You probably know Koffing.
But if you only collect English Pokémon cards, there is a good chance you’ve never seen this particular Koffing before.
This Japanese Koffing, or ドガース (Dogars), comes from the 1999 Intro Pack—one of the unusual Japanese products from the vintage Pokémon TCG era.
Unlike a promotional card, it was part of a regular Japanese product. And unlike many Japanese cards from the period, this particular Koffing has no direct English release.
That makes it a fascinating card for collectors looking beyond the standard Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, and Rocket cards.
What Is the Intro Pack Koffing?
The card is Koffing No. 39 from the Japanese Intro Pack.
The Intro Pack was released in Japan on July 29, 1999.
The product was designed as an entry point for players and contained several cards specifically intended to help new players learn the Pokémon TCG.
Koffing was included as part of the Bulbasaur Deck.
Unlike the Koffing from the Japanese Team Rocket expansion, this is a completely different card with different artwork, different HP, and different attacks.
Intro Pack Koffing Card Information
| Pokémon | Koffing |
|---|---|
| Japanese Name | ドガース |
| Pokédex Number | No. 109 |
| Level | Lv.14 |
| HP | 50 |
| Type | Grass |
| Stage | Basic Pokémon |
| Card Number | 39 |
| Product | Intro Pack — Bulbasaur Deck |
| Release | July 29, 1999 |
| Illustrator | Nobuyuki Habu |
| Language | Japanese |
The Intro Pack Wasn’t a Booster Pack
This is an important distinction.
The Intro Pack was not another expansion set that players opened hoping to pull rare cards.
It was designed as a ready-to-play product for people entering the Pokémon TCG.
That explains why some of the cards inside the product can be surprisingly difficult for international collectors to encounter today.
They weren’t necessarily cards that collectors were opening hundreds of booster packs to find.
Instead, they were distributed through a specific Japanese starter product.
The official Pokémon Card Game historical timeline lists the Intro Pack alongside other important Japanese vintage products such as Expansion Sheets and Quick Starter Gift.
Who Illustrated This Koffing?
The artwork was created by Nobuyuki Habu.
This is another reason the card is interesting to vintage collectors.
The Intro Pack Koffing is visually very different from the famous Base Set Koffing illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita or the Team Rocket Koffing illustrated by Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
In other words, collecting Koffing by artwork can lead you into some surprisingly deep Japanese vintage territory.
Two Attacks
The Intro Pack Koffing has two attacks:
Poison Gas — 10 damage
Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Poisoned.
Its second attack is:
Confusion Gas — 20 damage
Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Confused.
These attacks are particularly interesting because Confusion Gas later appeared on another Koffing card.
The Interesting Connection to Expedition Koffing
This is where the story gets even more interesting.
The Koffing from the later English Expedition Base Set has the attack Confusion Gas.
That card was first released in Japan in the Base Expansion Pack.
Bulbapedia specifically notes that Confusion Gas first appeared on the Koffing from the Intro Pack.
So the Intro Pack Koffing isn’t just an obscure Japanese card.
It is also part of the history of an attack that later appeared on an English Pokémon card.
Is There an English Version?
Not of this card.
This particular Intro Pack Koffing—with Nobuyuki Habu’s artwork, Lv.14, 50 HP, Poison Gas, and Confusion Gas—was not released as an English Pokémon TCG card.
That distinction is important.
There are many Koffing cards that exist in English, including Base Set and Team Rocket versions.
But those are different cards.
The English collector looking for this exact Japanese Intro Pack artwork will not find a matching English print.
That makes this a genuine Japanese-exclusive vintage Koffing.
Japanese Koffing vs. English Koffing
| Card | Product | Artist | HP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Intro Pack Koffing | Intro Pack | Nobuyuki Habu | 50 |
| English Base Set Koffing | Base Set | Mitsuhiro Arita | 50 |
| English Team Rocket Koffing | Team Rocket | Sumiyoshi Kizuki | 40 |
This is a perfect example of why an English Koffing master set and a Japanese Koffing master set can look very different.
Why Collectors Overlook This Card
The Intro Pack Koffing doesn’t have the instant recognition of Charizard, Pikachu, or Mew.
It also isn’t a trophy card or famous tournament promo.
At first glance, it can look like just another old Japanese Koffing.
But once you look at the details, several things stand out:
- 1999 Japanese vintage release
- Intro Pack-exclusive card
- Nobuyuki Habu artwork
- No identical English release
- 50 HP
- Two status-condition attacks
- Origin of the Confusion Gas attack used later on Koffing
For collectors who enjoy obscure Japanese cards, that combination is extremely appealing.
→ Search Intro Pack Koffing on eBay
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How Much Is Intro Pack Koffing Worth?
This is not an ultra-high-value card like a trophy Pokémon or a major vintage Charizard.
However, its price is noticeably higher than you might expect for an ordinary vintage Koffing.
Current Japanese market data lists an ungraded copy around ¥1,700, or approximately $11, although international marketplace prices can be substantially higher depending on condition and seller.
Another international marketplace currently lists Near Mint Japanese copies around $50, demonstrating how different Japanese domestic and international asking prices can be.
| Condition | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Played | ~$5–$10 |
| LP | ~$10–$20 |
| Near Mint | ~$20–$50+ |
| PSA / High Grade | Limited sales; condition dependent |
These are approximate market ranges, not guaranteed sale prices. Asking prices can be considerably higher than completed sales.
Why Condition Matters
Because the Intro Pack Koffing was distributed as part of a starter product rather than opened from a modern-style booster pack, finding a truly clean vintage copy can be challenging.
When buying one, inspect:
- Front surface scratches
- Back whitening
- Corner wear
- Edge wear
- Centering
- Indentations
- Print quality
For a card this inexpensive compared with major vintage chase cards, grading may not always make financial sense.
But for a Koffing collector or a Japanese vintage master set, a high-grade copy can be a very satisfying addition.
Intro Pack Koffing vs. Team Rocket Koffing
These two Japanese cards are particularly easy to confuse if you’re searching by name alone.
The Japanese Team Rocket Koffing is Lv.12 with 40 HP and was illustrated by Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
The Intro Pack Koffing is Lv.14 with 50 HP and was illustrated by Nobuyuki Habu.
The Team Rocket version also has an English counterpart in the Team Rocket expansion.
The Intro Pack version does not.
That makes the Intro Pack card much more interesting if your goal is to collect Japanese-exclusive vintage artwork.
A Japanese Card That Helped Shape an English Attack
Perhaps the most interesting fact about this Koffing is not its price.
It is the attack Confusion Gas.
The attack later appeared on the Koffing included in the English Expedition Base Set, but its origins can be traced back to this Japanese Intro Pack card.
So this obscure Japanese starter card is actually part of the evolution of Koffing’s TCG design.
That is exactly the kind of historical detail that makes vintage Pokémon cards worth researching.
Why It Belongs in a Japanese Koffing Collection
If you collect every Koffing artwork, the Intro Pack version is essential.
If you collect Japanese-exclusive vintage cards, it is also an excellent candidate.
And if you collect obscure cards that international collectors rarely encounter, this one is particularly strong.
It checks several boxes:
- Vintage Japanese
- Old Back
- Non-promo
- Unique product distribution
- Unique artwork
- No identical English release
- Interesting TCG history
Final Thoughts
The Japanese Intro Pack Koffing is not one of the most expensive Pokémon cards from the vintage era.
And that’s exactly what makes it interesting.
It is the kind of card that can still be discovered by collectors who are willing to look beyond the obvious chase cards.
Released in the 1999 Japanese Intro Pack, illustrated by Nobuyuki Habu, and never released as the same card in English, it represents a piece of Japanese Pokémon history that many international collectors simply never encounter.
Even better, its Confusion Gas attack later appeared on the English Expedition Koffing, giving this obscure starter card a surprising connection to the international TCG.
For a collector building a Japanese Koffing master set—or simply hunting for vintage Japanese cards that English collectors may have never seen—this is definitely one to remember.
It’s just a Koffing… until you realize where it came from.
→ Find Japanese Intro Pack Koffing on eBay
Related Guides
- Expansion Sheet Snorlax: Japanese Vending Card Guide
- Trainer’s Porygon: Japanese Vintage Promo Guide
- Japanese Team Rocket Set Guide
- Most Valuable Vintage Japanese Pokémon Cards
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