Rockets Scizor ex
Quick take
- Rare Holo ex, 101/109 in EX Team Rocket Returns (November 2004)
- First Pokemon-ex that evolves from another ex (Rocket's Scyther ex)
- Sits a tier below the set's Gold Stars and Rocket's Mewtwo ex on price
- Hikaru Koike artwork of the dark-armored Scizor
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in EX Team Rocket Returns
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Normal 101/109 | Standard variant. | $600.00 |
| Holofoil 101/109 | Holofoil variant. | $341.02 |
The storyThe first ex that evolves from another ex
Rocket's Scizor ex sits at 101/109 in EX Team Rocket Returns, the November 2004 set that gave Team Rocket their dark spin on Hoenn Pokemon. It is a Rare Holo ex, the same rarity slot the set's other ex cards share. The headline chase cards here are the Gold Stars of the Hoenn starters and Rocket's Mewtwo ex, so Scizor ex lives a tier below those on pure market heat. Even so, it is one of the more recognizable non-Gold-Star ex cards collectors target when working through the set.
“Rare Holo ex, 101/109 in EX Team Rocket Returns (November 2004)”
The card has a genuine footnote in TCG history. Rocket's Scizor ex was the first Pokemon-ex able to evolve from another Pokemon-ex, evolving from Rocket's Scyther ex. It is also the only ex that evolves exclusively from another ex. For master-set builders, that gives the card a story beyond its stat line.
Mechanically it is a Darkness Stage 1 with 120 HP. Its Poke-BODY, Dual Armor, makes it both Darkness and Metal type while Metal Energy is attached, and its attack Rotating Claws shuffles energy around the discard. Period-correct flavor, not competitive muscle today.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Scizor ex is a mid-pack ex by value for this set. It trades well below the Gold Star Hoenn starters and Rocket's Mewtwo ex, but it is still a deliberate buy for anyone closing out the ex slot of a Team Rocket Returns master set. Raw near-mint copies turn up. The squeeze is on clean, well-centered examples, since EX-era holos are prone to edge wear and surface scratching.
The card has cooled relative to the set's true chase cards. Scizor slid out of the very top spots while the Gold Stars and Mewtwo ex held their ground. Vintage EX-era demand stays steady overall, but the action concentrates on the headline rarities.
Treat it as a steady vintage hold, not a breakout. The 2004 supply is fixed and shrinking in high grade, which supports graded value over time, but the spotlight in this set stays on the Gold Stars and Mewtwo ex. Best value comes from buying one clean copy for the set rather than flipping.
High grades carry a meaningful premium over raw, because EX-era holos rarely survive two decades with clean edges and scratch-free surfaces. A strong PSA or CGC grade is where most of the money concentrates. Raw NM copies sit well below.
EX-era sets used a flat Rare Holo ex slot rather than the layered rarities of modern Scarlet & Violet products, so an ex like Scizor landed in the same holo slot as the rest of the set's ex cards. The odds of pulling this specific ex run much longer once you account for every holo and ex sharing those slots. Worth being clear: this is a Rare Holo ex, not a Gold Star. The set's three Gold Stars, the Hoenn starters Mudkip, Torchic, and Treecko, are the long-odds chase, pulled at roughly one per two booster boxes, around 1 in 72 packs. Scizor ex is much easier to find raw by comparison. For most collectors today the practical path is buying the single, not opening sealed 2004 product.
Against the set's Gold Stars and Rocket's Mewtwo ex, Scizor ex is far easier to source and far cheaper. Against the bulk and common holos, it sits comfortably above them as a named ex that completion builders specifically want.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Hikaru Koike illustrated cards across the EX era and beyond, with work in multiple mid-2000s sets during the run of Pokemon-ex cards. The art here is consistent with that period: clean character rendering on a holo backdrop rather than the painterly, frame-breaking style that later defined alt arts.
The art shows Scizor in its red metallic armor with both pincers raised, set against a holofoil field. It reads as a classic EX-era ex portrait, with the Pokemon centered inside the standard ex border rather than a full-bleed scene.
Standard EX-era holofoil treatment inside the gold-trimmed ex frame. No full-art or textured variant exists for this card. The Rare Holo ex print is the only version, and the holo pattern is the flat sheet foil typical of 2004 prints.
A clean, recognizable portrait of a fan-favorite Pokemon in its Rocket-dark color treatment. Collectors are buying the character and the era, not a busy art scene.
BackgroundAbout Rockets Scizor ex
Scizor is a Bug/Steel evolution of Scyther introduced in Generation 2, evolving via a traded Metal Coat. It has stayed a fan favorite for decades thanks to its sleek armored design and its long competitive life in the main video games. In the TCG, the Rocket's version reframes it as a dark tool under the Team Rocket banner.
- ›Strong, clean armored design that has aged well
- ›Generation 2 nostalgia for late-90s and early-2000s players
- ›Long-running relevance in the main series games
- ›The Team Rocket dark-color treatment adds collector novelty
- ›A signature Pokemon in Generation 2 and a recurring competitive pick in the video games
- ›Featured across multiple TCG eras as both Scyther and Scizor cards
In modern TCG play this card has no relevance. It is a 2004 design with period power levels, and its value today is entirely collector-driven.
Own it wellCollector guide
EX-era holos commonly show edge whitening, surface scratches in the foil, and print-line wear. Inspect the black border edges and the holo sheet under raking light. Centering varies on 2004 prints, so check the front borders before paying a premium.
Worth grading only for clean, well-centered copies, where a high PSA or CGC grade unlocks most of the value. A worn raw copy is better kept as a set filler than slabbed. For a serious purchase, buy already graded so you are not betting on someone else's condition description. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve in a penny sleeve plus a toploader or one-touch, kept out of direct light and away from humidity. Twenty-year-old foil scratches easily, so handle by the edges and avoid repeated reseating. See the storage guide →
Buy the cleanest copy you can afford in one shot rather than upgrading repeatedly. Confirm it is the genuine 2004 print and not a proxy or reprint, and prefer sellers who show sharp photos of the corners and the holo surface. See the singles buying guide →
Standard vintage checks apply. Verify the back swirl gradient and color, do a light test for the black core layer inside the cardstock, feel for the correct surface texture, and watch how the holo behaves under tilt. Fakes often miss the core layer and have off-color backs. For higher-value examples, buy graded from a reputable slab.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors view Scizor ex as a solid, recognizable EX-era ex that is fun to own but clearly secondary to the set's Gold Stars and Rocket's Mewtwo ex. It gets appreciated more as a completion piece and a nostalgia card than as a marquee chase.
Discussion tends to focus on the set's top cards rather than Scizor ex specifically. When Scizor does come up, it is usually around its 'first ex to evolve from an ex' trivia and its softening price next to the set's leaders.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Other EX Team Rocket Returns master set
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