At this stage, I also want to mention some other popular vintage sets like Gym Heroes, Neo Genesis, Legendary Collection and the e-Card Series. All of which are great options as your collection builds. It wasn’t particularly popular at the time though, and was probably a bit too similar to the original Base Set, considering it was only released a year later.

Some cards are Evolved Pokémon. These are more advanced, “evolved” versions of Basic Pokémon. Generally speaking, these cannot be played right onto the Bench. Rather, you should have the basic version of a given Pokémon first, and then place the corresponding evolved version on top. If you see the hobby as an investment and want to sink some money into it, prepare to part with mid-four figures for a sealed vintage booster box. Generally, speaking I’m not a big fan of this approach, but I do appreciate how cool a 1-10 Charizard set could look! I’m not saying it wasn’t without its glitches, dear god Niantic fix faster, but being able to catch an Onix on the streets of London was mind-blowing.

Creative Play

Personally, I think this strategy is best served for more experienced collectors, but who am I to tell you what to do with your money?! The Pokémon video game series is one of the most popular of all time. New games continue to be released, and as of 2019, the series is in its eighth generation. Anime series The Pokémon Trading Card Game (or TCG) emerged in 1996, and it’s still going strong decades later. This collectible card game is based on the Pokémon universe created by Satoshi Tjiri and artistically designed by Ken Sugimori, which features dozens of fictional creatures all with their own unique strengths, skills, and abilities. Pokémon cards can be “graded” to determine how pristine and well-preserved they are. Flaws like worn away corners and surface scratches are common in cards that get a lot of use, but they decrease the card’s value.

In addition to the animated television series, there are also over 20 Pokémon movies! Most of these films are also animated and are directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and Tetsuo Yajima. Nowadays, prices aren’t as much as the original base set, making it a great starting point for a beginner. Whether you’re just getting into Pokémon card collecting, or you’ve been collecting for a while, it’s only natural to want to know how much your Pokémon cards are worth! The set even includes the first ever ‘secret rare’. 83/82 is Dark Raichu which remains a fan favourite to this day.

Hobbies

Some collectors only want GEM MINT 10s. Others like the idea of collecting specific Pokémon in each grading (1-10).

Now at this point it’s worth mentioning 1st Edition and Shadowless cards. These are considerably more valuable. Furthermore, they’re very clued up on which new sets are coming out and when – if you’re into the new sets of course. How to Determine Pokémon Card ValuesIf you do end up acquiring rare or valuable cards, make sure to store them properly so they retain their value. Some of the older Pokémon cards have reached true collectible status due to their rarity. If you’ve been collecting since the 1990s, you might be surprised to find that a few of your cards are now worth astronomical amounts.