Murkrow and Honchkrow Collector's Guide 2026: The Team Rocket Dark Pair, Neo Genesis Origins, and Every Entry Point
By Dexhaul Team · September 23, 2026
Murkrow had a six-year headstart.
When Neo Genesis launched in April 2000, Murkrow 24/111 appeared as a non-holo Rare. Honchkrow did not exist yet. Generation 4 was still six years away.
For collectors building a complete Murkrow set during the WOTC era, there was no evolution to chase, no boss form to complete the pair.
That history shapes the entire Murkrow and Honchkrow collector arc. The two Pokémon share a Pokédex lineage but live in completely separate TCG markets, separated by a six-year publication gap and several distinct rarity eras. Here is how to navigate both.
The Villain Pedigree: Why These Two Have Collector Appeal
Murkrow is a Dark/Flying type first introduced in Generation 2 (Gold and Silver), known in the games as the Darkness Pokémon. Its Pokédex entries describe it as a bird that lures people into dangerous territory at night, one of the Gen 2 roster's more overtly sinister concepts.
Honchkrow, introduced in Diamond and Pearl in 2007, is the Big Boss Pokémon. Its Pokédex lore describes it commanding flocks of Murkrow, sending them on nightly missions and punishing any that return empty-handed. The crime-boss visual language is explicit: Honchkrow's design references a fedora-wearing don, and its Murkrow command structure is one of the most literal villain archetypes in the franchise's main series.
That aesthetic gives both Pokémon a consistent collector audience: Dark-type fans, Halloween seasonal buyers, and collectors drawn to the villain side of Pokémon lore. The TCG card history runs parallel to that appeal, with each new format adding a layer worth knowing about.
The Standalone Era: Murkrow in Neo Genesis (2000–2006)
Murkrow 24/111 from Neo Genesis is a non-holo Rare, which is the correct description: it held the Rare symbol (diamond) but printed without the holofoil treatment standard-set Rare cards typically receive. Raw Unlimited copies in played condition are available from $2 to $4 on the current secondary market. Near Mint copies run $5 to $10.
The card also appeared in Neo Revelation (46/64) as a Common. This matters for collectors: Neo Revelation was part of the e-Card era set sequence in Japan, and its English print run carries lower volume than Neo Genesis. First Edition Neo Revelation Murkrow 46/64 in PSA 9 lists around $55; a PSA 10 copy sits at $499.94 from one active seller in the current catalogue.
For Murkrow-specific vintage collectors, Neo Genesis is the baseline and Neo Revelation is the prestige tier. Neither has a holofoil treatment, so condition and edition matter far more than card type for these entries.
Honchkrow Arrives: The Diamond and Pearl Era Debut
Honchkrow joined the TCG in 2007 with the launch of the Diamond and Pearl: Mysterious Treasures set. Honchkrow 10/123 is a Stage 1 holo Rare from that set, currently available raw around $5.40 from active sellers. It is the only dedicated Honchkrow card from the DP era in the main English lineup.
The DP era window for Honchkrow is thin. It received no LV.X treatment and no dedicated DP-era sealed product. Collectors who want DP-era Honchkrow representation are working with a single holo from Mysterious Treasures and a handful of commons across adjacent sets.
Honchkrow G 77/127 from Platinum Base Set is worth noting separately. The SP mechanic (Pokémon G for Gym Leader, SP for Team Rocket, etc.) gave DP-era Honchkrow a Platinum print under the Cyrus "Pokémon G" designation, reflecting Cyrus's Shadow Triad as the villain faction of that era. It lists around $0.44 CAD raw, the cheapest entry into the DP timeline for this character.
The SWSH Window: Honchkrow V and the Brilliant Stars Alternate Full Art
The Sword and Shield era gave Honchkrow its most collectible modern treatment. Brilliant Stars (SWSH09, February 2022) included three distinct Honchkrow V cards in one set: the standard Rare Holo V (088/172), the Full Art (161/172), and the Alternate Full Art (162/172).
The Alternate Full Art at $12 to $15 is one of the most structurally accessible Brilliant Stars AFAs in the current market. Brilliant Stars is a set with several AFAs priced above $100 (Charizard VSTAR, Arceus VSTAR, Pikachu VMAX). Honchkrow V AFA sits near the bottom of that bracket, making it a low-barrier entry to the same set's premium full-bleed illustration format.
The standard V (088/172) runs $0.99 to $4.00 raw. The Full Art (161/172) runs $2.00 to $8.00 depending on condition. For collectors building the Honchkrow V tier from the SWSH era, the three-card set costs well under $30 to complete at current raw prices, with the AFA providing the sole collector ceiling in the group.
Honchkrow GX 109/214 from Unbroken Bonds (2019) rounds out the SM era at $2.64 to $4.00 raw. It carries the "Ruler of the Night" Ability, which prevented the opponent from playing Item cards on any turn you attacked with it under specific conditions. Competitive significance aside, it is the only Honchkrow GX in the SM era and lists at a modest floor for anyone building a cross-era Honchkrow timeline.
Team Rocket's Murkrow IR: The 2025 Name Drop
Destined Rivals (sv10, 2025) introduced a card that changes the Murkrow collector narrative: Team Rocket's Murkrow 200/182, an Illustration Rare featuring Murkrow explicitly under Team Rocket branding.
This is the first TCG card to place Murkrow explicitly under the "Team Rocket's" prefix in English. The original Team Rocket expansion launched in April 2000, the same month as Neo Genesis, but that set covered only Generation 1 Pokémon under the Dark treatment. Murkrow was Gen 2 and did not appear in it.
The result is a 25-year gap between Murkrow's TCG debut and the first time any card pairs it directly with Team Rocket in the card name.
Raw copies of the IR currently list between $8.10 and $13.00 across multiple sellers. A PSA 9 graded copy is available around $19.99 to $29.99. The Illustration Rare sits several tiers below the Destined Rivals Special Illustration Rares (Mewtwo ex SIR is $200 and above), making it one of the more accessible IR-tier art treatments in the set.
The Destined Rivals connection also pairs naturally with the Team Rocket's Ambition expansion in TCG Pocket, which launched August 26, 2026, and has been driving physical search interest in Team Rocket-branded cards. That digital-to-physical demand bridge is active right now.
Plush: Two Lines, Two Price Points
Honchkrow has dedicated plush coverage across two distinct formats. The Pokemon Fit line covers Honchkrow at $19.00 to $24.99 depending on seller, with Ichiba Japan and Collector Store both listing the Fit plush at active in-stock prices.
The Sitting Cuties format offers a larger, seated Honchkrow plush at $56.29 from ToyCartUSA. The Sitting Cuties line is a Pokémon Center Japan series, distributed to Western markets via importers, and carries a corresponding premium over the Fit line for the same character.
Murkrow does not appear to have a dedicated Pokemon Fit or Sitting Cuties entry in the current catalogue. Collectors wanting physical Murkrow representation are working from the metal charm keychain pair (Murkrow + Honchkrow together, £3.99 GBP from Japan2UK), which is the most accessible item in the current active listings covering both characters together.
How to Build the Collection
The entry point is the Team Rocket's Murkrow IR from Destined Rivals at $8 to $10 raw. It is in-print, widely available from multiple sellers right now, and carries the most narratively loaded art treatment Murkrow has ever received in English.
From there, Honchkrow V AFA 162/172 from Brilliant Stars at $12 to $15 is the modern premium tier. It is the only full-bleed illustration format Honchkrow card in English, and it sits at the accessible end of the Brilliant Stars AFA price bracket.
For vintage depth: Murkrow 24/111 Neo Genesis at $2 to $4 raw documents the character's six-year standalone era before Honchkrow existed. Neo Revelation 1st Edition graded copies add the prestige ceiling for serious vintage collectors, with PSA 9s around $55 and PSA 10s at $499.
The plush side is covered in two tiers: Fit at $19 and Sitting Cuties at $56, both Honchkrow-only.
DexHaul is independent and not affiliated with The Pokémon Company. Search current Murkrow and Honchkrow listings from independent shops at dexhaul.com.