Rocket's Articuno EX #96 — Team Rocket Returns Pokémon card

Rocket's Articuno EX #96 Value

Name: Rocket's Articuno EX #96 — Team Rocket Returns
Brand: Pokémon

Team Rocket Returns · Card 96/111 · Rare · 2004

Rocket's Articuno EX is one of the sharper pulls from Team Rocket Returns, the 2004 set that gave Team Rocket's stolen Pokemon their own spotlight. Illustrated by Ryo Ueda, this Rare card has that classic early 2000s look that a lot of collectors grew up chasing, and if you're searching Rocket's Articuno EX value right now, the short answer is that a raw copy sits at $236 today. Not bad for a card that's been around for two decades and still holds real interest.

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Market value & price

Raw / Ungraded

$236

Grade 9

$1.4k

PSA 10

$4.5k

PSA 10 is 19.1× the raw price

Value by grade

Where it drops

Pulled 5× on PackSpy across Tilt Rips · biggest hit $1.6k.

Found in packs: Tilt Treasure · Pokemon Ultimate Pack

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PriceCharting history ↗eBay sold listings ↗PSA price guide ↗

Rocket's Articuno EX price history

Ungraded value is $236, up 7% over the past year, with an all-time high of $333 in May 2026.

Market value over time by grade. Hover for any month; tap a grade to toggle its line.

Card details

Set: Team Rocket Returns
Card number: 96 of 111
Rarity: Rare
Type: Darkness
HP: 100
Weakness: Metal ×2
Retreat cost: 1
Illustrator: Ryo Ueda
Released: 2004

Attacks

Freeze Solid10
Colorless
Search your discard pile for a Water Energy card and attach it to Rocket's Articuno ex."
Ice Wing50
Water · Water · Colorless

Rocket's Articuno EX — collector's take

Is Rocket's Articuno EX worth grading?

So is it worth grading? Here's the honest math: a raw copy runs $236, a Grade 9 jumps to $1,433, and a PSA 10 sits at $4,523, which works out to about 19.1x the raw price. That's a real jump, no question. But gem mint is called gem mint for a reason, it's hard to hit, especially on a card from 2004 where two decades of handling, centering quirks from the printing era, and surface wear all work against you. Grading costs money and takes time, and there's no guarantee your copy comes back a 10 instead of a 9. If you've got a raw copy that looks sharp under a light with clean edges and centering, it's worth considering. If it's got any soft corners or whitening, you might be paying to confirm what you already suspected.

How rare is it?

Team Rocket Returns wasn't a small set, but Rocket's Articuno EX carries the kind of Rare status that keeps it from showing up in every collection. We don't have exact population numbers to share here, but the pricing gap between raw, Grade 9, and PSA 10 tells its own story: gem mint copies are clearly the minority, and that scarcity at the top is exactly what pushes the PSA 10 price so far past the raw and Grade 9 tiers. When a card this old has that much separation between grades, it usually means high grade copies just don't turn up often.

Where to pull it

Here's where PackSpy's data actually earns its keep. We've tracked this card being pulled 5 times across tilt-rips, with sightings in Tilt Treasure and Pokemon Ultimate Pack. The biggest recorded pull came in at $1,600, which is a nice reminder that pack odds can occasionally hand you a genuine win. But five recorded pulls is a small number in the grand scheme, and that scarcity lines up with what we said above: most people who own this card bought it on the secondary market rather than pulling it themselves. If you're ripping packs hoping for this one specifically, go in knowing the odds are long and most pack openings don't pay for themselves. That's just the reality of it.

Questions people ask

How much is Rocket's Articuno EX worth?

A raw, ungraded copy of Rocket's Articuno EX is worth $236 right now. Graded copies climb from there, with a Grade 9 at $1,433 and a PSA 10 reaching $4,523. So the condition and grade you're holding makes a big difference to the number.

Is Rocket's Articuno EX worth grading?

It can be, especially since a PSA 10 sells for about 19.1x what a raw copy goes for. But gem mint copies are tough to land, and grading isn't free, so it really depends on how clean your copy looks before you send it in.

What set is Rocket's Articuno EX from?

This card comes from Team Rocket Returns, released in 2004. It's a Rare card illustrated by Ryo Ueda, and it's held onto steady collector interest ever since.