Very similar experience…I pulled a holo Mewtwo, which I traded away for a Charmeleon, Dewgong, and Machoke.
3 cards instead of 1!? You and I are geniuses. 
1 Like
First ever was a Base Set 2 booster pack that I so happened to pull a Charizard out of. The same day I did that I ended up trading it into the store for starter decks and more packs because I wanted more cards instead of just the single Charizard. Recently I got a nice Base 2 Charizard back, but yeah I’ll never forget that one.
I think the GBC was about £80 pounds and games about £30?
I really can’t remember what came first though. Watching the anime or playing the games. I vaguely remember knowing to call my rival Gary, so I guess I was watching the anime at that point.
Haha, ikr. As a kid I only wanted more cards and didn’t really care about holos, so a 3 for 1 trade was a done deal. 
Here a bit more about that first trade of mine and how I realized very quickly it was a bad trade even as a 7 year old kid. 
Greetz,
Quuador
1 Like
No, but that would have been super cool! My parents accidentally threw away all of my binders in 2003 so I gave up on collecting until a few years ago. Always knew what was new though
For me it was pokemon blue from Walmart. Burned thru alot of batteries that month
1 Like
Oh man, that sounds all too familiar. Still an awesome childhood memory though
1 Like
My mom bought me a gameboy color and pokemon red when I was 6. The rest was history. I still have it though the sticker is a bit worse for wear.
1 Like
For those of you still in possession of your childhood carts for Red/Blue, you might be surprised to find the battery is still kicking and your save file is still around. I know I was earlier this year.
It’s quite easy to extract yourself save file to a PC and keep your original Pokémon team around forever if you want too
2 Likes
That must be an incredible feeling My Pokemon Gold died years ago unfortunately – I can’t even remember the team I had on it, or my progress. Would’ve been great to be able to access the game when the battery was still alive.
I have used both my Red and Blue cartridge pretty heavily on and off since I got them in the winter of 2000/2001. Both batteries are still going strong despite what I’m sure must be thousands of hours of play.
GSC is a different story though, I’ve burnt out 3 batteries there, and unlike ADV (where only timer events stop working, I’ve burnt out 4 batteries there) the whole save file goes to hell.
Have you backed up your saves to a computer?
No, I haven’t. I didactually manage to save some shiny teams from Crystal onto my Stadium 2, and I have many Pokemon in storage there that go back 20-21 years from different files.
That’s awesome. Obligatory picture of your team when you get a chance pls 
1 Like
I was a kid in a show and a friend from Japan bought us each one of the various gym leader JP decks. Tamamushi City Gym was my first product, and then we got some booster packs. Soon after I bought myself my first base set pack… Devolution Spray! haha
1 Like
Great eye for style!
Brushfire theme deck. A kid from my class gave it to me at my birthday party. The Ninetales was promptly chewed by my sister and my first-ever holo ceased to exist.
Can I get some Fs in chat
2 Likes
In the summer of 2006 I saw my cousin had a pokemon card collection and he gave me a reverse holo Wurmple from the EX legend Maker set.
I did this a couple years ago, it was super emotional. I thought my data would be gone, turned it on, and it loaded up fine. Never realized how valuable save data would be until going through that process.
3 Likes
I don’t remember for sure, but I think it was a base charmander and fire energy that I got from one of those card vending machines at a dollar store.