Squirtle in 2026: From the $8 Team Rocket First Edition to the $120 Stellar Crown IR
By Dexhaul Team · August 28, 2026
Squirtle achieved Illustration Rare status in two back-to-back Scarlet & Violet sets: Scarlet & Violet 151 in 2023 and Stellar Crown in 2024. Very few Basic Pokémon manage that twice in succession, which makes right now one of the most interesting moments in Squirtle's 26-year TCG history.
This guide walks the card through its major eras, from a genuine first-edition vintage common you can still pick up for $8, to the $120 Stellar Crown single that sits at the top of the modern market. Merchandise follows at the end for collectors who want the full Squirtle shelf.
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The Vintage Floor: Team Rocket First Edition
Squirtle 68/82 from the Team Rocket set (released April 2000) is one of the easiest genuine first-edition cards to enter. It is a Common, which means it was printed in far higher quantities than the set's rares. Raw NM-mint copies trade at $8 to $11.
That is real first-edition Team Rocket printing at a price most collectors will not blink at. The flip side is condition sensitivity: the set is now 26 years old and pack-fresh copies are uncommon. A PSA-graded 9 or 10 runs significantly higher, which is why the raw copies hold at that floor rather than dropping further.
For a first-generation vintage piece, this is a low-risk starting point.
The Classic Collection Reprint
The Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic (released late 2023) is a premium boxed set containing three ready-to-play decks. Each deck includes exclusive holofoil versions of the classic starter Pokémon, and Squirtle appears as card 001 with a holofoil treatment applied to the familiar Base Set art.
At $17, this is the most affordable new-in-frame holofoil Squirtle on the market right now. It will not age into a high-grade collectible, but it is a clean, affordable display piece for collectors who want the Base Set look with a premium finish.
The MEP Promo
Squirtle 039 from the Mega Evolution Promo series is a black star holofoil promo that sits in the mid-tier of the current Squirtle market. Raw near-mint copies from sellers like Nexus TCG and Smoke and Mirrors Hobby run $28 to $32.
A graded PSA 10 copy from the 2026 First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 release is currently listed at $300 (Aloha Card Shop). That gap between the $30 raw and the $300 PSA 10 illustrates what professional grading adds when a promo is in demand: the premium is almost entirely in the grade, not in the card itself.
For most collectors, the $28 to $32 raw copy is the sensible entry point here.
Scarlet & Violet 151: The Illustration Rare Breakthrough
Squirtle 170/165 from Scarlet & Violet 151 (released September 2023) is the card that brought Squirtle into serious modern collector conversation. Numbers above the set's base count of 165 indicate special rarities: 170/165 places Squirtle in the Illustration Rare tier, the same rarity band as Mew and Pikachu in the same set.
Prices on this one range widely: $24 at 151Collectables and up to $108 at Asgard Keep, depending on condition, grade, and seller. The mid-range NM raw copy tends to settle around $85 to $100.
Stellar Crown: The Current High-Water Mark
Squirtle 148/142 from Stellar Crown (SV07, released September 2024) is the card most collectors point to when Squirtle comes up in singles discussions. It is an Illustration Rare again, appearing above the set's 142-card base count. That back-to-back IR appearance across SV151 and Stellar Crown is the single most notable fact in Squirtle's modern TCG history.
Current prices sit at $112 to $120 for NM raw copies across multiple sellers. This is the card where condition variance matters most: a heavy play-worn copy drops to a fraction of that, while a PSA 9 or 10 trades at a meaningful premium above the raw ceiling.
If you are picking up only one modern Squirtle single, this is the card to prioritize.
Plush and Figures: The Non-Card Shelf
The plush market for Squirtle is deep. The Jazwares 18-inch Sleeping Squirtle Premium Plush is the standout in terms of display presence: it is large enough to sit on a shelf alongside card binders without getting lost, and it runs $25 at VIP Outlet. Barnes & Noble carries the same Jazwares sleeping plush at $34.99.
On the figure side, the FUNISM medium-sized Squirtle figurine ($36.88 at OtakuPop) is the practical display pick: it is large enough to read clearly on a shelf but small enough to fit between card stands. The Funism life-size 17-inch statue from Galactic Toys ($249.95) is the statement piece for a dedicated display, though it is clearly priced for serious collectors rather than general buyers.
Funko Pop collectors have two main Squirtle options: the standard #504 at $14.99 to $19.99, and the flocked exclusive at $15 to $26.99 depending on seller. The flocked version adds a texture coating that reads differently on a shelf. Neither is scarce, so condition is the only meaningful variable when choosing between listings.
Which Version Fits Your Collection?
The Team Rocket 1st Edition common ($8) is the right pick if you want genuine vintage provenance at the lowest cost of entry. The Classic Collection holofoil ($17) is better if you want a clean, displayable card with the Base Set look. The MEP promo ($28 to $32 raw) is the mid-tier promo pick for collectors who track the black star series.
For the modern IRs: the SV151 card ($24 to $100, depending on condition) and the Stellar Crown card ($112 to $120) are the only two that put Squirtle into collector conversations about the Scarlet & Violet era. Both are Illustration Rares.
The Stellar Crown version is the current ceiling. The SV151 version offers more price range to work with.
On the merchandise side, the Jazwares Sleeping Plush ($25) is the best value for display. The FUNISM medium figure ($36.88) is the cleanest figure option. Both pair naturally with the card singles on a dedicated Squirtle shelf.
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