Mudkip Star
Rocket Gang Strikes Back · #33/85 · Shiny Rare · 2004JPN
Printings & price history
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Graded values
Grades 1–6 are estimates modeled from the raw price — PSA/CGC/BGS 7–10 and Ungraded are live tracked market values.
PSA 10 chart is building — graded values are tracked nightly, a new point appears each day.
Graded population census · updated 2026-07-12
Population data from PriceCharting, updated monthly.
CardPrice Score B-TIER
A genuinely scarce gold-star card with a fan-favorite starter subject and strong four-figure floor, held back from A-tier only by a low gem rate and thin, infrequent trading.
- A Japanese Shiny Rare "Star" card — the gold-star rarity that defines the mid-2000s EX era for many collectors.
- Comes from Rocket Gang Strikes Back, one of the shorter Japanese sets that quietly hides some of the most chased Star pulls.
- Mudkip is a Gen III starter with real nostalgia weight, which keeps this one on want lists well beyond hardcore Star chasers.
- Genuinely thin supply — Star cards were seeded at brutal odds, and clean copies rarely surface.
- Raw examples already sit in serious four-figure territory, a signal of how the market values this tier.
This analysis covers every printing of Mudkip Star — the score and live figures use our primary tracked printing, and the price panels above follow whichever printing you have selected.
Where Mudkip Star fits in the hobby
The gold-star era is one of the most beloved chapters in Pokémon's Japanese run, and Mudkip Star is a textbook example of why. These "Star" cards — marked by the small gold star next to the Pokémon's name — used shiny (alternate-color) artwork and were seeded as ultra-rare chase pulls across the EX-era sets. They weren't just rare on paper; the pull rates were punishing, and that scarcity has followed them through two decades of the hobby.
Rocket Gang Strikes Back is the Japanese release from the middle of the 2000s that fed into the Western Team Rocket Returns-era product. Japanese Star cards from this window are prized because the print runs were short and the cards were fragile — holo-heavy surfaces that show wear the moment they leave a pack. Mudkip, the Water-type starter from the Hoenn generation, carries its own gravity here. Starters always command extra attention, and a shiny Mudkip in the Star treatment is exactly the kind of card that pulls in cross-collector demand: Star specialists, Mudkip fans, and Gen III loyalists all want it.
What makes this one a steady name rather than a flash-in-the-pan is the combination of rarity tier and recognizable subject. Star cards as a group have appreciated as the EX era matured into "vintage-adjacent" status, and the Japanese originals hold a purist appeal — first printings of the concept, in the language the game was born in. For a collection built around rarity milestones or Hoenn starters, this is a genuine cornerstone piece.
Market read
Mudkip Star sits in the upper-middle band of the Japanese Star market — not a marquee legendary or a fan-favorite Eeveelution, but a starter with broad name recognition and the full weight of the Star rarity behind it. Raw copies already trade in serious four-figure territory, which tells you the floor is set by scarcity rather than hype. The graded population is modest and the gem rate is on the lower side, consistent with how unforgiving these holo surfaces are to handle and store.
The read here is a quiet, supply-constrained market rather than a hot one. Sales are infrequent, so pricing tends to move in steps as individual copies surface rather than in a smooth curve. That thin liquidity cuts both ways: patient buyers may wait a while for the right copy, but sellers with a clean example rarely struggle to find a home. It's a collector's card first — held, not flipped.
- Gold-star rarity tier — one of the most collected concepts in Pokémon history, with a dedicated chase community.
- Mudkip's status as a Gen III starter and enduring fan-favorite (meme culture kept the name alive for years).
- Japanese-origin appeal for purists who want the first printing of the Star concept in its native language.
- Genuinely scarce supply from a short set with brutal pull rates.
- Cross-collector overlap: Star completionists, Hoenn-set builders, and starter-line collectors all compete for the same copies.
Exact figures — price, population, gem rate, grading EV — are live in the panels above and refresh nightly.
Why the art matters
The artist credit isn't confirmed for this listing, so we'll stick to what the card is: a shiny-variant Mudkip rendered in the alternate coloration that defines every Star card. Instead of Mudkip's familiar blue, the Star treatment swaps in the shiny palette, which is the whole point of the rarity — you're collecting the sparkle-variant version of the Pokémon.
The Star cards of this era typically pair that shiny artwork with a distinctive holo pattern that catches light across the full card face, making them stand out instantly in a binder. It's a look that reads as "special" from across a table, which is a big part of their lasting display appeal.
Collector guide
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Frequently asked questions
How much is Mudkip Star #33/85 worth today?
As of August 14, 2026, a raw Mudkip Star #33/85 trades around $550.00, and a PSA 10 copy around $12,750.00. Prices update nightly from live market data — the chart above has the full history.
Is Mudkip Star worth grading right now?
Yes, the math currently works: after buying a raw copy and paying ~$25 in grading fees, the expected value of grading is about $7,407.94 positive, based on live PSA 10/9 prices and this card's real gem rate.
What makes a "Star" card different from a normal rare?
Star cards are a special ultra-rare tier from the EX era, marked by a small gold star next to the Pokémon's name. They feature shiny (alternate-color) artwork and were seeded at very low pull rates, which is why they command large premiums over standard rares and holos.
Is the Japanese Mudkip Star different from an English version?
This is the Japanese printing from Rocket Gang Strikes Back. Japanese Star cards are the original printings of the concept and appeal to purists for that reason, and text, set symbol, and print details differ from any Western equivalent. Language and origin matter a lot to Star collectors, so the two aren't interchangeable.
Why is the gem rate on this card so low?
The heavy holo surface used on Star cards scratches and shows edge whitening very easily, and Japanese cards of this era are often marked down on centering. That combination means a smaller share of graded copies reach the top grade compared to more forgiving modern cards.
Should I grade my Mudkip Star or keep it raw?
It depends entirely on condition. A clean, well-centered copy can justify grading because the top-grade premium is meaningful, but given the low gem rate, anything with visible wear is often better kept raw. Inspect the surface and edges honestly before spending on a submission.
Why is Mudkip such a sought-after subject?
Mudkip is the Water-type starter from the Hoenn (Gen III) generation and became a lasting fan favorite, boosted by years of internet meme culture. That name recognition pulls in collectors beyond the Star specialists, widening demand for this card.
Why do sales happen so rarely for this card?
Supply is genuinely thin and most owners treat it as a long-term keeper rather than a trade piece. Fewer copies changing hands means pricing tends to move in steps when a card surfaces rather than trading on a steady, liquid market.
How much is Mudkip Star #33/85 worth?
Right now (August 14, 2026) the going rate for an ungraded Mudkip Star #33/85 from Rocket Gang Strikes Back is about $3,774.01.
Grading changes the math on this one: a PSA 10 is valued around $12,750.00, roughly 3.4x the raw price, while a PSA 9 sits near $10,625.00. 266 copies have been graded to date, and 39% of them came back a 10 — worth knowing before you pay grading fees.
These figures come from nightly market-data syncs verified against completed sales. Use the chart above to see the trend before you buy or sell.