Hi E4, Martin here! I’m a 90’s kid from the EU who fell in love with Pokémon again in 2019.
In this thread, I would like to show you what I have been collecting during the past few years. I enjoy vintage promos and original sets for my binders. Besides that I am also trying to finish a couple of PSA sets that I started before the boom. I also like postcards, stamps, stickers, coins and those crazy random Pokémon toys that came out in the previous century.
I will try to post not only finished goals but also progress towards completion and some of my Pokémon “artworks” I made as a kid. For some reason, they resemble Komiya’s style quite a bit ^^.
With this thread, I also wanted to show my appreciation to Jake from Pokenomics who I think was among the best of what happened to the hobby in 2020. If you are reading this Jake, thank you for helping me overcome the turbulent time of 2020 and for making me appreciate what I already have in my collection.
As my first collection post, I would like to share a couple of Machamps!
This particular card is from my childhood and I have always wondered what that little “1” stamp meant and why it didn’t have stars in the holo pattern like the rest of my cards.
In my next post, I would like to share with you my vending series collection. The first set I got was the series 3 in 2019, then the series 1 in 2020 and then finally the series 2 in 2021. I also consider the masakis, gift starters, corocoros and the WHF trio as part of the set, as they have the vending symbol. But I will share these in a separate post ツ
When I was thinking how I should organise the sets, I wanted to come up with something else than just the set number or type. Sorting by artist was a cool idea but I did not want to copy muk’s style (amazing collection Tobi!). So I went for an ascending order by weight and organising the cards this way was actually a lot of fun. I also made some observations that I would like to share with you below:
Without surprise, Snorlax is the heaviest one and Gastly is the lightest one.
Magnemite is the same weight as Eevee, while also being the same size. I guess Eevees bones are made of steel too!
Koffing to Weezing evolution has 850% increase in weight. The absolute winner is Haunter to Gengar with 44399% increase.
Rhydon is 33% heavier than Kangaskhan even though Kangaskhan is bigger in size. Heck, even Seel is heavier than Kangaskhan while being only half the size.
Scyther is almost twice the weight of Electabuzz. To me they always seemed comparable in the anime.
Porygon is almost twice the weight of Geodude. That programming code must be pretty heavy!
I love your style of organizing! Easily one of the most creative ways I’ve seen yet, it didn’t ever cross my mind that you could do it like that!
Although, I have to say, the Vending binder that’s sorted by artist (at least the one I know of) belongs to @brendantheclayboy
My system is actually waaay messier. I chose to go by type and then, within the type, ascending by Pokedex. Also went over both pages for one row (so, 6 slots per row instead of only 3) to keep as many evolution lines as possible uninterrupted.
There could be a whole subforum of people’s ways to organize their Vending binders and I love it. Yours especially!
Lovely addition dude! I love that we have another vending master here! Top 3 sets ever, and infinite ways to organize to maximize enjoyment. Doing it by weight was a sick idea. And you’re right, it’s super comical the way they came up with weight. There sure are some oddball placings in there. The oddest of all is perhaps the Mewtwo weighing more than a Rhydon. They’re close, buy I feel a Rhydon would weigh at least 500lbs. I don’t believe my imagination will let me take that as canon personally
Glad to see my Bro in the heavyweights–he’s a titan.
@muk - Alright, noted! I think I got it somehow mixed with your amazing Komiya binder and with your art appreciation post from Nov 14, 2020. Then I somehow thought that artist sorting is your way to go for everything hehe
@cbhpokemon - Thank you, looking forward to seeing your collection!
@brendantheclayboy - Yeah, Mewtwo is really funny. I think it’s all his knowledge that makes him so heavy ^^. Also, congrats on your recent exclusives binder completion! I did not know about that base set Staryu before. One more card I decided to add to my japanese binder was also base set Vulpix, as they forgot to cut that white triangle next to his tail which makes the card also kinda exclusive I think it was first shared in this post: www.elitefourum.com/t/my-every-base-art-vulpix-card-ever-made-collection/34471/12
To celebrate my newly awarded Cascade badge (well fought, Misty), I would like to share my graded Quick Starter Gift Set holos! I absolutely love these arts, especially the Articuno.
Beautiful, beautiful card:
I love that swirl!
I also really like this 3D-printed stand that I got from eBay. Makes it a neat display for a desk:
I consider these cards as part of the vending master set, together with masakis, three corocoros and the WHF trio. As of today, I am only three cards (masakis) short from completing the vending artwork master set. The corocoros and WHF cards as a bonus:
To finish the post, here is a 1/1 art piece by illustrator Martin from 1998 1999. Very rare. PSA 10???
These Red/Green Gift box holos are some of my favorite cards, especially the birds! Speaking of the birds, did you grade them yourself or buy them as a set? I noticed some nice sequential cert numbers
That stand is also really sick! I should hit up my friend who has a 3D printer what kinds of graded card stands he can come up with.
The cert numbers are a nice additional bonus indeed I bought the set already graded back in April 2020 but I had this very Scyhter from before and I figured out that I prefer the swirl over the number so I decided to keep this one.
Yeah, that would be amazing. I think I paid around $20 for this stand plus $22 shipping and $10 VAT fees (yeah, great deal hehe) because I just couldnt find anything similar in EU. So yeah, as we discused in the other thread, collecting in EU is amazing! Would be definitely interested in some more stands if your friend can come up with something.
I had already bookmarked your collection thread, as I knew you were going to be sharing some special stuff…
And I was not disappointed! I know a great collector when I see one
There isn’t much that is more iconic and trophy-esque than the gift set. Wondrous slab set, perfect for any JP adorer. Beautiful.
Your comment about defeating Misty and celebrating made me grin, I like your attention to lore!
I love the drawing, fabulous. And I can’t believe I didn’t make mention of your background before, the insert for Red/Green map, a phenomenal artifact. Stellar sensibilities my man! Definitely eager to see what you have next for us.
Thanks a lot, Brendan! What an honour to have my collection thread bookmarked by one of the most awesome collectors on the fourum!
I agree, those cards are absolutely stunning. Holding the slabs definitely feels very special.
The maps are one of my most favourite childhood artefacts. I have both Kanto and Johto map and there is the Gen 2 Pokédex from the other side as a nice bonus. I will need to put both maps together for one of the next updates, as I already know that one will not be enough hehe.
Really excited about your future updates too! I am wondering where your collecting journey leads you now after completing the JP exclusives
Maaan, the Johto map, gotta see that one. I don’t personally have it, so I’ll look forward to seeing that. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen a picture.
Well it’s just old back JP exclusives (but never including trophies of course!), got plenty more of newer eras to go after! But for now I’m taking my time finding my last bits of another longstanding goal. I might be completing that soon…ish
But I’m very curious to see what you have in store. I get a sneaking suspicion you have yet another few waiting to be unveiled that are equally mesmerizing. Say no more! I wait in the shadows!
Just wanted to stop by to comment my appreciation for your collection - amazing stuff!
The wider Vending promos are one of my favourite pockets of Pokémon card collecting; I love the ‘secret’ holos from the set, the variety of releases, tapping into Corocoros and the time specific releases like the WHF.
Speaking of which - I think your WHF Pikachu may be the Quick Starter version, as it doesn’t have the rarity symbol the sheet had… Unless I’m mistaken on which is which (very possible!).
Looking forward to more updates, this has already re-focused my attention back onto these cards after getting distracted.
“Well it’s just very coolold back JP exclusives“ - Fixed hehe. Just kidding, I agree. Most of them are very affordable but they are so much fun to collect!
Gotta do some business in Vermilion City first before sharing another bigger update! But some smaller posts are coming soon for sure
You are right, I completely missed the rarity symbol on that Pikachu. Well, I guess there gotta be at least one non-holo representative from the Quick Starter set, so I will still keep the fella in there Wouldn’t be a proper japanese collection without some no rarities, hehe!
And happy to hear you managed to refocus on your JP collecting goal again!
Today is a special day for me because three things happened.
I defended my master thesis and successfully finished the studies.
I received my third badge from Vermilion city.
And it’s my birthday!
That’s why I would like to share with you my old-back white star rarity holos to commemorate each of these events. I love that in Pokémon, you can make a mini set literally of anything!
The OG illustrator trio, the artists of my childhood. And (real) Meowth in the background.
Here Comes Team Rocket symbolises my studies. It was a tough fight with many ambushes. But the power of friendship with my books helped me defeat the jury!
The Neo Discovery Raichu to remind me of the third badge. Because just like Ash did, I also managed to withstand Raichu’s powerful Thunderbolt!
I bought the set already graded back in April 2020 but I had this very Scyhter from before and I figured out that I prefer the swirl over the number so I decided to keep this one.
Would be definitely interested in some more stands if your friend can come up with something.
