History

Popplio is a Water-type Pokémon from the Alola region, introduced in Generation VII as one of the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Sun and Moon. It is known as the Sea Lion Pokémon, evolves into Brionne and then Primarina, and is notable for inflating water balloons with its nose as part of its training and performance-based behavior.

First Printed: First released in the English Pitch Black expansion on July 17, 2026, as card 018/084.

• Basic Water Pokémon with 70 HP in the Pitch Black set.
• English card number 018/084; Japanese counterpart is 017/081 in Abyss Eye.
• The card is listed as Common and appears in a non-holo main-set printing, with a reverse holo variant also cataloged.

Print Data

Print Run: High

Collector's Notes

Condition Tips: Check the usual common-card issues: edge whitening, corner wear, surface scratches, centering, print lines, and any binder dents. Reverse holo copies should be checked carefully for foil scratching and roller lines.

Storage: Store in a penny sleeve and rigid top-loader or card saver, keep away from heat, humidity, and direct sunlight, and use a binder only if it is side-loading and archival-safe.

Authenticity: Authentic copies should match the Pitch Black set symbol, 018/084 numbering, English text layout, and standard Pokémon card stock and print quality. Fakes often show blurry text, off-color blues, incorrect font weight, poor cutting, or inconsistent holo pattern on reverse holo versions.

Notable Sales

• PSA 10 tracked near $31.00 for the base card in August 2026.
• Reverse holo tracked near $37.42 in PSA 10 and about $1.49 raw in July 2026.

Investment Outlook

As a common card, Popplio has broad availability and limited scarcity, so upside is mainly tied to condition-sensitive graded copies rather than raw copies. Demand exists from set completers and Popplio/Alola collectors, but supply is abundant and price ceilings are low.

Rarity Analysis

• Common pull rate in a normal-size modern expansion.
• Large supply relative to chase cards in the same set.
• Value is driven more by grade and variant than by rarity.

Comparable: Brionne 019/084, Primarina 020/084, Other common starter Pokémon from modern sets

Market Forecast

Common cards from modern sets usually settle into a low, stable market unless a specific artwork, stamp, or grading population shift creates demand. Popplio’s appeal is mostly collector-driven rather than investment-driven.

• High print availability
• Low raw-card value with modest graded premium

Short-term (3-6mo): Likely to remain near bulk-common pricing in raw form, with small movement in pristine graded copies.

Long-term (1-3yr): Expected to stay stable with only gradual collector-driven appreciation for top-graded examples or complete-set demand.