Energy Retrieval 1st Edition #81 Value
Base Set · Card 81/102 · Uncommon · 1999
Energy Retrieval is one of those quiet workhorse cards from the original 1999 Base Set, a trainer card that never gets the spotlight but shows up in almost every deck built around it, illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi and tucked in at uncommon rarity. If you're looking up Energy Retrieval value because you found a 1st Edition copy in a binder or an old box, the short answer is that raw copies sit around $19, which is modest, but it's the kind of card that rewards patience if you're chasing a clean graded copy. It's not flashy, but it's genuine Base Set history, and that counts for something with long-time collectors.
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Pulled 24× on PackSpy across Courtyard, Packs · biggest hit $275.
Found in packs: Wildcard Basic Pack · Pokémon Starter Pack · Catch 'em All Chaos Rising
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Energy Retrieval price history
Ungraded value is $19, up 74% over the past year, with an all-time high of $28 in February 2021.
Market value over time by grade. Hover for any month; tap a grade to toggle its line.
Energy Retrieval price at every grade
The market value at each PSA grade, with how many exist (population). 1,277 graded copies exist — only 184 are PSA 10.
| Grade | Value | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Raw / Ungraded | $19 | — |
| PSA 10 (Gem Mint) | $330 | 184 |
| Grade 9 | $108 | 566 |
| Grade 8 | $40 | 299 |
| Grade 7 | $23 | 113 |
| Grade 6 | $18 | 64 |
| Grade 5 | $14 | 34 |
| Grade 4 | $1.00 | 9 |
| Grade 3 | $1.00 | 3 |
| Grade 2 | $1.00 | 4 |
| Grade 1 | – | 1 |
Prices & population from PriceCharting. Grade values are PSA-based; population is split by grading company (PSA / CGC).
Card details
- Set
- Base Set
- Card number
- 81 of 102
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Illustrator
- Keiji Kinebuchi
- Released
- 1999
Energy Retrieval — collector's take
Is Energy Retrieval worth grading?
So is Energy Retrieval worth grading? Here's the honest math: a raw copy runs about $19, a Grade 9 jumps to $108, and a true PSA 10 gem mint sits at $330, which works out to roughly 17.3 times the raw price. That's a real jump, no question. But getting a 1st Edition trainer card like this to grade out perfectly is harder than it looks, corners and centering on these older prints can be unforgiving, and grading fees plus shipping and turnaround time eat into any profit if the card comes back a 9 instead of a 10. If you've got a copy that already looks sharp under a loupe, sending it in can make sense. If it's got soft corners or edge wear, you're often better off enjoying it raw or selling it as-is rather than gambling on a grading fee.
How rare is it?
Across all grading services, there are 1,277 graded copies of Energy Retrieval on record, and only 184 of those have earned the coveted PSA 10 label. That's a meaningful gap. It means most graded copies land somewhere in the middle, and true gem mint condition is genuinely uncommon even within an uncommon card. That scarcity at the top end is exactly why the PSA 10 price sits so far above raw and Grade 9, collectors know how few perfect copies exist, and they're willing to pay for one when it surfaces.
Where to pull it
We track real pack pulls across sites, not just price guide estimates, and Energy Retrieval has shown up 24 times in our records so far, pulled from courtyard-style openings and standard pack breaks alike. The biggest single pull we've logged for this card hit $275, which shows what's possible when a nice copy comes out of a fresh pack. If you're chasing one yourself, it's been spotted in the Wildcard Basic Pack, the Pokémon Starter Pack, and Catch 'em All Chaos Rising. Worth remembering though, pulling packs is a gamble and most openings don't cover their cost, so treat any hit as a bonus rather than a plan.
Questions people ask
How much is Energy Retrieval worth?
A raw, ungraded copy of Energy Retrieval is valued around $19. Once graded, the price climbs, with a Grade 9 sitting at $108 and a PSA 10 gem mint copy reaching $330. So how much Energy Retrieval is worth really depends on its condition and whether it's been graded.
Is Energy Retrieval worth grading?
It can be, since a PSA 10 sells for about 17.3 times what a raw copy goes for. But gem mint copies are genuinely hard to hit, only 184 out of 1,277 graded copies have made it to PSA 10, so factor in grading fees and the real chance it comes back a 9 before you send it in.
What set is Energy Retrieval from?
Energy Retrieval is card #81 from the original Base Set, released in 1999. This is the 1st Edition uncommon printing, illustrated by Keiji Kinebuchi, and it's one of the trainer cards long-time collectors recognize instantly.
More Base Set chase cards
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Recent pulls of Energy Retrieval
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