Pokémon binder
Gyarados binder: collecting and gifting the cards
Gyarados is number 130 in the Pokédex and the evolution of Magikarp. The change from the unremarkable Magikarp to the mighty Gyarados is one of the best-known moments in the franchise.
At a glance
- Pokédex no.
- 130
- Type
- Water / Flying
- Cards in the catalogue
- 55
- Different sets
- 37
- Period
- 1999–2025
Family: Magikarp → Gyarados (Mega form exists).
About Gyarados
Gyarados cards often show the sea, waves and stormy skies. A Gyarados binder therefore tends to have a uniformly blue look.
Gyarados in the trading card game by the numbers
In the catalogue (English cards, data as of 1 October 2026) 55 cards have “Gyarados” in the name. They are spread over 37 sets from 15 series and date from 1999 to 2025. All cards containing the name are counted, including variants such as ex cards or cards showing several Pokémon.
| Set | Year | Cards |
|---|---|---|
| BREAKpoint | 2016 | 6 |
| Evolving Skies | 2021 | 4 |
| XY Black Star Promos | 2013 | 3 |
| Crimson Invasion | 2017 | 3 |
| Team Rocket | 2000 | 2 |
Common artwork themes
- Water surface: 27 of 55 cards (49 %)
- Swimming: 24 of 55 cards (44 %)
- Sky / clouds: 7 of 55 cards (13 %)
- Mountains / rocks: 3 of 55 cards (5 %)
These features were detected automatically from the image and not checked one by one. They show a tendency but do not replace looking at the actual card.
How to plan a Gyarados binder
At nine pockets per page, all 55 cards would fill about 7 pages. For a gift that is far too much: a single page of nine different designs looks finished at once, and the collection can be extended later.
Magikarp cards do not belong in the Gyarados binder, although the two are often collected together.
Which binder size fits is covered in the Pokémon binders: which size and how many pockets?.
Example cards featuring Gyarados
A selection across the years, at most one card per set:
- Gyarados · Base Set · Nr. 6 · 1999
- Shining Gyarados · Neo Revelation · Nr. 65 · 2001
- Gyarados δ · Holon Phantoms · Nr. 8 · 2006
- Gyarados · HeartGold SoulSilver · Nr. 123 · 2010
- Gyarados · Ancient Origins · Nr. 20 · 2015
- Gyarados EX · BREAKpoint · Nr. 123 · 2016
- Gyarados GX · SM Black Star Promos · Nr. SM212 · 2017
- Gyarados VMAX · Evolving Skies · Nr. 207 · 2021
Keep reading
Giving Pokémon cards as a gift: how to get it right
Design a gift binder