Dark Dragonite
Quick take
- Team Rocket reprint, reissued in 2002 as Legendary Collection 5/110
- Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, the Base Set Charizard artist
- Legendary Collection introduced the fireworks reverse holo, used in no other set
- Master set builders chase both the standard holo and the reverse holo version
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Legendary Collection
VariantsCard variants
Variants are the different finishes of the same card — the standard print, reverse holo, and any special patterns. A complete master set needs every variant below, so track each one in your collection.
| Variant | Note | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse Holo 5/110 | Reverse-holo variant. | $1025.00 |
| Holofoil 5/110 | Holofoil variant. | $239.67 |
The storyA vintage Dark Pokemon reprint riding Legendary Collection's fireworks reputation
Dark Dragonite first showed up in Team Rocket back in 2000, one of the era's corrupted-Pokemon holos. Legendary Collection brought it back in 2002 as card 5 of 110, keeping the original Team Rocket frame and Mitsuhiro Arita's artwork. So this is a reprint, but it carries the look and feel of the early Wizards-era game.
“Team Rocket reprint, reissued in 2002 as Legendary Collection 5/110”
Legendary Collection matters more than most reprint sets. It was the last set Wizards of the Coast produced before the license moved, and it was the first Pokemon set to use reverse holo cards. Those reverse holos used a fireworks foil pattern that has never been used again. That single design choice is why the set still has a following 20-plus years later, and it gives every card in the set, including this Dragonite, a second more desirable version to chase.
For master set builders, base6-5 is one of those cards where the rarity slot is only half the story. You can grab the standard Rare Holo without much trouble. A clean fireworks reverse holo of the same Dragonite is the version people actually fight over.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Sits in the mid pack of Legendary Collection holos. It is a recognized Dark Pokemon with a strong artist, so it pulls more interest than the filler holos, but it sits well behind the set's headline cards like the holo Charizard. Raw copies stay affordable for a vintage card. Graded gem copies climb fast.
Steady. As a 2002 vintage holo it tracks the broader vintage WOTC market rather than chasing hype cycles. Interest tends to firm up whenever Legendary Collection master sets get attention online.
A solid vintage hold rather than a moonshot. The ceiling is tied to high grades and to the fireworks reverse holo, which is the version with real upside. Raw played copies will stay cheap. The smart play is condition. A high-grade holo or a clean reverse holo has a clearer path up than a beat-up copy.
Significant for top grades. Vintage holos like this are centering and edge sensitive, so gem-grade examples command a large premium over raw, while lower grades sit close to raw money.
Legendary Collection packs held 11 cards, with one rare slot and one reverse holo slot per pack. The standard holo printing sits in that rare slot, so it appears at roughly the same odds as the set's other holo rares. That makes a specific holo like this Dragonite an occasional pull rather than a rare event. The fireworks reverse holo comes from the dedicated reverse slot every pack, but the slot can land on any of the 110 cards, so pulling this specific Dragonite as a reverse holo runs much longer than the per-pack reverse odds suggest. In practice most collectors buy the exact version they need as a single, since sealed Legendary Collection is now expensive vintage product.
Within Legendary Collection it sits a step below the marquee holos like Charizard but above the plain commons and uncommons. Among Dragonite cards generally it is one of the more characterful vintage versions thanks to the Dark Pokemon treatment and Arita art.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Mitsuhiro Arita is one of the most important illustrators in Pokemon TCG history. He painted the original Base Set Charizard and a long list of early holos, and his work defines the look of the Wizards era. A Dragonite drawn by Arita carries weight with collectors on the signature alone.
Dark Dragonite is shown in flight against a dark, star-filled sky, wings spread wide, gliding rather than rampaging. It is a calmer take than the usual aggressive Dark Pokemon pose. The starry backdrop plays well with the holo foil when the card catches light.
The card keeps the original Team Rocket layout with the Dark Pokemon styling. In Legendary Collection it exists in two foil treatments. The standard holo puts the foil in the art window. The set's exclusive reverse holo runs the fireworks pattern across the card body instead. Same art, very different finish.
It is an Arita Dragonite that comes with a reverse holo variant unique to one set in the entire hobby. Most reprints feel like filler. This one gets a finish you cannot find anywhere else.
BackgroundAbout Dark Dragonite
Dragonite has been a heavyweight fan favorite since the first generation, the pseudo-legendary dragon that caps off the Dratini line. The Dark Dragonite version belongs to the Team Rocket storyline, where Pokemon were depicted as corrupted under Team Rocket's control. That gave the card a darker personality than the standard Dragonite and made it a memorable part of the 2000 to 2002 sets.
- ›Dragonite's long-running popularity across the games and anime
- ›The Dark Pokemon theme that defined the Team Rocket era
- ›Mitsuhiro Arita artwork
- ›A clean, flight-focused art scene that holds up decades later
- ›Original Team Rocket set (2000) as a holo and non-holo Dark Pokemon
- ›Legendary Collection (2002) as this reprinted holo with its fireworks reverse variant
Not a competitive card today. Its Summon Minions Pokemon Power and high-cost Giant Tail attack belong to the early WOTC metagame. Its value now is collector and nostalgia driven, not play driven.
Own it wellCollector guide
Treat this as a fragile 2002 holo. Common problems are off-center cards, holo scratching in the art window, edge whitening, and print lines. The Legendary Collection black borders show edge wear easily, just like Base Set era cards. Inspect centering front and back before paying a premium.
Worth grading only in genuinely clean condition. Centering and surface are the two grade killers here, so a gem-mint candidate is the one to slab. For played or off-center copies, raw is the honest call. If you are chasing the fireworks reverse holo, grading makes more sense given its higher ceiling. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve in a penny sleeve plus a toploader or a one-touch, kept out of direct light and away from humidity. The fireworks foil on the reverse holo can show handling, so minimize touching the surface. See the storage guide →
Decide first whether you want the standard holo or the fireworks reverse holo, because they are different cards in collector terms and priced differently. For raw, buy on clear front-and-back photos and confirm centering. For anything above pocket money, buy graded from a reputable seller to sidestep both condition surprises and the counterfeit problem that follows valuable vintage WOTC cards. See the singles buying guide →
Vintage WOTC holos are heavily faked, so verify before paying up. Do a light test. Genuine cards have a black core layer that shows when held to a strong light, and most fakes fail this. Check the surface texture too. Real cards have a subtle linen feel, while fakes often look too glossy or too flat. Watch the holo behavior, since the foil should shift cleanly rather than look painted on. On the back, the blue swirl should be a smooth gradient with crisp detail. For serious money, buy it already graded by PSA, BGS, or CGC.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Well liked as a vintage Dark Pokemon with strong art, though collectors are clear that it is a Team Rocket reprint rather than an original. The Legendary Collection version is valued mainly for the set's reputation and for the reverse holo variant rather than for being a top-tier chase on its own.
Most of the conversation around Legendary Collection centers on the fireworks reverse holos as a set rather than on this single card. Dragonite's general popularity keeps it in the mix when collectors show off Legendary Collection pulls or master set progress.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Other Legendary Collection master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
