Poliwag
Base Set 2 · 088/130 · Common
Current Prices
Set
Base Set 2Number
088/130
Rarity
Common
Variant
Normal
Market
US (TCGplayer)
Last Updated
Aug 1, 2026
Poliwag: Rarity & Collectibility
Poliwag sits at the most plentiful end of the rarity scale — easy to pull and easy to find. Cataloged as Common #088/130 of the Base Set 2 set, it is the kind of card RarePokemonCard tracks for scarcity and collector demand rather than raw price alone. The harder a card is to pull in top condition, the more weight serious collectors place on it.
How Rare & Valuable Is Poliwag?
In 2026, a Near Mint Poliwag (Common, Base Set 2 #088/130) changes hands at roughly $0.51, and availability keeps it within easy reach for collectors. Because demand concentrates on clean copies, surface wear is punished hard: a Near Mint example commands about $0.51, whereas a Damaged one slides to around $0.14. Across the wear scale that reads Near Mint $0.51, Lightly Played $0.34, Moderately Played $0.29, Heavily Played $0.21, Damaged $0.14 — proof that for a collectible like this, presentation is inseparable from value. At the very top, a gem-mint PSA 10 Poliwag is valued near $37.37 — about 73x the raw copy, the clearest sign of how much collectors pay for flawless scarcity.
Graded Poliwag: Gem Mint & Population
Even for a card at this rarity, the top of the market belongs to certified gem-mint copies. A PSA 10 (or CGC 10 / BGS Black Label equivalent) Poliwag sits around $37.37 — roughly 73x a raw copy. That gap exists because relatively few examples ever earn a perfect grade, so gem-mint population is the real scarcity collectors chase. Step down a notch and demand spreads across PSA 9 $10.99, CGC 10 $70.00, CGC 9.5 $8.50 — each tier a smaller, scarcer pool than the one below it. The rule of thumb for collectors: the rarer the card, the more a certified high grade matters to its standing.
Detailed Price Breakdown
| Source | Condition / Grade | Average | Low | High | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ebay | LIGHTLY PLAYED | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | 10 |
| ebay | NEAR MINT | $1.19 | $1.19 | $1.19 | 10 |
| ebay | CGC 10 | $70.00 | $70.00 | $70.00 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 7 | $5.50 | $5.50 | $5.50 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 8 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.25 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 8 5 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 3 |
| ebay | CGC 9 | $11.50 | $11.50 | $11.50 | 4 |
| ebay | CGC 9 5 | $8.50 | $8.50 | $8.50 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 10 | $37.37 | $37.37 | $37.37 | 8 |
| ebay | PSA 6 | $4.99 | $4.99 | $4.99 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 7 | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 | 2 |
| ebay | PSA 8 | $16.37 | $16.37 | $16.37 | 2 |
| ebay | PSA 9 | $10.99 | $10.99 | $10.99 | 6 |
| tcgplayer | DAMAGED | $0.14 | $0.10 | $0.10 | 91 |
| tcgplayer | HEAVILY PLAYED | $0.21 | $0.20 | $0.20 | 46 |
| tcgplayer | LIGHTLY PLAYED | $0.34 | $0.15 | $0.46 | 627 |
| tcgplayer | MODERATELY PLAYED | $0.29 | $0.46 | $0.46 | 415 |
| tcgplayer | NEAR MINT | $0.51 | $0.49 | $0.49 | 380 |
Collector Outlook for Poliwag
As a Common, Poliwag earns its place through set completion rather than chase appeal — but a binder is never finished without it. Collect it for completeness and the joy of the hunt; its appeal is the set, not the ceiling. Whether you are chasing it for a set or as a centerpiece, revisit Poliwag on RarePokemonCard — rarity demand in 2026 shifts with reprints, set nostalgia, and how few high-grade copies surface.
