So with all the madness of 2020 I took the financially sound—yet emotionally difficult—decision to send the vast majority of cards I own to PSA. I wanted to get them in before any expected price increases, but I’ve already started missing them. I do, however, have some of my favourite cards, that I’ve either bought or graded myself.
2010 Tropical Tidal Wave was the first Worlds promo that I saw that really grabbed my attention. I saw that there were also TTWs for 2005 and 2006, but I couldn’t figure out why there weren’t any others, until I realised that some years had different promos. Dumbass. I don’t have a huge desire to get them all, but there are some years I definitely have my eye on.
Sunset Mew is my go-to ‘favourite card’/the one that sticks in my mind the most. Nothing further to add.
Espeon seems to be getting some well-deserved attention lately, and I may have something on that later on.
I consider these two very important parts of my collection. The Exeggutor I always thought was kind of yeesh, but one day I found myself appreciating really appreciating it for some reason. I’m sure there’s something about life philosophy in that. This particular copy has a decently big crease, as well as another bend, but I decided to get it graded anyway because it looks good enough, and I do think the PSA case makes for a better display than a card saver. I realise I won’t see it for a year, so I bought another 2 to tide me over, though those seem mint. Hopefully it gets a 5. 6 is *easily* my least favourite grade. Straight up weird description of a grade.
This TRR box I actually opened some years ago when I got back into the hobby the first time. I thought I’d try and pull a gold star, but I didn’t even open all the packs; I chickened out with like 6 left. So many bad plays. I keep this now as a reminder to never act impulsively, but to really think about the consequences of my ac because I think it looks cool.
More postcards! These saved me from spending a lot of money buying vintage Japanese packs.
Those postcards are awesome! Almost better than the the booster pack versions, since there’s nothing covered by text.
All the cards you’ve shown are also bangers!
Not being able to see my cards for 10+ months (if that’s enough) is also a big reason why I haven’t send any of them to PSA yet. Good luck on the grades and the turnaround time
Thank you Muk, very generous as always! Yeah the deciding factor was that I figured I’m probably going to buy more stuff over the coming months anyway, so now is the time to take the plunge. Who knows, maybe PSA will come in clutch! [narrator: they did not]
@caughtatpoint, I adore your collection. Top 5, for me personally, on the forum. Another of which’s owner is present on your thread **cough** and it is so great that we all convene to appreciate each other’s collections and similar taste.
Also just know your cards are in my thoughts and here’s a toast to you getting them back quickly and safely. We are with you!
That is extremely kind, thank you! I also appreciate the wishes, though I realise I’m just one of thousands in the same boat. I’m trying
just to forget about them haha.
@joponnes I just found them randomly one day on Yahoo. I really don’t know anything about them, other than they were released for the 20th anniversary. If you search ‘pokemon 20th postcard’ on ebay that will show some results. Good luck!
As I’m sure you all know, Call of Legends and Reviving Legends recently had their birthdays (9th and 11th of February). I’ve been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks but cba; finally decided I should before actual Pokemon has its birthday (if you chose to celebrate in your own way/not at all that too is fine, this is America!! Unless it isn’t). Lately I’ve been on a Mad One with 4th gen, so it was good timing with today’s news.
I’ve had some loose Call of Legends packs sitting in a box for a while that I just didn’t really know what to do with. I didn’t really feel like selling them, and the artwork is nothing special, and when I learned that it was coming up to its 10th birthday I just knew that this was a sign from the Pokemon gods that I had to open them… Surely there would be at least one shiny in these packs?! Not quite. But the pulls were good! It was fun, and I’ve decided I will also open my Reviving Legends box at some point. The highlights (Espeon was *the* card I wanted):
I also opened my Kanazawa boxes. I’m glad I bought a couple because a) the promos do not look like they will grade well and b) I opened the Shiny Star V packs and couldn’t stop after just one. Incredible set, but I now need the Pokemon stop making my money disappear challenge.
I’m currently staring at a pile of HGSS holos that I bought from Japan but on this wild Friday night I don’t have the spirit to sort/post them because the IMBECILE I bought them from packaged them in such a way that the last card of e v e r y order had a ginormous scratch on the back. So instead I will just post these. Why do people hate on Gen 4?!
I’ve also been thinking about starting a Lapras binder. More on this as it develops (do not expect more on this for at least 4-6 months).
At £2.99 (of which £2 was postage), this would have been my entry for the $10 challenge, but luckily for all the big spenders in that thread I bought it a couple of hours before it went live
I finally bought a copy of the Pokemon Card Official Book 2000 (“Silver Bible”). While I had hoped the images would be bigger (RIP dreams of cutting out the 97 Pikas and sticking them on old back energy cards), it’s so much fun to look through. Once I learn Japanese it’s over for all of you.
Finally, I picked up this David Beckham card from the year 2000. For those who don’t know, the 1998/99 season was special for Manchester United, as they became the first (and so far only ) English club to complete the treble of League, Cup, and Champions League. Beckham probably reflected the feeling of triumph more than anyone else: after he was sent off in England’s defeat against Argentina, he came back from the World Cup having been branded Public Enemy Number 1 by the English Press. One paper even published an image of a dartboard, with his face on the bullseye. He received death threats, saw effigies of himself being burned, and, in the season that followed, was arguably United’s best player, playing a key part in most every big moment. To cap it off, he also became a parent and got married.
In one of history’s great injustices, he did not win the Ballon d’Or that year. It went to Rivaldo—also an amazing player… but Barca got knocked out of the group stage that year. Today it would be inconceivable that a player could win the Ballon d’Or without making it out of the group stage; I guess he will have to make do with the three trophies instead
This has to be one of the most nOsTaLgIc cards I have. It’s so evocative of pop culture in Britain in the late 90s. I used to think that the happier memories were just because I was a kid, but I think the amount by which society has changed plays a big part.
Everything in this update I’ve a) been really excited to get and b) spent a lot of time looking at. I’m trying to be more focused with my purchases; too often I’ll buy something only to be like ‘…why tf did I buy this? smh’ when I actually get it. I notice now that Pikachu features a lot… Maybe I should start collecting Pikachu cards… Is that something people do?
I’ve been looking for something with this artwork for a while. It was a 2017 release, and there were several interesting items with it, but the playmat was the one I wanted the most. I’d been looking for it off and on for a while, but when the Japan Post promos were announced I got worried other people might find out about them so I redoubled my efforts (i.e. started using google). I found one that night—I don’t know how long it had sat, since it didn’t show up in a lot of my searches. Super happy to get it. Considering getting it framed.
They also released a couple of ukiyo-e prints a few years ago which are incredible, but that’s another story.
A couple of Worlds promos. These are some of the few cards that I think actually look better with yellow borders. Maybe I should buy those instead? Much to think about…
Finding a mint, raw Natta Wake Pikachu was not easy. I thought it would be better to maybe buy a sealed copy, but they are also hard to find. Someone eventually listed a sealed copy with the book and I thought “after all… why not? why shouldn’t I buy it?” just like the lord of the rings meme. I was relieved when I opened it and saw it was decently well-centred and clean.
I picked up this Player’s Ceremony (I always thought that should be ‘Players’’) and Professor’s Research with mount & envelope. I really like this card. The 2018 version is probably more than I’d be willing to spend, and 2019 doesn’t look as good in my opinion (even though it has Mew, Jirachi, AND Victini!)
I didn’t realise how hard these were to find in good condition.
A couple of other promos. Don’t ask why the Espeon is so much smaller… I was trying to use the file in the background to make it look dramatic.Side note: this file cost me 49 yen (after fees/local shipping it was like 919 but shh) and it has a picture of every Japanese booster pack up to and including St*am Si*ge on the back.
Thanks for your response. Sorry for this insanely late reply I never login to efour
Can you link me that L3 Unlimited pack discussion or do you know the member who bought it, or know if he is willing to sell?
I’ll probably read your reply to this in half a year again so no rush
Thank you!
'Mom, can we get Espeon PLAY Promo?"
“No, we have Espeon PLAY Promo at home”
Espeon PLAY Promo at home:
[SPOILER: Click to show](javascript:void(0);)Spoiler
… Sorry. But I spent £10 so I could make this joke so if you don’t like it then you’re just manipulating the markets and that’s that on that
To make up for it pls consider these, the fruits of the Espeon V600 Promo, instead. I really like these Champion Road promos. The 9 Cyndaquil is clean af but I think maybe it got the 9 because the gold on the stars isn’t quite aligned. I have another one at PSA that I’m hopeful will get a 10, but I don’t know if I’ll find another 10-worthy Totodile (read: I can’t be bothered to look for one)
A while ago in the Recent Purchases thread I shared some prints I bought; one was a of the 1st November 1999 New Yorker cover that had Pikachu dragging a bag of cash away as his trick-or-treat takings, and the other two were from Brett Helquist, who illustrated A Series of Unfortunate Events. I took some scans, but realised that was basically the same as the online images lmao. However, Brett did include a sketch of Sunny Baudelaire, which was a nice touch!
Technically it has not received the sheeeeeeeeesh designation however I am confident that it would achieve this high technical grade if you were to submit it for third-party authentication. My loss is your gain!
So previously I would have said that shikishi boards or postcards are the best bang for your buck items/the ones with the best cost:wow ratio in the hobby… but this colouring book may be the new benchmark. Some of the artwork is slightly gimmicky, but some of it is sensational. I could go into further detail, but there’s so much that I’ll just leave these scans. Maybe a video flicking through it would be best.
I also bought this playmat, which came out as part of the 25th anniversary.
Finally, these Topps cards from Batman: The Animated Series. Just a fantastic series, and extremely nostalgic. *I’d also like to mention the Justice League animated series the soundtrack for the episode Hereafter is wonderful.
) English club to complete the treble of League, Cup, and Champions League. Beckham probably reflected the feeling of triumph more than anyone else: after he was sent off in England’s defeat against Argentina, he came back from the World Cup having been branded Public Enemy Number 1 by the English Press. One paper even published an image of a dartboard, with his face on the bullseye. He received death threats, saw effigies of himself being burned, and, in the season that followed, was arguably United’s best player, playing a key part in most every big moment. To cap it off, he also became a parent and got married.
