Collecting Zapdos Pokémon cards is a great way to relive the glory days of Pokémon Gen One. With each rare and beautiful Zapdos you add to your collection, you’ll cast your mind back to first capturing the legendary, electrifying bird, back in the days when it only took 151 Pokéballs to catch ‘em all. Looking for the best Zapdos Pokémon cards out there? Here’s a list to help you begin the hunt.
Below you’ll find a thorough guide to collecting cards featuring this legendary Pokémon. We cover everything from the most expensive rare Pokémon cards to cheaper options for collectors on a budget. We can tell you which Pokémon TCG expansions each card hails from, and we’ll explain why we think these are the best Pokémon cards with a Zapdos on them.
Shadowless Base Set Zapdos
The most valuable Zapdos Pokémon card.
Today’s best deals | ID number | 16/102 |
| TCG expansion | Base Set |
| Estimated value | $200 – $1,700 |
- High sentimental, nostalgic, and financial value
- The OG Zapdos Pokémon card
- Less valuable than other Base Set cards
Shadowless Base Set Zapdos is the most expensive Zapdos Pokémon card on the market, and its value comes from all the usual sources. It’s from the original Pokémon set, meaning it’s a major source of nostalgia for trading card game fans. It also means pristine copies are hard to come by, and a rare graded card can sell for well over a thousand dollars.
That being said, a Base Set Zapdos won’t be worth as much as the Charizard Pokémon card from this expansion. There are plenty of other more popular Pokémon from Base Set that hold much higher value. But hey, if you love Zapdos more than any other pocket monster, this is the chaser card for you.
Zapdos Ex
Best overall Zapdos Pokémon card.
Today’s best deals | ID number | 116/112 |
| TCG expansion | FireRed & LeafGreen |
| Estimated value | $100 – $300 |
- Gorgeous art of Zapdos
- A more achievable find for budget collectors
- Several later Ex cards to collect too
- Not much financial value for ambitious collectors
The FireRed & LeafGreen version of Zapdos Ex is our favorite example of a great Zapdos Pokémon card. Its vibrant art captures the electric presence of the legendary Pokémon, and the 2004 card is packed with nostalgia value.
Plus, there are several later Zapdos Ex cards to collect, if you want to catch ‘em all. Their abilities are all different, but Zapdos isn’t the most competitive Pokémon card to play, whichever version you own. All of them come with unique and beautiful art, though, which is a great reason to chase down some copies.
Aquapolis Zapdos
Most unique Zapdos Pokémon card.
Today’s best deals | ID number | H32/H32 (English) 44/147 (Japanese) |
| TCG expansion | Aquapolis |
| Estimated value | $70 – $300 |
- Unusual e-card design
- Dynamic art of Zapdos
- A more achievable find for budget collectors
- Not much financial value for ambitious collectors
- Not everyone likes the e-card look
However you feel about its e-card border design, there’s no denying that Aquapolis Zapdos is a card with a unique look. This is helped by its electrifying art, which shows Zapdos lighting up the night as it charges, head down, towards an unseen target.
A top-quality copy of the card only sells for a few hundred dollars – great news for Zapdos lovers on a tighter budget. It won’t wow people in the same way as a copy of Base Set Zapdos, but if you’re only collecting for sentimental value, then who cares what price tag the card came with?
Rocket’s Zapdos Ex
Another rare and valuable Zapdos Pokémon card.
Today’s best deals | ID number | 106/109 |
| TCG expansion | EX Team Rocket Returns |
| Estimated value | $200 – $400 |
- A rare card with high value
- Unusual and interesting art of Zapdos
- Still not one of Pokémon’s most valuable cards
After Base Set Zapdos, Rocket’s Zapdos Ex is one of the most valuable cards featuring this particular Pokémon. Part of that is down to the age of the card and the fairly limited copies available. Another reason is the dark, edgy 3D art that makes this card stand out from the crowd.
It’s not the most expensive Pokémon card of all time, and it’s not going to see much play. But again, if you love Zapdos, it should be high up on your shopping list.
Zapdos 150
The best Zapdos Pokémon card for budget collectors.
Today’s best deals | ID number | 150/147 |
| TCG expansion | Supreme Victors |
| Estimated value | $80 – $190 |
- Striking minimalist art
- A more achievable find for budget collectors
- Not much financial value for ambitious collectors
If you prefer Pokémon card collecting on a budget, Zapdos 150 from the Supreme Victors set is our top choice. You still get some excellent art of the electric Pokémon. The minimalist design and glittery background mean that the bird seems to pop right off the paper.
Moltres and Zapdos and Articuno GX
The most beautiful Zapdos Pokémon card.
Today’s best deals | ID number | SM210 |
| TCG expansion | SM Black Star Promos |
| Estimated value | $20 – $900 |
- Gorgeous stained glass art
- Zapdos is joined by his legendary bird friends
- A more achievable find for budget collectors
- Not much financial value for ambitious collectors
- Not a competitive card for play
Moltres and Zapdos and Articuno GX features all three of Gen One’s legendary birds, and it’s the most beautiful Zapdos card we’ve ever seen. Each creature is immortalized in a vibrant stained glass style that any collector would be proud to display.
This is a cheap and cheerful Pokémon card suitable for collectors of all budgets. However, a well-preserved copy can sell for a significantly higher price – so look after your Zapdos well.
For more iconic pocket monsters, here are the best Dragonite Pokémon cards and Lugia Pokémon cards. We can also give you tips for spotting fake Pokémon cards.
Source: Wargamer
