| Generation I | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coin | Trait | Country |
| Chansey | Mystery Yellow Coin (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Chansey | Silver Splotch w/ Black Circle (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Chansey | Silver Splotch w/ Black Circle (C/G) | Japan |
| Chansey | Gold Cracked Ice, Prize Coin | Japan |
| Onix | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Onix | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G) | Japan |
| Starmie | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Starmie | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G) | Japan |
| Raichu | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Raichu | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G) | Japan |
| Gloom | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G/M) | Japan |
| Gloom | Black Back, Theme Deck (C/G) | Japan |
| Chansey | Red Mirror | Japan |
| Chansey | Green Mirror | Japan |
| Chansey | Black Circle Perimeter | International |
| Chansey | Blue Copyright | International |
| Chansey | Black Copyright | International |
| Chansey | Starlight New Back | International |
| Chansey | Mirror New Back | International |
| Chansey | 2000 Copyright | International |
| Pikachu | Pokémon League, Toys R Us | International |
| Alakazam | Black Back, Theme Deck | Japan |
| Arcanine | Black Back, Theme Deck | Japan |
| Vileplume | Confetti 1999 | International |
| Vileplume | Starlight 1999 | International |
| Vileplume | Mirror 1999 | International |
| Vileplume | Starlight 2000 | International |
| Vileplume | Cosmos 2000 | International - EU |
| Doduo | Black Back, Fan Club | Japan |
| Exeggutor | Black Back | Japan |
| Mewtwo | Black Back | Japan |
| Doduo | Black Back | Japan |
| Chansey | Pink Mirror (1999) VHS Gen 1 | Japan |
| Eevee | Starlight | International |
| Eevee | Mirror | International |
| Aerodactyl | Light Brown Mirror | International |
| Aerodactyl | Light Brown Starlight | International |
| Aerodactyl | Dark Brown 1999 Copyright | International |
| Aerodactyl | Dark Brown 2000 Copyright | International |
| Aerodactyl | Dark Brown 2000 Copyright | International - AUS |
| Pikachu | Cosmos | International |
| Pikachu | Starlight | International |
| Meowth | Cosmos | International |
| Meowth | Starlight | International |
| Starmie | Cosmos | International |
| Starmie | Starlight | International |
| Pikachu | Metal | International |
| Alakazam | Cosmos | International |
| Generation II | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coin | Trait | Country |
| Lugia | Black Back | Japan |
| Pikachu | World Challenge | Japan |
| Xatu | Black Back | Japan |
| Pichu | Black Back | Japan |
| Lugia | Metal w/ Copyright | International |
| Lugia | Metal No Copyright | International |
| Chansey | Pink Mirror (2001) Gen 2 | Japan |
| Ho-Oh | Black Back | Japan |
| Lugia | Black Back | Japan |
| Poké Ball | Pokémon Card Game | Japan |
| Celebi | Black Back | Japan |
| Pokémon VS | VS Series | Japan |
| Blissey | Black Back | Japan |
| Pokémon Center | Black Back | Japan |
| Latias & Latios | Black Back | Japan |
Notes:
- All “International” coins were produced and distributed by Wizards of the Coast.
- It can be difficult to determine the exact country of origin, although releases were usually consistent in all territories. The same patterns used in North America were also used elsewhere, but sometimes there are exceptions that will be noted when they are discovered.
*Coins are exhibit very similar features and traits that make them hard to identify from one another. Examining and understanding the nuances of each coin can be challenging, but knowing the language for how to discuss the nuances is helpful.
*International coins were almost always stickers on light plastic with poor quality control. Japanese coins were sculpted directly onto thicker plastic and are carved into the coin itself. - It is prohibitively expensive and difficult to confirm which coins came out of exactly which theme decks. This is information that must be slowly crowdsourced over time. If you ever open a theme deck, or have a theme deck and are positive which coin came out of it, please consider sharing the information here.
Glossary:
Starlight - This is a foil pattern that depicts four-pointed stars as the main motif. This pattern is comparable to the foil used on Base Set cards.
Cosmos - This is a foil pattern that depicts clusters and bursts as the main motif, This pattern is comparable to the foil used in later WotC Pokémon cards, such as Base Set 2.
Confetti - This is a uncommon foil pattern that depicts densely a textured geometric details reminiscent of confetti.
Cracked Ice - This is a foil pattern that depicts large geometric slabs as its main motif, which only appears on Japanese coins in this era.
Mirror - This is a foil type with no pattern. Instead it features a glossy opaque sheen with no additional detailing or motif.
C/G/M and C/G Copyrights - Pokémon Card Game material was originally attributed to a development partner called Media Factory in Japan. Prior to 2001, Media Factory can be found in the copyright of most Pokémon Card Game merchandise, including flip coins. These letters stand for Creatures/Game Freak/Media Factory with Media Factory being removed from product revisions released after 2001.
Other Threads & Resources:
Google Doc Spreadsheet
Bulbapedia Page
Stagecoach - Have you seen this Chansey flip coin before?
Stagecoach - Trying to rule out the existence of an Aerodactyl flip coin
Stagecoach - Trying to document the origins of some old TCG flip coins
If you ever have questions about coins from this era, please feel welcome to ask me!
) using a gift card I’d been saving. This discount allowed me to sell it to Jac for a heavily reduced price. I then performed some tasteful mail fraud to save him the shipping and import expenses and voila. We both got something we wanted!
(if you dont like me posting in your article ill delete this post! Cheers!)