Just out of curiosity, I’m trying to figure out if I saw a ton of them hanging on a rack, in a Target store years ago when they first came out in New Jersey.
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Mostly California and Washington state. I’d be surprised if there were “a ton” on shelves anywhere. I remember @garyis2000 talking about driving just to potentially buy a couple boxes in 1999.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if they hit New Jersey. If they were in NY they were almost definitely here too I would imagine, at least in some of the more metro-type areas. Were you up north near Hoboken/Newark?
Ah, I guess I could be wrong. It sure was a nice sight just to see a ton of Charizard boosters as a little kid though. Now that’s pretty interesting as to how motivated Gary was to pick up the 1st Edition Box. Maybe it was some unknown psychic ability that allowed him to peer into Ebays 2018 pricing for Pokemon cards? The world will never know.
Actually, yes. I was in the Newark/Elizabeth area.
I grew up in Hawaii and I remember seeing them in the mom and pop card/toy store in town but always sold at a much higher price compared to Japanese. My mom would ask me if I wanted the English cards so I can read them but told me I could only get a few packs. Where japanese was cheaper and I could get more. Kid logic it was a no brainer to get japanese, I wanted more cards. Not to mention the selection of japanese cards in Hawaii was so much more since Hawaii is a japanese hub for tourism and business. Most kids had japanese over English. If I remember as well pull rates on japanese cards were so much easier compared to English for a Holo which is what every kid wanted so japanese was what everyone grabbed.
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When the craze hit back in 99 I remember that 1st edition booster packs were sold at the local 7-11 stores up in Canada. That’s also when Ebay was growing. People would buy a pack for $5 bucks and if they pulled a foil card, they’d sell it on Ebay for upwards of $25. It was crazy to think someone would spend that much on one card. If only we knew what we know now.
I bought my first unlimited pack at a gas station lol although they racked up the price to $10 
The lady said they went through a box a day (even at that hideous price).
I dont ever remember seeing 1st edition BASE in retail stores only card shops. I lived an hour from LA. I do remember Fossil and Jungle 1st edition at Target.
Also vividly remmeber seeing a 1st edition Zard in a price guide. For a whopping $250 in mint condition. If only I knew they were gonna be worth the moon someday…
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They never got beyond the west coast. Unlimited we’re right on their tail and spread back east,
My wife and I combed Washington State and California from the road for three months lol.
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I believe it! I live in Connecticut so I never saw any 1st edition base cards growing up! The occasional shadowless would pop up but they were so rare I thought they were fake! You damn west coasters had all the luck!!!
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More holos!
I was in Hawaii in September of 1999 for a wedding and I remember getting a Nidoking from Japanese Base packs. I don’t think the place had anything but Japanese. Can’t remember too many other details.
It’s interesting to hear it from your perspective, having lived there.
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