What Cards are "Must Have" in Pokemon Collections?

[Amethyst Ardency]

In an attempt to fulfill forgotten childhood goals, I recently got back into collecting Pokemon cards. (Specifically my childhood sets, Base through Rocket.) As this childhood aspiration is coming to very close to full fruition, I'm wanting to expand my collection on a somewhat more contemporary level while still maintaining its "timelessness".

What this means is collecting out-of-print cards of notable rarity, aesthetic, or errors. But having been out of the loop almost twenty prints, it's very difficult to determine which cards are and were the "Charizard" and "Jungle Misprints" of their respective sets. While my collection is largely personal, I'd like for my cards to maintain some regard in the eyes of fellow collectors.

So - what does the world recommend? What are Must Haves? What are Holy Grails? What should be expected in any collection, and what should be envied in any collection?

SIDE NOTE: What is with people here saying they completed their Base/Jungle/Fossil sets in under $20? 90% of my cards were free, but the missing holos have run me more than I'd wanted to spend and would like to disclose. It was much more than twenty dollars. I know established vendors tend to rip you off, as their prices are based on quantity, but eBay often seems worse. When a page of Jungle Holos is 6.99 a card, filling in gaps in your collection is tough.

 

[Seth1789110]

well level x and shinys and reprints are rare, and secret cards, but otherwise certain cards like Claydol and Uxie are really rare and valuable in the newer sets. Hope this was a brief guide to help you

 

[don()shinobi]

1st Edition Charizard Base Set. That's basically the most expensive card I know of.

That...and Prerelease Raichu.

 

[Amethyst Ardency]

I'm familiar with the ex/Lvl X cards, and I guess I assumed they were worth collecting. I just wish the artwork wasn't so awful on them, I've always despised 3D renders for the artwork.

1st Edition Base Set Charizard and PreRelease Raichu are easily Holy Grails. It's so painful to think about how many times as a kid I would see 1st Edition Base Set cards and see nothing of them. I have memories of 1st Edition cards before I even knew what they were, trading them away and throwing them in shoeboxes. By the time somebody pointed them out and I started to recall having many, all that were left were a Rhyhorn and a Vilplume from the Jungle Set.

It was a sad day for me. When the Pokemon fad died in my area and I was a loser for having cards, that 1st Edition Vileplume was the first card I tore up. Followed by my Japanese Venusaur. The emotional turmoil that ensued is indescribable.

 

[Skymin]

Collectibles:
Shiny Coro Coro Mew
Osaka Captain Pikachu Promo
Southern Island
Movie 12 Promo Packs
Movie 11 Promo Sheet
10th Anniversary Collectors Set
* Pokemon
Shining Pokemon from the Neo Sets
Charizard EX
VS. Sets
Pokepark Promo set
Kids WB contest Cards
Pokemon Rocks America Promos
Crystal Type Pokemon
Any Coro Coro magazine promos
Video Game Promos
Best of Pokemon CD promos
Japanese Vending Machine Promos
Dominoes Snorlax Set
TCG tourny stamped Promos

And some more that I don't feel like typing down.
Hope I helped.​

 

[Amethyst Ardency]

Collectables:
Shiny Coro Coro Mew
Osaka Captain Pikachu Promo
Southern Island
Movie 12 Promo Packs
Movie 11 Promo Packs
10th Anniversary Collectors Set
* Pokemon
Shining Pokemon from the Neo Sets
Charizard EX
VS. Sets
Pokepark Promo set
Kids WB contest Cards
Pokemon Rocks America Promos
Crystal Type Pokemon
Any Coro Coro magazine promos
Video Game Promos
Best of Pokemon CD promos
Japanese Vending Machine Promos
Pizza Hut Snorlax Set
TCG tourny stamped Promos

And some more that I don't feel like typing down.​

It's amazing how few of those I've heard of. Most of them appear to be Japanese - which aren't really to my liking... It's kind of self-defeating to want to collect impressive cards but only want English prints, huh?

I have all of the early PreRelease (Clefable, Seadra, etc), the W stamped cards, as well as 37 of the 53 Black Star promos (many of which, like the Movie Sets, are still sealed). I tried to look up a bunch of those you have listed, and some of them (such as the Pizza Hut Snorlax) didn't even turn up results relevant to the Pokemon context. I'll definitely try to figure out what some of these are though.

 

[Skymin]

Well, since most of those cards are old and rare, you don't really find them often.
Oh yeah, and the Pikachu set that came out in Japan, forgot what it's called though.....
Oh well Good luck on getting them if you ever decide to.​

 

[don()shinobi]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

 

[Skymin]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

I knew something was up, I had Pizza Hut on the mind.
~*~Edit~*~

But it's also easier to acquire the Aquapolis set.​

 

[Amethyst Ardency]

Just went out and bought five Stormfront boosters in hopes of a misprinted Ghastly or a Charizard Line Reprint. I didn't get any natural holographics, three Magneton Reverse Holos, and two Marley's Request reverse holos. Despite being a common card, I didn't get a Ghastly either.

This reminds me of my childhood adventures in the Base Set, where every pack yielded a Devolution Spray or a Lass. No exceptions.

 

[TruTruSky]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

The Snorlax line is also in Rising Rivals in NA.

 

[Shuckle the Snail]

Charizard EX from EX Firered and Leafgreen!

 

[penny power]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

Huh? Isn't Aquapolis only 184 cards, not 340?

 

[Hoax]

1st Edition Base Set Charizard and PreRelease Raichu are easily Holy Grails. It's so painful to think about how many times as a kid I would see 1st Edition Base Set cards and see nothing of them. I have memories of 1st Edition cards before I even knew what they were, trading them away and throwing them in shoeboxes. By the time somebody pointed them out and I started to recall having many, all that were left were a Rhyhorn and a Vilplume from the Jungle Set.

It was a sad day for me. When the Pokemon fad died in my area and I was a loser for having cards, that 1st Edition Vileplume was the first card I tore up. Followed by my Japanese Venusaur. The emotional turmoil that ensued is indescribable.

The same thing happened to me with the base/fossil/jungle set 1st editions. I remember seeing and having so many and thinking nothing of them. Now I just have a couple commons and uncommons

This reminds me of my childhood adventures in the Base Set, where every pack yielded a Devolution Spray or a Lass. No exceptions.

Lol I can't count how many times I got those cards. They made me so sad as a kid, paying $4 for a pack and getting a Devolution Spray or Lass as your rare was a waste of money xD

 

[LucarioXFroslass]

Oh; hold on. A 1st Edition Base Set Charizard is worth a lot of money!?!? =O Shoot! I've gotta keep mine in good condition... =P

Well, I guess that and a Pre-release Raichu. If they're around the same price value, then...oh, wow...they would be about $10,000 a piece (I only know the Base Set 'chu's value, so =P)! Wow... I never knew that those Charizards would be worth so much... IDK about Machamp, though, cuz I have most all of mine 1st Edition...

~L_X_F

 

[penny power]

Oh; hold on. A 1st Edition Base Set Charizard is worth a lot of money!?!? =O Shoot! I've gotta keep mine in good condition... =P

Well, I guess that and a Pre-release Raichu. If they're around the same price value, then...oh, wow...they would be about $10,000 a piece (I only know the Base Set 'chu's value, so =P)! Wow... I never knew that those Charizards would be worth so much... IDK about Machamp, though, cuz I have most all of mine 1st Edition...

~L_X_F

Charizard is worth 80$ but machamp is only $1.50 b/c it's ONLY 1st Edition. Btw, machamp was only in the starter sets.
PS: You should use the PokeGym Price Guide. Some of the newer cards aren't covered, but it's still good!

 

[Amethyst Ardency]

IDK about Machamp, though, cuz I have most all of mine 1st Edition...

~L_X_F

All of the Base Set Machamp's were 1st Edition, as they came with the starter deck that apparently found a self-negating and obsolete print of a card to be a necessity for beginners. I have a sealed one though - I'm big on sealed cards - so I consider it to be somewhat valuable. (At least more than the $6.99 every eBay vendor says their Mr. Mime with a railroad spike through it is worth.)

 

[don()shinobi]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

Huh? Isn't Aquapolis only 184 cards, not 340?

Reverse Holo/Foil cards say hi.


You could also take a few of your favorite Pokemon and collect at least 1 of every single card(and variation of them) in existence. It's a pretty good way to collect stuff while thinking about what to do next.

 

[penny power]

Err...the Snorlax line isn't from Pizza Hut. It's from Domino's Pizza.

You could also try to get the entire 1st Edition Aquapolis set. The whole set stands at 340 cards in all. To this day, I don't know anybody who fully completed the entire 1st Edition set.

Huh? Isn't Aquapolis only 184 cards, not 340?

Reverse Holo/Foil cards say hi.


You could also take a few of your favorite Pokemon and collect at least 1 of every single card(and variation of them) in existence. It's a pretty good way to collect stuff while thinking about what to do next.

Oh, OK. But, could I please have a further explanation? That still doesn't add up to 340, right? There are 181 cards in the set excluding Reverse Holos and Crystal Pokemon. Then with Reverse Holos there are 362 cards. Then, with Crystal Pokemon(assuming they can't be Reverse Holo like Lv. X) there are 365 cards.
Wow, whether I'm correct or you are, that's a LOT of cards!

 

[ghoztmazta1]

if you are a pokemon collector, watch my youtube channel and u will see some of the most valuabled cards in collectors homes. But the most expensive card is Graded Gem Mint Charizard Ex from fire red leaf green set, its worth over 200 dollars. Base set 1st edition Shadowless Charizard Graded 10 Gem mint is worth much to, but reallllllyyyyyy rare! maybe worth somewhere over 100 dollars. As u might known, charizard is one of the most rare cards, i dont know why, but thats how it is.