Japanese VS (2001): all 150 cards with PSA prices — Gym Leader and Elite Four Pokémon

Hi, this is Bunbun. This column covers Pokémon VS, the 2001 set built entirely from Pokémon owned by the Johto Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, Champion Lance and Team Rocket. Every Pokémon in the set carries its owner’s name.

What is it?

• Released on 19 July 2001. It was the first Japanese expansion to print collector numbers (001/141 to 141/141) on the cards.
• 150 cards: 141 numbered cards (102 Pokémon and 39 Trainers) plus 9 unnumbered Energy (8 basic Energy and Rainbow Energy).
• Owners are the eight Johto Gym Leaders (Falkner, Bugsy, Whitney, Morty, Jasmine, Chuck, Pryce, Clair), the Elite Four (Will, Koga, Bruno, Karen), Lance and Team Rocket, along with Kanto leaders such as Lt. Surge, Sabrina, Misty, Erika, Janine, Brock and Blaine.
• 12 holos: Falkner’s Skarmory, Bugsy’s Scizor, Morty’s Murkrow, Jasmine’s Steelix, Pryce’s Sneasel, Bruno’s Steelix, Karen’s Tyranitar, Karen’s Umbreon, Rocket’s Wobbuffet, Rocket’s Raikou, Rocket’s Entei and Rocket’s Suicune.
• Trainers are mostly each leader’s TM 01 and TM 02, plus staples such as Potion and Master Ball.
• Sold as type-paired half decks (Grass/Lightning, Fire/Water, Psychic/Fighting and so on) and boosters. Cards carry a 1st Edition stamp.
• Rocket’s Tyranitar 142/141 is listed by Bulbapedia as an unreleased card and is not included here.

Highlights

• Karen’s Umbreon: the largest PSA 10 population in the set and the best-known old-back Umbreon overseas.
• Lance’s Charizard: not a holo, but second in PSA 10 population. One of the more accessible old-back Charizards, with steady demand.
• Karen’s Tyranitar and Lance’s Dragonite: next in line by PSA 10 population.
• Rocket’s Entei, Rocket’s Raikou and Rocket’s Suicune: the three legendary beasts are often collected as a set, so their prices move together.
• Morty’s Gengar: a non-holo with a large PSA 10 population, a sign of how strong Gengar demand is.

Reading the prices

• PSA 10 / PSA 9 below are the median of the latest confirmed sales (up to five).
• VS exists with and without the 1st Edition stamp, and prices differ, but this site does not separate the two prints yet. Check the listing title and PSA label on the card’s price page.
• Apart from the 12 holos every Pokémon is a common, so non-holo prices are driven by the popularity of the Pokémon rather than by rarity.