Poliwhirl
Base Set (Shadowless) · 038/102 · Uncommon
Current Prices
Number
038/102
Rarity
Uncommon
Variant
Unlimited
Market
US (TCGplayer)
Last Updated
Jun 9, 2026
Poliwhirl: Rarity & Collectibility
Poliwhirl in its sought-after Unlimited variant is an Uncommon, slightly scarcer than the base cards but still widely available. Cataloged as Uncommon #038/102 of the Base Set (Shadowless) 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 (Shadowless) #038/102) changes hands at roughly $7.51, 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 $7.51, whereas a Damaged one slides to around $0.93. Across the wear scale that reads Near Mint $7.51, Lightly Played $3.23, Moderately Played $2.03, Heavily Played $1.29, Damaged $0.93 — 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 $152.50 — about 20x 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 $152.50 — roughly 20x 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 $46.10, CGC 9.5 $18.50, PSA 8 $56.53 — 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 | $5.99 | $5.99 | $5.99 | 8 |
| ebay | NEAR MINT | $7.99 | $7.99 | $7.99 | 6 |
| ebay | CGC 5 5 | $5.50 | $5.50 | $5.50 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 6 5 | $10.40 | $10.40 | $10.40 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 7 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 7 5 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 8 | $6.50 | $6.50 | $6.50 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 8 5 | $28.00 | $28.00 | $28.00 | 1 |
| ebay | CGC 9 | $19.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | 2 |
| ebay | CGC 9 5 | $18.50 | $18.50 | $18.50 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 1 | $39.99 | $39.99 | $39.99 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 10 | $152.50 | $152.50 | $152.50 | 29 |
| ebay | PSA 3 | $6.59 | $6.59 | $6.59 | 3 |
| ebay | PSA 4 | $8.50 | $8.50 | $8.50 | 3 |
| ebay | PSA 5 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 | 4 |
| ebay | PSA 6 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | 14 |
| ebay | PSA 7 | $32.34 | $32.34 | $32.34 | 21 |
| ebay | PSA 8 | $56.53 | $56.53 | $56.53 | 27 |
| ebay | PSA 9 | $46.10 | $46.10 | $46.10 | 28 |
| tcgplayer | DAMAGED | $0.93 | $0.93 | $0.93 | 64 |
| tcgplayer | HEAVILY PLAYED | $1.29 | $1.29 | $1.29 | 89 |
| tcgplayer | LIGHTLY PLAYED | $3.23 | $3.04 | $3.04 | 172 |
| tcgplayer | MODERATELY PLAYED | $2.03 | $1.79 | $2.05 | 102 |
| tcgplayer | NEAR MINT | $7.51 | $7.51 | $7.51 | 94 |
Collector Outlook for Poliwhirl
Poliwhirl is an Uncommon collectors gather while building toward the set's headline pulls. An accessible pickup whose pull is enjoyment and progress toward a finished set. 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.
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