collectable card for someone who loved the Anime or was a fan of Misty as well. 

PSA Population Account:

There has only been a total of 899 of these cards receiving a grade from the PSA. The lowest grade given was a grade of VG3. The most common grade given, with 455 cards, was a Mint 9. There have been 274 cards graded perfect Gem Mint 10 by the PSA. 

Why is Gyarados so angry?

He was designed to be intimidating and ferocious-looking, he also has a temper.

What Pokémon evolves in Gyarados?

Magikarp evolves into Gyarados at level 20.

How do you get a red Gyarados?

The easiest way to get a red Gyarados is at the Lake of Rage in Generations II or IV. 

Why is Gyarados not a Dragon type?

Dragon type was added later to the Pokémon games, so he might have been a Dragon-type had he been added earlier. 

How much are Gyarados cards worth?

They average from around $450, depending on the card. 

What is the most expensive Gyarados card?

1999 1st Edition Holo Gyarados is the most expensive, averaging around $15,000. 

How much are shiny Gyarados cards worth?

They tend to average around $500. 

How much is a 2016 Holo Gyarados worth?

This card is frequently listed around $50.

How much is the Gyarados GX worth?

Around $60 for a Gem Mint 10 card. 

Is Gyarados a rare Pokémon?

Gyarados is one of the rarest species currently in the game, the cards can also tend to be rare. 

Is Gyarados a legendary Pokémon?

No.