I have a whole bunch of these small cards, they’re very unique. But many of them have different backs, even if the front is the same.
Does anyone have any information on maybe the history of these, their release, or what the differences of each back have in terms of rarity/release?
I’d appreciate any information at all!!
Released with Bandai’s finger figurines in 1997 and gen 2 in some other year I don’t remember. All 151 characters were released in '97 but their numbering system is very random. No difference in rarity all species are evenly distributed as far as I can tell. I can’t find a sealed image but if you ever find a hitmonchan cover art box that’s where these cards come from.
I used to call them Pokemon Bandai Kids, they’ve also reprinted them and if I remember correctly, at least the reprint, came inside little boxes of cardboard with a different pokemon and inside there was 1card and 1figure. I’ve also seen a bigger box with charizard that contained multiple mini-boxes or something like that.
I think I also have the mini binder for them and there were a few cards with a map on them (a little like the ones for the Bandai Red&Green/Carddass)
Thanks for the info @cullers . I actually have a Spearow as well from this set in the second comment of the non-TCG identification thread of mine. 
(If you know of any of the other non-TCG cards/stickers in the second post of that thread, lmk.)
Do you by any chance also have a website of some sort with information about these cards, kinda like a Bulbapedia list or Efour article or checklist of some sort? (I guess not, otherwise you would have already linked it most likely, but figured I’d ask regardless.)
Greetz,
Quuador
Sorry can’t help. I have the complete ‘97 set if you wish to see the cards I can take pictures of them.
@cullers, seeing that is a thing of beauty. I love these cards and if you get the mini sleeves, they fit really well in them. I have the Gyarados.
@azulryu, That binder is actually really well designed. Usually, I don’t use the binders for the sets they’re designed for because they can cause problems, but that one has a nice plastic, the cards insert towards the inside flap, and folding mechanism isn’t in danger of damaging the cards. I feel safe using it without sleeves.
I didn’t realize that there were binders made for specific sets. I have so much stuff to learn about cool old Japanese products. Are there any other sets that spring to mind with their own binder?
Carddass and Amada stickers/Pan stickers, probably something with Battmemo
Bandai has a couple of file stations for their vending sets.
Wizards released this for base:
There’s other 3 ring binders made for the official TCG
Nissui has their own 3 ring binder. It looks weird and I avoid 3 ring binders. Here’s the commercial with the binder in it.
Meiji doesn’t have one as far as I know, Tomy doesn’t either.
@andrea,thank you, I’ll have to look up the carddass one.
@cullers,Thanks for the pictures! That vending binder looks pretty cool. Though I agree I generally don’t use 3-ring binders for my cards.
There is a great book if anyone is interested: Pokemon Kids Perfect Collection: Bandai Official Fan Book (2007)
It covers the figurines themselves up until the book was published, and marked the 10th year anniversary.
You can still find copies in various places.
Images from Bananza:
Sorry to bump this but one thing that is intriguing to me is the 2nd release of these (December 1996) contain the 1997 cards, I wonder if anyone has seen 1996 copyright cards, I am sure they exist but I personally haven’t seen any. The first set was released in Oct 1996 so that’s why I presume there are 1996 cards @cullers have you come across any?
The bottom-right card in the very first post of this thread (the second picture of the backs) seems to have a 1996 date.
Greetz,
Quuador
@cullers, so all 2nd gen were released? I haven’t managed to find pictures of almost all of them. I’m assuming they are just that rare. These are just so cool. Damnit!
