This trophy/prize card needs no introduction, however, we never knew the intended distribution, until today!
For those who are not familiar with this card, here is a quick background:
“The campaign was publicized in Shogakukan’s magazines for primary-school children in the form of a series of tests in which participants could complete and send back to Shogakukan within a limited period. Those that passed were sent an invitation to a two-day conference in Osaka. On the first day, the participants were separated into three age categories and were then assigned groups based on the various Gyms in the Pokémon games. Each player within one of these groups battled other members of that group, with the top players within each group qualifying for the second day. The second day consisted of a series of battles between the top players within each age category. Those that won a battle during the course of the day were awarded this card at the end of the conference.”
Here is the actual card that was awarded:
At the 2014 Pokemon World Championships in Washington, I spoke with someone who competed at this event, as well as someone who competed during the original era and still competes today. Both individuals informed me that 1,000 copies were awarded. This of course was not considered to be 100% fact without documentation, luckily, “wild documentation appears”:
The official intended distribution of the card was 1,000 copies. Only a small fraction of these cards have appeared on the open market. How many copies remain to this day is unknown, but at least we now know the intended amount awarded.
I find it so strange how the card in the pictures has different art and attacks, stranger still, the card has 34 HP. How many sets into the TCG was the card printed?
That is actually not that uncommon for Japanese promotional events. There are plenty of alternate illustrations in advertisements that are not actual obtainable cards.
Not to rain on anyone’s parade but haven’t we known this? I have a binder of documentation of cards back home that I put together last year and I know this was in there. I think a japanese blogger a while back posted it. Never the less it is nice to have it on the forum for new collectors to get familiar with!
On a side note I am only slightly jealous that you got to speak to actual participants and OG competitors.
*12.3 “Coquing” is presented for 1000 people (total of 6 magazines) from a person who became Dr. hyper by a December issue of “Shogakukan Gakkyu Journal December issue” as Hyper Dr.*
Nice find @linkdu83! If only we could find such documentation for the trophy khan!
@pokemonsyndicate 1,000 is the official intended distribution. This was a large event, 1,000 might not be the literal exact amount awarded. There are certainly nowhere near that amount remaining in circulation today. Nonetheless, 1,000 is the official intended distribution.
Especially considering the fact they were nonholo and dont even look like trophy cards, and were innately off-centered and prone to whitening. Most kids probably thought they were crappy souvenirs and kept them in their pockets lol.
