Giovanni's Persian 8/132 · Gym Challenge

Gym Challenge is a set in the Gym series. It was released on October 16, 2000. The printed size is 132, and the checklist is the same length. Giovanni's Persian is 8/132, in position 8 of 132 on this checklist. Before it is 7 Giovanni's Nidoking, and after it is 9 Koga's Beedrill. The listed rarity is Rare Holo.

Giovanni's Persian is a Stage 1 Colorless Pokémon with 60 HP. The card lists level 23. In the Pokédex this is Persian (#053), generation 1 (Kanto). The card says it evolves from Giovanni's Meowth. In this catalog that name is Meowth (#052).

Ken Sugimori illustrated this card. The same name is on 1,112 other cards in the catalog.

Persian (#053) has 34 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 27 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 1999 to 2025. The earliest other card is Persian 42/64 in Jungle (1999). That card is named Persian, while this one is Giovanni's Persian. That card lists 70 HP, and this one lists 60 HP. The rarity there is Uncommon, and here it is Rare Holo. Kagemaru Himeno illustrated that card, and Ken Sugimori illustrated this one. 31 other cards of Persian list a different HP.

Call the Boss is listed as Pokémon Power. When you play Giovanni's Persian from your hand, you may search your deck for the Trainer card named Giovanni, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward. The attack Ambush lists 20+ damage. The cost is Colorless, Colorless, Colorless. Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 20 damage plus 20 more damage; if tails, this attack does 20 damage. Weakness is Fighting ×2. Resistance is Psychic -30.

I keep a set binder for Gym Challenge, meant to hold every card of that set. This card is one slot in the Gym Challenge set binder. A generation binder holds one card of each species. Persian can fill a slot in Generation 1 binder (Kanto). Themed lists that include this exact card are Trainer's Pokémon, Kanto Gym Leaders and their Pokémon, Giovanni and his Pokémon, and Meowth, Persian, and Perrserker. I still need this card.