Team Rockets Moltres ex
Quick take
- One of the original three legendary birds from Pokemon Red and Blue
- Team Rocket SIR subset member — part of the Destined Rivals Team Rocket collecting group
- Pokemon: The Movie 2000 connection drives anime fan collector demand
- Fire-type legendary with distinctive design recognized by all generations of collectors
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Destined Rivals
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 229/182 · $83.86 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyThe Legendary Fire Bird Under Team Rocket's Banner
The original three legendary birds — Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres — were the first legendary Pokemon most players encountered in Red and Blue. Hidden in remote locations, requiring specific navigation to reach, they established what legendary Pokemon meant in the franchise. Moltres was the fire bird, found deep in Victory Road on the way to the Pokemon League.
“One of the original three legendary birds from Pokemon Red and Blue”
Team Rocket seeking control over legendary Pokemon was an early theme of the franchise. In Pokemon: The Movie 2000, the legendary birds were central to the plot, with human interference in their natural order causing disaster. Team Rocket's Moltres ex in Destined Rivals taps into that conflict — what would it mean for Team Rocket to command one of the original legendaries?
The card's value reflects both Moltres's legendary status and its role in the Team Rocket SIR subset. The Pokemon 2000 nostalgia connection adds demand from anime fans who remember the legendary birds in that context.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Fifth in the Destined Rivals SIR hierarchy at approximately $91, just below Team Rocket's Nidoking ex at $97. The slight premium for Nidoking reflects the Giovanni-specific connection. Moltres is a legendary but not uniquely Team Rocket-associated in the same way Mewtwo or Nidoking are.
Stable pricing anchored by the Team Rocket subset demand. Pokemon 2000 nostalgia adds a secondary demand layer from anime collectors. The card is unlikely to see sharp price movements given the stable, broad collector base it appeals to.
The legendary birds have proven durable collector targets across every era of Pokemon. Team Rocket's framing adds a specific narrative layer. The subset dynamic provides ongoing demand from collectors building complete Team Rocket SIR groups.
PSA 10 and CGC 10 copies sell for $120 to $150. Worth submitting clean copies with good centering.
Approximately 1 in 36 packs for any SIR in Destined Rivals. With multiple SIRs in the set, this specific card is not guaranteed from a single booster box.
Fifth in the Destined Rivals SIR value hierarchy, closely grouped with Team Rocket's Nidoking ex. The Team Rocket branding elevates it above generic SIRs in the set. The legendary status of Moltres provides a baseline value floor that non-legendary Team Rocket Pokemon don't have.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Mitsuhiro Arita's work on legendary bird Pokemon goes back to the earliest eras of the TCG. The experience with these specific designs shows in the modern SIR format — conveying both the legendary scale and the fire element's energy.
Moltres is depicted in full flame, wings spread wide. Team Rocket's visual language frames the composition — dark backgrounds, red accents suggesting the organization's ownership of this legendary. The fire effects dominate the upper portion of the frame. Moltres's orange-gold color scheme creates a warm center that pulls focus immediately.
The SIR holofoil treatment enhances the fire effects — the flame wing details shift visibly when the card is tilted. The warm color palette with dark borders is one of the more effective combinations in the Destined Rivals SIR set for showcasing the foil technology.
Moltres under Team Rocket control is a specific concept that resonates with anyone who remembers Pokemon: The Movie 2000 or the legendary bird lore from the original games. The artwork makes that control explicit through the Team Rocket framing without diminishing the legendary's inherent power.
BackgroundAbout Team Rockets Moltres ex
Moltres is the fire legendary bird of the Kanto region, Pokemon number 146. Found on Victory Road in Red and Blue, it was one of the three legendary birds that defined what a legendary Pokemon meant in the franchise's early years. It featured prominently in Pokemon: The Movie 2000 alongside Articuno and Zapdos, in a narrative about the balance of nature disrupted by a collector's obsession with legendary Pokemon.
- ›One of the original three legendary birds
- ›Featured in Pokemon: The Movie 2000 — a nostalgia touchstone
- ›Fire-type legendary with a distinctive flaming wing design
- ›Part of the original 151 with universal recognition
- ›Appeared in multiple game titles and Pokemon GO as raid content
- ›Pokemon Red and Blue — Victory Road encounter
- ›Pokemon: The Movie 2000 — featured alongside Articuno and Zapdos
- ›Pokemon Yellow, FireRed, LeafGreen
- ›Pokemon GO legendary raids
- ›Various Pokemon anime appearances
Moltres has seen competitive use in formats allowing legendary Pokemon. Fire/Flying typing gives it coverage moves but also well-known weaknesses. Team Rocket's Moltres ex in the TCG is primarily a collector's card.
Own it wellCollector guide
The warm color palette with dark borders means surface condition assessment requires attention to the dark border area, where scratches and whitening show clearly. The fire effects in the center of the artwork can obscure minor print imperfections. Inspect all four border areas carefully.
Viable grading candidate at this price point. A PSA 10 or CGC 10 provides a meaningful premium. Clean copies with good centering are worth submitting. Read the grading guide →
Standard SIR protection protocol: perfect-fit inner sleeve, outer sleeve, rigid holder. Dark borders on the card show edge wear more visibly than borderless SIRs — handle carefully from first opening. See the storage guide →
Consistent supply on TCGPlayer and eBay. The Team Rocket subset collecting dynamic means slight scarcity at times when multiple collectors are simultaneously completing their sets. Monitor pricing across platforms. See the singles buying guide →
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Appreciated by Gen 1 and Pokemon 2000 nostalgia collectors. Most commonly discussed as part of Team Rocket SIR subset completion content. The Pokemon: The Movie 2000 connection brings in anime collectors who might not be primarily focused on modern card collecting.
Active in Team Rocket SIR subset completion posts. The fire legendary visual appeal makes it a frequently shared card in pack opening content — a dramatic pull in video format.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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