Blastoise ex
Quick take
- Top-tier Ultra Rare ex from EX FireRed & LeafGreen, card 104 of 112
- Kanto starter nostalgia drives demand independent of competitive play
- Stage 2 Water ex with 150 HP; gives up two prizes when knocked out (ex rule)
- The set's scarcest slots are the four secret rares (the Legendary birds plus Charmander), not 104; FRLG has no gold stars
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in EX FireRed & LeafGreen
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Holofoil 104/112 | Holofoil variant. | $650.45 |
| Normal 104/112 | Standard variant. | $425.00 |
The storyA Kanto starter chase from the set that rebooted Gen 1 on cardboard
EX FireRed & LeafGreen landed in 2004 as the TCG's tribute to the original 151. Blastoise ex sits near the top of that set's pull order, card 104 of 112, the kind of card that decides whether a box was worth opening. It is a Stage 2 Water Pokemon-ex with 150 HP. Like every ex card of the period it carries the prize penalty, two prizes when it gets knocked out. That made it a risky centerpiece in 2004 decks and a prestige pull on the collecting side.
“Top-tier Ultra Rare ex from EX FireRed & LeafGreen, card 104 of 112”
The appeal has always been simple. Blastoise is one of the three Kanto starters, and that trio carries weight few other Pokemon match. People who grew up choosing Squirtle have a reason to chase this card that has nothing to do with playability. Pair that nostalgia with a clean holo ex frame and you get a card that has held collector attention for two decades.
Worth knowing for set builders: above 104 sit the set's four secret rares. Three of those are the Legendary bird ex cards, Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos, with their cracked-ice holo, plus a secret Charmander. Those are the cards that close out the master set and run scarcer than the main ex cards. Note that this set has no gold star cards. Gold stars did not arrive until EX Team Rocket Returns later in 2004, so any "gold star Blastoise" you see belongs to a different set.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Blastoise ex is a solid three-figure raw card in clean condition and one of the more expensive non-secret cards in the set. It sits below the secret-rare Legendary birds but well above the set's commons and lower ex cards.
Pricing has followed the broader vintage ex-era pattern, drifting up over the long run as graded supply gets locked away and nostalgia buyers keep entering the market. Day to day it is steadier than modern chase cards because the population is fixed and there is no print risk.
This is a stable vintage hold, not a momentum play. Demand is broad and durable thanks to the Blastoise name, but raw copies are not rare, so the upside lives almost entirely in high grades. Buy the best condition you can afford if you care about appreciation.
The gap between a raw or low-grade copy and a gem-mint PSA 10 is large. Centering, holo scratching and edge whitening on the dark borders are the usual things that keep these out of the top grade.
EX-era ex cards were the top everyday rarity in their sets and showed up roughly a few per booster box rather than per pack, with each specific ex running considerably longer odds than that on its own. EX FireRed & LeafGreen ran around nine of these holo ex cards in the main set, so Blastoise 104 is one slot among several. The genuinely scarce pulls here are the four secret rares numbered above the main set, the three Legendary bird ex cards with their cracked-ice holo plus a secret Charmander. This set has no gold star cards; gold stars debuted in the next set, EX Team Rocket Returns.
Within the set, 104 sits in the upper tier alongside the other Kanto-line ex cards but below the secret-rare Legendary birds, which are scarcer and more expensive.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Hikaru Koike has illustrated for the Pokemon TCG since the early days and worked steadily through the ex era. Koike is a familiar name to vintage collectors without being one of the headline superstar artists, which is part of why this card trades on the Pokemon rather than the signature.
The card shows Blastoise in an action pose with its cannons out, in the painted style typical of the ex era. It is a straightforward hero shot of the Pokemon rather than a narrative scene, which suits a starter card meant to read instantly.
Standard ex-era holofoil applied to the illustration window, set inside the gold-accented Pokemon-ex frame with the 150 HP banner. The dark lower border is the part collectors watch most, since it shows whitening and handling wear quickly.
It is the definitive Blastoise of its set and era. For a generation of players the Squirtle line is a personal pick, and this is the card that delivers that Pokemon in premium holo form.
BackgroundAbout Blastoise ex
Blastoise is the final form of Squirtle, one of the three Kanto starters from Red, Blue and Green, and a mascot-level Pokemon since 1996. Its TCG pedigree runs all the way back to the Base Set Blastoise, so almost every Pokemon collector has a frame of reference for what a Blastoise card should feel like.
- ›One of the three original Kanto starters
- ›Long, recognizable TCG lineage starting with Base Set
- ›Water type with a clean, iconic design that ages well
- ›Broad cross-generational nostalgia among adult collectors
- ›Base Set Blastoise, one of the most famous early holos
- ›Recurring starter trio appearances across many later sets
Own it wellCollector guide
The dark border and holo surface are the weak points. Look hard at the four corners for whitening, scan the holo under angled light for print lines and scratches, and check centering front and back. Twenty-year-old copies often have subtle surface wear that only shows when tilted.
Grading makes sense given how steep the gem-grade premium is. Only submit copies that look genuinely clean under a loupe, since the jump from a 9 to a 10 is where the money is and centering on these can be inconsistent. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader at minimum, and keep raw copies out of direct light to protect the holo. For anything you intend to grade or hold long term, a sealed graded slab is the safest home. See the storage guide →
For serious money, buy graded. EX-era ex cards are among the more counterfeited vintage Pokemon. On raw copies inspect the back-swirl gradient and color, check the texture and weight against a known-genuine card, and use a light test to confirm the black core layer inside the cardstock. If a raw deal looks too cheap for the grade, assume a problem. See the singles buying guide →
Confirm the black core layer with a bright light through the card, feel the front surface texture, watch how the holo behaves when tilted, and compare the rear swirl gradient to a verified genuine FRLG card. Buy graded from reputable sellers when spending real money.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors treat 104 as a respected, blue-chip starter chase. It rarely generates drama or hype spikes. It just steadily holds a spot on vintage want lists.
Discussion tends to cluster around condition and grading. Raw copies are common enough that the conversation is almost always about getting a clean one, not finding one at all.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Other EX FireRed & LeafGreen master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
