Rockets Suicune ex
Quick take
- From EX Team Rocket Returns (Nov 2004), the set that debuted Gold Star cards
- Darkness-type Pokemon-ex in the spiked Rocket's ex border, illustrated by Ryo Ueda
- Suicune's existing fanbase makes it one of the most chased Rocket's ex
- Sits at the top tier of the set for a master set builder
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 105/109 | Standard variant. | $500.00 |
| Holofoil 105/109 | Holofoil variant. | $325.71 |
The storyThe Rocket's ex that vintage collectors put at the front of the binder
EX Team Rocket Returns came out in November 2004 and brought Team Rocket's villain roster into the ex era. The set is known for two things. It launched Gold Star cards, the shiny Mudkip, Torchic and Treecko that turned the whole hobby's head, and it brought back Dark Pokemon as full Pokemon-ex. Each Rocket's ex sits inside a spiked, jagged portrait frame that reads as Team Rocket from across the room.
“From EX Team Rocket Returns (Nov 2004), the set that debuted Gold Star cards”
Rocket's Suicune ex is the card people point to in that lineup. Suicune already carries a heavy fanbase from the games, and here it gets repainted as a Darkness type, locked inside that menacing border. Its Poke-Body ignores Special Conditions while any Darkness Energy is attached. It is a clean, recognizable chase that sells itself on the Pokemon and the frame alone.
For a master set of Team Rocket Returns, this is a cornerstone pull. The Rocket's ex cards anchor the set's value at the top, and Suicune is consistently among the most wanted of them in high grade.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Rocket's Suicune ex sits in the upper tier of EX Team Rocket Returns, behind only the set's Gold Stars. Raw copies command a real vintage premium, and graded copies climb sharply from there. Treat any loose example with care, because condition is where most of the value lives on a 2004 card.
Vintage EX-era ex cards have trended up over the last several years as the 2003 to 2007 block matured into established vintage. Suicune is one of the steadier names in the set thanks to the Pokemon's own following. Expect graded gem copies to hold a strong four-figure level, with raw prices a fraction of that.
This is a blue-chip vintage chase rather than a flip. A beloved Pokemon, a distinctive era-defining border, and a thin high-grade population give it a solid floor. Upside is gradual, tied to vintage demand and the slow drain of clean copies into graded slabs. Buy the card you actually want for the binder, not for a quick return.
The jump from raw to graded is large here. Edge wear and holo scratching are common on these, so true gem copies are scarce and carry a heavy multiple over raw. The spread between a mid grade and a top grade is also wide, which rewards buying the best centering and surface you can find.
EX Team Rocket Returns is the set that introduced Gold Star cards, and those came at roughly one per two booster boxes, about 1 in 72 packs, across the Mudkip, Torchic and Treecko trio. Rocket's Suicune ex is a standard Ultra Rare ex rather than a Gold Star, so it is not as brutal a pull as those shiny chases. It is still an Ultra Rare in a vintage 2004 set with thin print and a long-shuttered supply, and any single named ex from a box this old is a genuine chase. Clean copies have only gotten harder to find as collectors slab the best examples. For the modern Scarlet and Violet sets people are used to, the closest mental anchor is a top Ultra Rare, but you cannot rip current packs to find this one. It only comes out of 2004 product and the secondary market.
Compared to the set's Gold Stars, Suicune is more attainable and a notch cheaper, which makes it one of the better-value top-tier chases in Team Rocket Returns. Among the Rocket's ex cards themselves, Suicune's strong Pokemon fanbase tends to keep it near the front of the demand line.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Ryo Ueda illustrated a run of cards across the EX era, including several of the Rocket's Pokemon in this set. The work fits the Rocket's ex house style: a tightly framed Pokemon portrait against an atmospheric background, built to sit inside the spiked dark border.
Suicune is rendered in a cold, icy scene that plays off its water-and-wind moveset. The Pokemon fills the frame inside the jagged Rocket's ex portrait window, which crops the art into a tense, contained shot rather than a wide landscape. The effect is moody and a little sinister, exactly what the Dark Pokemon theme is going for.
This is a standard holofoil ex card, not a Gold Star or full-art. The holo sits in the artwork window inside the textured spiked border. The ex layout puts the large EX hallmark behind the lower art, and the dark border makes whitening on the edges show up fast, which matters for grading.
The Rocket's ex border is the draw. It is one of the few times the TCG dressed a normal ex in full villain styling, and Suicune is the card that wears it best. The art and frame together make it instantly readable as a Rocket card, which is why it stands out on a binder page full of ordinary ex cards.
BackgroundAbout Rockets Suicune ex
Suicune is one of the three Legendary beasts from Gold and Silver, the roaming Water type tied to the Crystal storyline. It has shown up across the TCG many times. This card's Japanese counterpart is Rocket's Suicune ex 069/084 from Rocket Gang Strikes Back, the same 2004 set under its Japanese name. Recasting Suicune as a Darkness type for Team Rocket is a deliberate flip of its usual Water identity.
- ›Legendary beast status with a strong, long-running fanbase
- ›The Rocket's villain reskin gives it a distinct identity from normal Suicune cards
- ›Cold, atmospheric artwork that suits the character
- ›Part of a collectible Rocket's ex sub-set that people chase together
- ›Rocket's Suicune ex 069/084 in the Japanese Rocket Gang Strikes Back set, the original print of this card
- ›The Legendary beasts trio (Suicune, Entei, Raikou) as recurring TCG favorites
In its day this was a playable Darkness ex, helped by a Poke-Body that shrugs off Special Conditions while Darkness Energy is attached and an attack that punished Stage 2 Pokemon. Today its relevance is purely collector-driven. It is bought for the binder, not for tournaments.
Own it wellCollector guide
The dark spiked border is the enemy here. Any edge or corner whitening jumps out against black, so a card that looks fine at a glance can grade low. Check the holo window for scratches, and check centering, which runs inconsistent on EX-era ex cards. Surface and edges decide the grade more than anything.
Worth grading if the copy is clean. Given how much value sits in the gap between raw and gem, a strong raw card is a good candidate for PSA or CGC. For serious money, prefer a card already in a reputable slab so you are paying for a verified grade, not hoping. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader at minimum. For a long-term hold, use a penny sleeve plus a snug toploader, or buy it slabbed. Keep it out of direct light and away from humidity. On a vintage holo, heat and pressure cause new surface and holo damage, so do not stack heavy binders on it. See the storage guide →
Decide between a player-grade raw copy for the binder and a slab for the collection, because the price gap is real. If buying raw, scrutinize the back swirl and corners under good light. If buying graded, stick to PSA, CGC or BGS and confirm the cert. For a Team Rocket Returns master set, plan to acquire the Rocket's ex cards as a group, since they anchor the top of the build. See the singles buying guide →
This era is one of the most counterfeited in the hobby, so authenticate before paying up. Do a light test. A genuine card has a black core layer, so holding it to a bright light should show very little pass-through. Check the surface texture and the way the holo reflects, since fakes often look too smooth or carry flat, wrong-colored foil. Inspect the back swirl gradient and the print dot pattern under magnification. When you are spending real money, buy it already graded by PSA, CGC or BGS so the authentication is done for you.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Vintage collectors hold the Rocket's ex line in high regard, and Suicune is frequently named as the standout. A popular Legendary plus the villain border gives it appeal beyond just Team Rocket Returns completists.
- ›High-grade copies realize strong four-figure prices in recent auctions, reflecting the scarcity of gem examples on a 2004 dark-bordered holo
It comes up regularly in vintage and EX-era collecting discussions as a desirable, recognizable chase. Interest tracks the steady climb in attention toward 2003 to 2007 cards rather than any single hype spike.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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Plan your Other EX Team Rocket Returns master set
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