Poliwhirl
Base Set · 038/102 · Uncommon
Current Prices
Set
Base SetNumber
038/102
Rarity
Uncommon
Variant
Normal
Market
US (TCGplayer)
Last Updated
Jun 9, 2026
Poliwhirl: Rarity & Collectibility
Poliwhirl is an Uncommon, slightly scarcer than the base cards but still widely available. Cataloged as Uncommon #038/102 of the Base Set 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 Poliwhirl?
In 2026, a Near Mint Poliwhirl (Uncommon, Base Set #038/102) changes hands at roughly $1.19, 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 $1.19, whereas a Damaged one slides to around $0.36. Across the wear scale that reads Near Mint $1.19, Lightly Played $0.54, Moderately Played $0.44, Heavily Played $0.35, Damaged $0.36 — proof that for a collectible like this, presentation is inseparable from value. At the very top, a gem-mint PSA 10 Poliwhirl is valued near $160.00 — about 134x the raw copy, the clearest sign of how much collectors pay for flawless scarcity.
Graded Poliwhirl: 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) Poliwhirl sits around $160.00 — roughly 134x 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 $48.88, CGC 10 $40.00, CGC 9.5 $30.08 — 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 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.25 | 11 |
| ebay | MODERATELY PLAYED | $2.12 | $2.12 | $2.12 | 1 |
| ebay | NEAR MINT | $2.59 | $2.59 | $2.59 | 13 |
| ebay | BGS 9 5 | $45.00 | $45.00 | $45.00 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 10 | $40.00 | $40.00 | $40.00 | 7 |
| ebay | CGC 2 5 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 4 5 | $19.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 5 | $5.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 7 | $12.91 | $12.91 | $12.91 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 7 5 | $5.50 | $5.50 | $5.50 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 8 | $13.00 | $13.00 | $13.00 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 8 5 | $24.99 | $24.99 | $24.99 | 4 |
| ebay | CGC 9 | $17.50 | $17.50 | $17.50 | 6 |
| ebay | CGC 9 5 | $30.08 | $30.08 | $30.08 | 4 |
| ebay | PSA 10 | $160.00 | $160.00 | $160.00 | 26 |
| ebay | PSA 3 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | 2 |
| ebay | PSA 5 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | 6 |
| ebay | PSA 6 | $17.00 | $17.00 | $17.00 | 7 |
| ebay | PSA 7 | $19.00 | $19.00 | $19.00 | 19 |
| ebay | PSA 8 | $26.00 | $26.00 | $26.00 | 25 |
| ebay | PSA 8 5 | $21.50 | $21.50 | $21.50 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 9 | $48.88 | $48.88 | $48.88 | 25 |
| tcgplayer | DAMAGED | $0.36 | $0.15 | $1.72 | 401 |
| tcgplayer | HEAVILY PLAYED | $0.35 | $0.10 | $0.39 | 465 |
| tcgplayer | LIGHTLY PLAYED | $0.54 | $0.30 | $0.99 | 1,495 |
| tcgplayer | MODERATELY PLAYED | $0.44 | $0.27 | $1.25 | 907 |
| tcgplayer | NEAR MINT | $1.19 | $0.70 | $2.49 | 951 |
Collector Outlook for Poliwhirl
Poliwhirl is an Uncommon collectors gather while building toward the set's headline pulls. 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 Poliwhirl on RarePokemonCard — rarity demand in 2026 shifts with reprints, set nostalgia, and how few high-grade copies surface.
