Amazing reply to this topic!! Thanks everyone. I am happy to have found you all. Now to re-read the “how to post a picture” thread so I can start sharing pictures of what I am buying!
I had a great one today- a package from Dubai that was opened and “searched by German Customs” as stated on the tape they used to reseal the box! I wish I could have seen the look on their faces at German Customs when they found the Magikarp inside!
That Karp was under investigation for suspicious activity 
I hit my collecting goal a couple years ago (1st edition base, Jungle, and Fossil complete Holo set). A lot of people develop new collecting goals after the initial ones, but it’s always been about nostalgia for me and those are the only three sets I collected as a kid.
Now I just collect random or exciting Japanese releases (picked up several Munch promos way back, just grabbed a few boxes of legendary heartbeat). I still buy WOTC just because I love sending off for PSA grading, but there’s no rhyme or reason to it, no goals, just for fun and side income.
Cards that tickle my fancy.
eventually I plan on having everything;
but currently I try to go hard with mew’s, mewtwo’s, ghost types, and japanese Sugimori cards (I think they look cooler in Japanese)
I collect cards of my favorite Pokemon and want to have cards of them both in binder and graded. I’ve about to complete the graded collection of Alolan Vulpix and Alolan Ninetales when my latest PSA submission comes back at some point 
It’s a work in progress with Salamence and Rayquaza still and I kinda want to do the same for Flygon too. Also with Latias and Latios but I’m taking that a bit slowly.
I also love Japanese cards and love to purchase a box of each set when one comes out and overall I buy cards that I like.
I also have a binder collection of all ex-sets going on that I’ve really started to fill more seriously this year and it kinda embarrasses me how much I’ve used money for ex-era commons and uncommons mainly within the last 2 months. Filling sets is surprisingly addictive and satisfying though! I’m taking an easy route with it though and I allow the cards to be in any language because I mainly collect them for the era itself and for the artwork. But if I have a reverse holo of a card it takes a priority in the binder.
Everyone’s favourite electric mouse: Pichu, of course.
Pokédex number 001
So many different collections!!
In the sports world- everyone wants mahomes and lebron!
I haven’t heard one reply for someone saying they only collect charizard!!
I think pokemon collecting is going to be fun.
So many different ways to approach it!
Any cards featuring Shiny Pokemon! As well as celebi, deoxys, and gengar.
Complete set of base- Team rocket. First edition WOTC. Japanese Promos. cards with art I like, Japanese vending, Mint Southern islands, German base set. Not sure where I draw the line. First edition Gen 1 and 2 starters.
Too much, haha. 
Pikachu cards in all languages and variations. I currently have almost 1400 unique Pikachu cards, and need 34 official releases and 30+ unofficial releases (misprints; sample cards; unreleased cards; etc.) to ‘complete’ it. A.f.a.i.k. I own the second largest Pikachu TCG collection in the world.
Seviper cards in all languages and variations. I currently am missing just a single card to complete it: the Japanese unlimited edition 003/108 World Championship Pack version.
All English and Japanese exclusive Full Art Supporter cards. This collection is complete, although I have a few Japanese FA Supporters (Extra Battle Day promos and Alolan Friends promo) at PSA right now. When they’ve returning I plan on taking some pictures of the completed collection.
Moltres WotC promo in all languages, including sealed and graded copies. Got the last Australian sealed copy incoming, and only need two more sealed Japanese booster packs to complete it.
Full National Index including all forms and shiny Pokémon. Still have to add the entire gen 8, which I will do somewhere next year after some more cards have been released to choose from.
All five Ancient Mew versions in PSA-10. I have the earliest four versions in my possession, and have five copies of the ©2019 version at PSA, of which at least a couple will grade a 10. So this small collection is complete as well.
One of each Yu-Gi-Oh TCG, OCG, Korean exclusive, and misprinted rarity. Primarily missing a bunch of misprinted rarities, and one non-misprinted variant which was only used on TCG Trophy cards of 2015+ which I won’t bother in getting. I have some pretty exciting misprints incoming right now, after which I will finish my article.
Twisty puzzles. A bit of an inactive collection right now. I do buy cheap new puzzles I find interesting every now and then, and I also still have a bunch of rare ones on my wish list in case they show up. But I’m low-key downsizing this collection by selling puzzles I have duplicates of or simply don’t enjoy solving.
Of course I also have a general Pokémon collection with about 10k+ non-duplicated cards. And I have a bunch of other collections that I don’t collect anymore, like minerals and fossils, euro coins, post stamps, Yu-Gi-Oh cards in general, etc.
Greetz,
Quuador
I got back into the hobby after seeing the 20th Anniversary Pokemon Festa 2016 card. I’d never seen a Japanese card before, but I collected the base through rocket sets as a kid. When I saw that awesome art with multiple pokemon all on the same card, the full art design that popped out of the borders, and the 20th Anniversary “stamp” I was in love.
I began working on collecting 1st edition binder sets of those original sets in the typical fashion of getting what I always wanted as a kid. I also am working on binder sets of some of the modern sets that I really like the theme of like shining legends and celestial storm. I had originally considered a binder set of every modern but the releases move too fast for me.
I’m familiar with grading comics, so once I learned all about PSA from SMPratte’s videos I set about collecting some graded versions of my favorite pokemon which is Houndour and Houndoom. The first pokemon I ever nicknamed in the games was houndour because I instantly adored it. I’ve stuck to PSA 9s for the most part because I just like the case and having a really clean front to admire and the cost is much cheaper. The binders are fun, but this Houndoom collection is really where a lot of my joy comes from.
I’d just like to say thank you to everyone in the community who outwardly preach starting with what makes you happy and is fun. I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of joy from this hobby the last few years just chasing the things I think look cool and make me happy and I would never have thought that was okay without all of you saying it over and over.
Anything I believe that embodies my philosophy in achieving a standard that’s not shite.
Really niche unlimited cards now lol overall just amazing artwork that I enjoy 
English energy cards.
I collect from Base Set through Legendary collection for the English cards, including promo cards, popular errors and sealed product. Anything before the e-reader set really.
I also collect specifically “old back” japanese promos from 1996-2001 approximately. I also do the corocoro cards and promotional theme decks like quick starter and intro decks.
I’m basically a hardcore vintage collector. I only like the cards I grew up with mostly from my childhood.
Mainly Gen 3 english cards
Welcome to the forum. With so many great cards out there, it can be tough to narrow it down. Here are my main points of focus:
Collecting the entire base set 1st edition set in PSA. About 70% done that goal.
Rare Japanese promos. Nothing to specific, whatever strikes my fancy. All graded through PSA and now open to CGC.
I love opening packs and organizing binders. So I collect modern stuff and collect anything EX/GX or better.
Wizards of the Coast English Holos in PSA 9.
