Zapdos [1999-2000] - Pokemon Base Set #16
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Zapdos [1999-2000]
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Zapdos [1999-2000] Card Facts & History
5 facts about this card
Card History
Zapdos #16 is one of the original 16 holofoil rares in the 102-card Base Set, putting it among the earliest chase cards in English Pokémon TCG history.
Artist
This card was illustrated by Ken Sugimori, the original Pokémon character designer, which gives Base Set Zapdos the unmistakable early-era look collectors instantly recognize.
In-Game
Its attacks, Thunder and Thunderbolt, are pulled directly from Zapdos’s video game movepool, and Bulbapedia notes the English Pokédex text is adapted from Pokémon Red and Blue.
Set Lore
Because Base Set was the first main Pokémon TCG expansion, pulling Zapdos means landing one of the franchise’s foundational legendary cards from the set that started the hobby for a generation of collectors.
Cultural Impact
Zapdos was already cemented as a Kanto icon in the games as one of the Legendary Birds, helping this holo feel bigger than a strong pull—it feels like owning a piece of the original Pokémon mythos.