Articuno is card #2/62 in the 1999 Pokemon Fossil set (Rare Holo, holofoil), the third English Pokemon TCG expansion (Wizards of the Coast, October 1999). It was printed in 1st Edition and Unlimited. PSA has graded about 16,153 copies across its printings. It is one of the set's marquee 1st Edition holo chase cards.
Print variants & how to tell them apart
1st Edition
The 'Edition 1' stamp — a black circle containing the number 1 — sits just left of the artwork, below the art box. The artwork and drop shadow are identical to Unlimited; the stamp is the only difference. The first, scarcest and most valuable English printing.
Unlimited
No 'Edition 1' stamp. Identical artwork and drop shadow to the 1st Edition card. By far the most common printing. Fossil never had a Shadowless print, so there is no copyright-line tell — only the missing stamp separates Unlimited from 1st Edition.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
Grader
Total
10
9
8
7
2–6
1
Auth
1st Edition
PSA
6,657
148
1,685
2,136
1,189
1,475
22
2
SGC
66
0
10
18
17
21
0
0
Unlimited
PSA
9,496
67
1,029
2,659
2,165
3,491
84
1
SGC
179
0
8
42
44
83
2
0
PSA & SGC graded population by printing & grade. PSA Unlimited includes copies graded before PSA flagged the 1st Edition variety; SGC does not separate the 1999-2000 print.
Card details
Type
Water
Stage
Basic
HP
70
Resistance
Fighting -30
Retreat
2
Artist
Mitsuhiro Arita
Pokedex #
144
Attacks
30Freeze Dry[Water Water Water]
Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed.
50Blizzard[Water Water Water Water]
Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 10 damage to each of your opponent's Benched Pokémon. If tails, this attack does 10 damage to each of your own Benched Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
A legendary bird Pokémon that is said to appear to doomed people who are lost in icy mountains.
Market values are live TCGplayer prices for each printing. A dash means TCGplayer has no separate or active listing for that variant (e.g. 1999-2000). As an eBay Partner & affiliate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Fossil cards come in two English printings: 1st Edition (with the Edition-1 stamp left of the art) and Unlimited (no stamp). Unlike Base Set there is no Shadowless print -- the art and drop shadow are identical, so the stamp is the only tell. The 47 non-holo cards also exist in a scarce Australian 1999-2000 'Red Logo' print (the copyright reads (c)1999-2000 and the stock is glossier).
Frequently asked questions
How many Articuno (Fossil #2/62) cards have been graded?
PSA has graded about 16,153 Articuno from the 1999 Pokemon Fossil set (6,657 1st Edition, 9,496 Unlimited); SGC has graded about 245.
What is the difference between 1st Edition and Unlimited
1st Edition and Unlimited Articuno are identical except the stamp: 1st Edition carries a black 'Edition 1' stamp to the left of the art box, while Unlimited has none. Fossil has no Shadowless print, so the stamp is the only tell.
How much is a Articuno worth?
The TCGplayer market price for Articuno is about $56.1 for Unlimited and about $207.86 for 1st Edition.
Sources: card data from the Pokemon TCG API (pokemontcg.io); graded population from PSA & SGC population reports; market prices from TCGplayer; variant scans from the Pokemon TCG API + PriceCharting; set & variant facts cross-checked against Bulbapedia. Compiled & maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-06-30.
