Let’s start of with the obligatory haha!
I love the story of attaining these cards, so I’ve stored them in my binder in the way that they were attained. Start with the stage one and add a Bill’s PC, wah-lah! You get the stage 2 in a trade with Pokemon company. Kinda always bugs me though because you don’t trade omanyte to get omastar, so it’s not accurate to the games, but whatever.
I absolutely love these cards. There is a drastic difference between the non-holo versions of these and the holo versions. Especially that Zapdos. I’ve explained it before, but the foil addition really helps the contrast between zapdos and the background. It’s possibly my number #1 favorite card.
Last one just to round out the set for the moment. Definitely that mew made me fall more in love with Atsuko Nishida’s works. Overall a strong set of cards.
Don’t see these bad boys pop up too often on here, but their artwork is stellar. Finally got the dratini as my final piece for the set, so it’s time to include them here. Eventually I’d like to have the trainer magazine complete set, but that’s gonna be a little while from now I feel.
I forgot I don’t get notifications for posts on my own threads…
Thanks for the kind words!
@pokemike102 I live in Japan and bought mine in Japan, so I am able to get a decent discount on basically everything I purchase. I bought this for $130. I see the going rate in America is around $150-$200. The Neo intro pack is about 3x that price. I believe its so much more expensive because it has significantly more exclusive art cards in it.
@papafrankgod yeah, I know. I’m sorry to say but he’s not my favorite pokemon haha!
@eeveelover It’s not so much a collection as a single card that is highly valuable. Specifically recently.
@metabee I don’s use anything specific honestly. I use whatever I have on hand for the most part. Whether it’s character sleeves or just simple penny sleeves. The big ones are oversleeves, so somethign you’d put on the outside of your character sleeves to protect the sleeve. However, My recommendation would be something like Dragon Shields. The cards are relatively easy to go in and out, and they tend to stay still while in the sleeve. Maybe double-sleeving the more valuable stuff. Using a perfect fit sleeve from Ultra pro I believe? However, this is just preference. I have 100% zero clue as to the absolute safest method for storage. Same goes for binders. These binders are ultra pro 3x3. leather bound. I prefer these because they aren’t too expensive, but they seem to be of decent quality. However, the pockets do tend to get scratched if opened and closed frequently. I’d imagine this is an issue with every binder, however.
Thanks for letting me know! I’ve always been worried about using perfect fit sleeves for cards but I might have to give them a try especially if I’m not grading them. Better to keep them as safe as possible in a binder!
Here is one of my recent favorites. I call it Imakuni’s Rant. I just got it in the mail today and it made me chuckle. One because the Japanese is actually fairly simple. But also because it is just fun.
Translation below!
To the best of my ability, the card reads as follows:
“hello! How is everyone doing, Happy? Recently I made my first Pokemon Card! Pokemon is very interesting and fun, but there’s one complaint I want to talk about!! This card is banned! (“this” is referring to the picture to the right of the text.)
You can’t use Imakuni! Card!! It’s been banned?! Does everyone know Imakuni! Card’s effect?! “When you play this card to the field, Your active Pokemon is now confused.” Your own Pokemon, YOUR O-W-N! Because of this, every Imakuni? fan will cry. They will definitely cry. Even still, I have Imakuni! Card in my own deck. I will get to use it someday.”
I absolutely love this!! in the little picture it is just the other kid saying in very impolite Japanese, “yo, you can’t use Imakuni! Card…” the arrows are pointing to 2 copies of Imakuni! Card.
This is way more important than Gold Stars hahahah! Thanks for looking!
Here come the big guns! Sorry to say to those interested buyers, but I’m not an interested seller.
And for the BIG one!
I know everyone and their mom has this card, but it’s still pretty.
I feel that this one should be a ten, I haven’t seen it in person for a long time, so I can’t make an accurate comment on it. But I definitely remember looking at it and marveling at it’s perfection in every possible light. Centering even looks decently spot on to me.
Sorry the cases are all scratched up. I have to clean them when I get home again.
Not the best grade, but still a nice card, even in 6.
So yeah, that’s my current graded stuff that seems worth warranting showing/showing off! I have other stuff but they didn’t receive the best grades. However, most of my cards are in comparable condition and are ungraded. The majority of my Neo Genesis is minimum 9 for the most part. I feel there are several more 10’s in the group. Thanks for looking!
Here’s a little more for today, Some Pokemon and Yugioh stuff
To start, just a few packs: The Japanese packs are way more beautiful than the English packs, at least in my mind. English is much more simple, this is very dynamic and I feel like you can always find something when you look at em.
Now let’s take a quick journey to Yu-Gi-Oh. Can’t go wrong with these guys for sure. I have loved the god cards, and these were technically my first foray into trading cards with a moderate interest in them as a form of investment. I bought the English versions about 12 years ago, and claimed to my friends “These will definitely be worth something some day!” I waited 10 years and the price was more or less the same hahahah! I had always been absolutely dumbfounded as to why the price never changed. But finally people caught on of course. I don’t know which ones I like more, English or Japanese to be entirely honest. It might be leaning more towards the Japanese because the framing is pushed a little farther out so you can see more of the actual monster. very subtle, but Obelisk is an easy one to confirm with. Check his head on both secret rare versions ENG and JP.
Continuing with Yugioh, maybe a controversial one for some people hahah! Really hope this never gets printed into English for the sake of the investment, but knowing Konami, it likely will.
This is another of my favorite sets, it’s a small one, and still incredibly cheap, but the art is amazing. For those that don’t know, this is Yugioh 10th Anniversary Pack. That Buster Blader gives me some serious Deadpool vibes.
Last little tidbit is the Shinkansen Folder that went along with Fuji Pikachu. Mine isn’t in the best shape, but the outside is still presentable and it’s a nice little bit of memorabilia.
I love your quote “I’m too easily swayed to love a new card…” This is too relatable. Also, wonderful collection! Currently trying to track down the Dragonite Promo set!
I heavily agree on this take, although I have a love/hate relationship with the 100% holo pull rate packs. It’s just too difficult to keep them sealed haha.
Those Yugioh 10th anniversary cards look hella fine, too!
Hahaha thank! Yeah, it is only the truth. I find way to many cards I want, it’s probably a diagnosable disease at this point best of luck, it’s gotten pricey in good condition. Mine has a crease on it, but it still looks beautiful.
Yeah, I’ve been incredibly tempted with the Genesis one, but I can’t bring myself to ruin it. I’m turning my eyes to some 2001 McDonald’s packs right now. Hopefully in the near future I can slap those up here. For what those anniversary cards are valued at in Japanese, it’s a crime. They’re basically next to nothing. I find blue eyes for like 3$ far too often. The English one is bearing on 100 ungraded, or at least it was a couple months ago.
)
best of luck, it’s gotten pricey in good condition. Mine has a crease on it, but it still looks beautiful.