What was your childhood grail card?

[muk]

This beat up German 'Saur. I think it was in sixth grade or so when I traded all my Yugioh cards (I remember there was a 1st Ed Chaos Emperor Dragon among them) and some Neo era holos for this one and some other German Gen 1 cards.
At the time, I had never seen this card ever before. I was mezmerized and convinced that it had to be one of the rarest cards in existence. Needless to say, I didn’t give a damn about condition back in the day.

Adjusted for inflation and risen card prices, this has to be the single most expensive card in my collection haha.

[deltaseeker]

My first time ever seeing a full art! It’s also insanely shiny irl. At the time I thought it was like the ultimate pokemon card or something lol

[c0ll3ct0r]

I remember the first time I held a Base Charizard in my hands, late 1999 or early 2000. One guy at soccer practice had one, it was literally the most banged up card I’ve ever seen. The ENTIRE illustration was destroyed to the point where you could only make out one foot. The Charmeleon in the evolution box was intact. He thought he had something special, and so did we, but no-one wanted to trade him for it. I wonder why haha.

I remember the hierarchy at my school. 1 guy had the Chansey (a cranky fuck in 4th grade, two years older than me), and barely anyone except me gave a shit about that. Him and maybe one other had the Charizard, everybody wanted those offcourse. Blastoise was also rare, I think I was one of 2-3 guys owning one. Alakazam and Venusaur shared 4th place, every other holo was heavily circulated.

It wasn’t some “group think”-thing, I remember perceiving Charizard as the best, coolest, most outrageous card long before I talked with anyone about it, as did many of the others. And Charizard wasn’t close to being my favorite Pokemon (still isn’t).

I never pulled a Charizard in that period, craved one for 2 years+ before I pulled the shitty discount version from a Base set 2 booster. I enjoyed it bittersweetly until I was able to trade for the real deal some months later. Had to work the guy and add 3-4 additional holos before he finally caved.

Other treasures include a slightly creased 1st ed Neo Discovery Tyranitar holo I traded for, still have that one. The crease was frustrating, but I love Tyranitar so much I almost ignored it. The Neo Genesis Lugia I pulled was another milestone, I think I still have it.

During EX, Rayquaza Gold Star was the grail chase. Again, no-one told me to enjoy it, at some point I saw it and I wanted it. Never acquired it. It was also the first time I saw a seriously expensive single, the price of this thing dwarfed the price of the Charizard in the store-binder.

[grandgengar]

The illustrator. I remember seeing it in the old Beckett magazines as a kid in the book store. Thought it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…

[konokou]

Mine was the Ex Team Rocket Returns Dark Golduck foil. I had one and for some reason assumed that it was the cream of the crop of Pokémon cards, and would tell everyone I met how I had the rarest card

[politoed666]

@ferny

I remember the first time I saw Blaine’s Arcanine in my friend’s collection. Probably one of the first times I saw a gym card too, damn I love those sets.

Same here. Back in the WOTC days when the highest HP anything had was 120 (and, as others have alluded to in this thread, kids thought higher HP = better, cooler card), the fact that Arcanine had an attack that did 120 struck me as spectacular.

Also jumping on the Wailord ex bandwagon… I remember getting a bunch of Sandstorm packs trying to pull one at a flea market and being enormously bummed when I pulled a Typhlosion instead.

[149montblanc]

Mine was the Japanese No.3 Trophy Pikachu I always dreamt of owing one, but my hopes were initially dashed when Glenn wrote in Pojo’s Pokemon magazine, that only one copy was given out for each place winner (1st, 2nd and 3rd). It was a huge relief to find out that more than one copy was given out. So that gave me some hope of getting one in the future Here is my personal copy before i had it graded

[ferny]

@politoed666

@ferny

I remember the first time I saw Blaine’s Arcanine in my friend’s collection. Probably one of the first times I saw a gym card too, damn I love those sets.

Same here. Back in the WOTC days when the highest HP anything had was 120 (and, as others have alluded to in this thread, kids thought higher HP = better, cooler card), the fact that Arcanine had an attack that did 120 struck me as spectacular.

Also jumping on the Wailord ex bandwagon… I remember getting a bunch of Sandstorm packs trying to pull one at a flea market and being enormously bummed when I pulled a Typhlosion instead.

This comment made me realise it was definitely 120 attack that made me so amazed with the card too! I just don’t even think about that stuff now, I guess that initial amazement at the attack that got me hooked has been replaced over the years with a love for the rest of the card.

[azulryu]

@papafrankgod

You’ll be happy to find I fixed your avatar for you:

[andrewvt36]

@149montblanc

Mine was the Japanese No.3 Trophy Pikachu I always dreamt of owing one, but my hopes were initially dashed when Glenn wrote in Pojo’s Pokemon magazine, that only one copy was given out for each place winner (1st, 2nd and 3rd). It was a huge relief to find out that more than one copy was given out. So that gave me some hope of getting one in the future Here is my personal copy before i had it graded

I think you have great taste! He’s the cutest of the 3 by far

[primordialaa]

@Josh

@shadowless

My holy grails were the cards I pulled, I was not aware of all cards back then and my friends didn´t have that many either
If I had to pick one it´s probably Neo Gen Meganium11 or Base Nidoking.

For me that’s one thing I’m actually glad about - not having internet access or any easy way of knowing what cards were in the latest set. It made the thrill of opening packs that much more exciting, not knowing what rare treasures you might find and then being ecstatic when something took you by surprise or you discovered a legendary Pokemon you’d not heard of before. Getting one rare card just drove the desire to see what else you might be able to find. Gotta Catch 'Em All was such a simple but amazingly effective marketing strategy.

I still refuse to look for modern, I prefer it that way

[papafrankgod]

@azulryu

@papafrankgod

You’ll be happy to find I fixed your avatar for you:

I deserved this one hahaha

[kurtosisblakeinfini]

Ancient Mew is the Outer God answer for any question like this.

Various uncommons come to mind that were strongly impressionable that were out of reach due to the luck of the hand from me to other friends. Many from Fossil and Team Rocket. Koga’s Weezing, Sabrina’s Hypno, Discovery Scyther and Xatu. Evo’s…

[EDIT]

As for higher rarities, definitely something like Unown A.

[jkanly]

1954 Topps Hank Aaron rookie card I had my eyes on this card since I was 8 or 9 years old. I still don’t have one but I like having certain goals unfinished.

[fazool]

the card I wanted more than anything when I was 10 years old was the 2003 Victory Ring. I know that this is not at the top of people’s most impressive trophy card lists, but I remember reading an old extremely rudimentary web page on something like geocities about how it was the newest winner’s prize card in japan. being extremely into Lord of the Rings as well as Pokémon then I just had the image burned into my brain.

I now have 2 2003 rings, one with the case and a pika ring and case just to round it off. As much as I love the Pikachu one, and I understand why everyone likes it a lot more, the original art will always be uniquely tied to the idea of high end Pokémon collecting in my child like brain

[fate]

My childhood Grail card was not just one but 52 + 1 cards. They are the Clow cards from Card Captor Sakura. I fell in love with them since watching the anime and holding them in my hands thanks to a classmate that had the 2000s Trendmasters set her aunt had just brought to her from Europe.

I remember going to a mall with my dad and seeing the Bandai print from 1999 in late 2000s and begging for them to no avail; their price was around 48USD-55USD give or take according to the inflation in Argentina at the time and was out of my parent’s budget.

I hunted for the Trendmasters set and finally got one last year as a present for my birthday.
I also own a newer one and intend to get the Bandai set at some point this year.

[pulpyfan]

1st Edition Charizard

This card was a myth. Neither me or any of my friends had ever seen one in person. Some may have claimed that so-and-sos dad had one or that their cousin knew somebody with a copy. But in reality no one, and I mean no one, could show off an actual example of that notorious Charizard. Everyone coveted this card. Once I got my hands on my very own Unlimited Charizard, I held onto it as if it were that 1st edition card. No trade offer could persuade me to let it go. I’m sure many of you share similar memories.

I’ve held onto that Unlimited copy and cherish it as much as the day I got it.

[implode]

Mine was Shining Charizard. It came out close to when I stopped collecting, but I was amazed at the time that there was a card more hyped than the original Charizard. I thought it must’ve been a legendary card almost no one had.

[kujak]

@149montblanc

Mine was the Japanese No.3 Trophy Pikachu I always dreamt of owing one, but my hopes were initially dashed when Glenn wrote in Pojo’s Pokemon magazine, that only one copy was given out for each place winner (1st, 2nd and 3rd). It was a huge relief to find out that more than one copy was given out. So that gave me some hope of getting one in the future Here is my personal copy before i had it graded

This is my all time favorite trophy card. Wish I owned one!

[jaredschallenge]

@stirfries

The good ol’ Eevee Wizards 11. My friend had one and I thought it was the coolest and rarest card out there

I have a few 8s. I love the art and colors for sure