Do you have a top 1-3 choice of the most visually appealing card(s) ? Price and rarity shouldn’t affect the choice , but I will ask that we keep the choices from a vintage point of view , so WOTC - HG/SS , as the modern cards are just so crazy full art I’m thinking a lot would choose from modern lol
I would even say Japanese vintage including the trophy / prize cards as those all look so beautiful as well
For me :
Gold Star Rayquaza 
Masters Scroll
Masters Key
Let’s see what you choose !
Shining Mew
Masaki Gengar
Fossil Dragonite
Just three off the top of my head that I enjoy
Expedition Blastoise
Skyridge Gyarados
Neo Destiny Light Arcanine
Love love love these
Base Charizard, Neo Discovery Kabutops and Expedition Tyranitar.
Pikachu Illustrator - it’s obvious to people here but it’s incredibly iconic, has beautiful art and is legendary in the hobby. Incredibly desirable almost universally, great story, great history and I’m sure many of you will agree.
Neo Discovery Tyranitar - I have wonderful memories of this card, no idea if I got it from a trade or a pack but I’ve had it for years and it’s also one of my favourite mons. In spite of the small room for the art, it just looks tough and dark type really gave a powerful look to the card.
I remember playing a game against my buddy who’s since passed with the very same one in my binder.
Southern Islands Mew - I got this set in toys r us when it was still in the UK, the first mew card I ever got, the first time I ever saw a holo pattern like that and I still remember the sense of wonder opening the set up. Maybe thats where the Tyranitar came from? I’m pretty sure it came with Neo packs…
The Coro Coro shinning Mew is a beautiful card for sure
I am purposely choosing from my collection, and being quite objective and selecting without preference of pokemon. Not in any particular order:
Umbreon from Crossing the Ruins (2000)
The holo is a part of the artwork and lends to the mystique of this pokemon, really well thought out in terms of composition and execution.
Feraligatr from Base Expansion pack (2001).
In some way I feel artwork like this paved the way for future environment-capturing illustrations, with a documentary style visual to let us imagine a world where pokemon are real and what their habitats might be.
Pokémon Day-Care Couple House from Awakening Legends (2000)
Not often did we get to see visuals of the Pokémon world in this kind of “slice-of-life” lens. Details like the scene captured in what appears to be early dawn show how much effort the couple go through caring for other people’s pokemon. And little things like their logo on the apron (a stylized 育 typically meaning nurture) also lend a glimpse into how serious they are in the work they do.
Shining Mew, 1997 Pika 3rd Place, Light Jolteon, and Vending Chansey are some of my favorites.
Solely on beauty of artwork and artistic appeal:
Fossil Mew JPN and Rayquaza gold star ENG would be among my top 5 but this thread only allows top 3.
If you asked me again next week, I may have different answers. But I think these have near-perfect visuals in the vintage era.
1a. Shining gyarados
1b. Crystal Celebi
3. Neo Espy
Like seeing all the Shinning Gyarados love 
