@shizzlemetimbers Maybe the sources of your guide come from this blog: choco7maron.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-156.html
If not, you should discuss with the blogger, he also tries to solve the origins of no rarity cards 
Yes I’ve seen that blog! His information is good but a lot is guessing. Also I found some more information recently just working to get it translated properly😊
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I found a research paper created by Makato Kimura of Niigata University/Waseda University, detailing the history of Pokemon between 1996-1998. Some very interesting information about the business dealings of Pokemon products during this time, including the games, cards and anime etc.
- Corocoro comics is integral to the release of Pokemon cards, it served as the main source of information for kids to follow news about Pokemon products.
- スターコーポレーション or Star Corporation was the main distributor of Pokemon cards for the 20th October release
- 97% of the initial release was distributed by Star Corporation
- Initial sales of Base Set were slow
- 87 million Pokemon cards were shipped between 20 October 1996 and 31 March 1997, this includes Base Set, Jungle and promo cards
- After 1 year, 180 million Pokemon cards were shipped
- Between April 1997 and March 1998 - 499 Million cards were shipped
**Info from the paper I’ll add to the Timeline:**April 1996 - Mr. Iwasaki, the head of new business development for Star Corporation, decided to distribute/wholesale Pokemon cards after noticing the success of Magic The Gathering in USA.
- Star Corporation is a Toy Wholesaler started in 1949
- In 1996 they had less than 40 employees
- 99% of their business was Nintendo products
- 1996 annual sales of 5 billion yen ($45millionUSD)
- Star Corporation amounted to about 2% of Nintendo’s overall sales
End of June 1996 - Media Factory Inc. is chosen to be the sole manufacturer of the cards under license by Creatures Inc.
23-24 August 1996 - Flyers advertising the Pokemon card game were handed out at the 4th World Hobby Fair (WHF)
September 1996 - Star Corporation began advertising Pokemon cards to other toy wholesalers, only one company accepted, all others refused.
October 1996 - 97% of the initial card shipment is distributed by Star Corporation
20 October 1996+ - Initial sales were slow, selling little by little
12/13 Janurary 1997 - Iwasaki of Star Corporation displayed and sold Pokemon cards at the Media Factory booth at the 5th WHF. Pokemon cards are attracting interest from consumers as well rival toy manufacture companies. Iwasaki also first met Creatures staff and could listen directly to the thoughts of the creators of the Pokemon cards. This is the start of their ‘informal’ relationship.
20 October 1996/31st March 1997 - From 20th October 1996 to the end of March 1997, total of 87 million cards were shipped
- 163 days total, includes 137* days of Base set and 26* days of Jungle
(Estimates bases on generic calculations - not factual info)
20 October 1996/20th October 1997 - In 1 year, approx. 180 million cards were shipped
- Includes Base set, Jungle and Fossil
April 1997/March 1998 - 499 Million Pokemon cards shipped
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Any sports collectors know if that Star company is the same star company that made the “official” Michael Jordan rookie?
The one above is a Japanese toy wholesaler, they don’t make cards
Please forgive my small brain.
Only if you find me a grey stamp Gyarados 
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so If 1 third of that was no rarity. IM guessinh the 4th print run booklet was not part of this print run… But who knows.
Now if media factory actually got like 1 complete third of that out, imagine how many no rarities are out there lol.
Doubt it though… Still if it was 1 third that means there would be 200,000 Starter decks out there with no rarities in them, and surely someone would have opened one… yet every single deck thats been opened that is 104-01 still hasnt had no rarity. So the rumor of them being recalled or destroyed could be true.
Those numbers just dont fit the bill at all for the leaking we have witnessed so far… But you never know. The leaking is literally zero. No evidence of 1 deck… How could that be… It had to be destroyed. Or maybe creature ink has like 200,000 decks of no rarity in there lair 
Those are the numbers for 6 months of every Pokemon card printed between that time Base, Jungle and promos. NR is going to be a very very small fraction of that total not 33%. Also remember initial sales were SLOW… I thought it would be the opposite since the games were a hit but this revelation further explains why no product has been opened on camera. There is documentation of people opening them in the past (Gary) and those YJP auctions but yes if your goal in life is opening sealed NR you are gonna have a bad time.
Yeha this is what i thought… I thought you just ment this was the first 3 print runs for the base decks.
But if its every single pokemon thing included jungle and promos… then errrrrr yea. that makes sense.
What do you mean. Gary hasnt opened no rarity. Ive opened 104-01 decks on camera, but i pulled 3rd and 2nd booklet… AND MAYBE I PULLED THE 1ST FOR ALL YOU KNOW 
@pokemonsyndicate Gary opened no rarity back in 1998/1999
were is the documentation of this? and why didnt i know fat bitches.
No documentation just Gary’s word, people have obviously opened NR before lol just never on camera or pics opening sealed
No Rarity Base Set cards confirmed to be event hand outs. Any merch that could’ve contained them was, destroyed.
That actually makes sense.
No rarity come from packs and decks, there was no other product at release. The closest event was 12 Jan 1997. If NR came from merch at an event it would have been proved long ago and widely known.
Packs and decks opened at the release event.
Could these maybe contain No Rarities?
I’ve never seen this booster pack before:
Is this a starter deck?:
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what in gods green and blue planeterb.
No.
The “booster pack” is a pack of damage counters.
The “starter deck” is a deck case distributed in the Pokémon Card Fan Club magazine Vol. 4 
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