Team Rocket

Team Rocket shipped April 2000 and introduced Dark Pokemon — a separate category of card representing corrupted versions of familiar evolutions. 82 cards in the base print run plus the Secret holo Dark Raichu, which pulls roughly 1 in 144 packs.

Dark Raichu #83 is officially printed as the first Secret Rare in the English Pokemon TCG. It is not in the master 82-card checklist; it is a chase pull positioned outside the numbering. High-grade Dark Raichu remains one of the strongest vintage chase pieces of the era.

Unlike Base Set 2, Team Rocket received both a 1st Edition and Unlimited print. The Dark Pokemon mechanic also returned in the later Neo Destiny set, then was retired until the EX-era Team Rocket sub-sets in 2004.

Dark Charizard, Dark Blastoise, Dark Dragonite, Dark Gyarados, and Dark Slowbro are the headline holos. The Dark Charizard in particular trades regularly at meaningful premiums for being the second-iteration English-print Charizard with new artwork.