Poliwag
SM Base Set · 30/149 · Common
Current Prices
Set
SM Base SetNumber
30/149
Rarity
Common
Variant
Reverse_Holofoil
Market
US (TCGplayer)
Last Updated
Jun 9, 2026
Poliwag: Rarity & Collectibility
Poliwag in its sought-after Reverse_Holofoil variant sits at the most plentiful end of the rarity scale — easy to pull and easy to find. Cataloged as Common #30/149 of the SM 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 Poliwag?
In 2026, a Near Mint Poliwag (Common, SM Base Set #30/149) changes hands at roughly $0.80, 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 $0.80, whereas a Damaged one slides to around $0.15. Across the wear scale that reads Near Mint $0.80, Lightly Played $0.77, Moderately Played $0.79, Heavily Played $0.73, Damaged $0.15 — 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 $26.00 — about 33x 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 $26.00 — roughly 33x 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 $14.87, PSA 8 $10.00 — 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 | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.99 | 3 |
| ebay | NEAR MINT | $2.20 | $2.20 | $2.20 | 9 |
| ebay | PSA 10 | $26.00 | $26.00 | $26.00 | 2 |
| ebay | PSA 8 | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 | 1 |
| ebay | PSA 9 | $14.87 | $14.87 | $14.87 | 1 |
| tcgplayer | DAMAGED | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 | 5 |
| tcgplayer | HEAVILY PLAYED | $0.73 | $0.73 | $0.73 | 5 |
| tcgplayer | LIGHTLY PLAYED | $0.77 | $1.00 | $1.95 | 213 |
| tcgplayer | MODERATELY PLAYED | $0.79 | $0.55 | $0.99 | 38 |
| tcgplayer | NEAR MINT | $0.80 | $0.65 | $0.91 | 352 |
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.
