2000 Pokémon Rocket #20 Dark Blastoise - 1st Edition (PSA 10 GEM MINT)

The 2000 Pokémon Team Rocket 1st Edition Dark Blastoise #20 represents a standout piece from Wizards of the Coast's innovative Team Rocket expansion, which redefined Pokémon TCG aesthetics by introducing the "Dark" or "corrupted" Pokémon concept—flipping the heroic tone of the Base Set into something darker and more rebellious.

As one of the set's marquee Dark Pokémon, Dark Blastoise features Ken Sugimori’s iconic artwork depicting the Water-type starter with a noticeably deeper, more menacing color palette and an aggressive, battle-ready posture, marking it as a pivotal evolution in the franchise's early trading card history. Authentic examples carry the true 1st Edition stamp alongside the classic '90s galaxy star holographic foil, creating a striking contrast against the card's dark border design—a feature that, while visually distinctive, makes high-grade survivors exceptionally rare due to the set's notorious susceptibility to edge wear and "silvering" along those dark edges.