20 years old is the generally accepted definition of vintage and I think it also applies well here
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Na you dont wanna look into ex era its all modern crap not much to see there
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Here is how I see it:
- Base Set-Skyridge 1999-2003 = Vintage (Golden Age)
- EX Era 2003-2007 = Silver Age
- Diamond/Pearl, Platinum, HGSS, Call of Legends 2007-2011 = Bronze Age
- Black/White, XY 2011-2016 = Opal Era (i.e., flashy FA cards begin)
- Sun/Moon, Sword/Shield 2017-Present = Modern
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Same with Japanese cards. They are worthless compared to English. Mine as well stay away from Japanese cards 
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English
Vintage - WOTC
Retro - ex, DP/Pt, HGSS
Modern (soon-to-be retro) - BW, XY
Modern - SM, SWSH
Japanese
Vintage - Original era, Neo era, eCard era, ADV/PCG, DP/Pt, HGSS
Retro - BW, XY, SM (year 1 & 2)
Modern - SM (year 3), SWSH
‘Retro’ feels like a suitable term for eras that are in category limbo - not quite vintage, but also not modern
English has 104 main & special sets, including the upcoming set Lost Origin
Japanese has 153 main & special sets, including the upcoming set Incandescent Arcana
My reason for splitting JP Sun & Moon into Retro (year 1, 2) and Modern (year 3) is solely because of how special arts have impacted collecting in the last 3 years
Because Japanese sets in the last 2 eras have ballooned so much, I feel they will age faster as we continue to get almost monthly releases for the foreseeable future. In 9 days (as of 24 Aug 2022), when S11a releases, Eevee Heroes will be 13 sets old. VMAX Climax, a set that barely feels like it was released yesterday, will be 8 sets old
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I’d say Vintage is either Base-Neo or the entire WotC era
Modern would be either BW or SM through the current sets. There was a clear transition between HGSS and SM eras. The EX/GX becoming a focal point of collecting and the game, look of the cards, print runs, etc. I’d say BW is more similar to SM in these regards, but still has some similarities with HGSS era.
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This is a good question, when I analyze data, I separate it into 3 parts,
1995-2003: WOTC era
2003-2008: Ex rea
2008-present: Modern
Ex just has to be a separate category.
I think 1996-2003 is a fair and generous range for vintage. Anything beyond that feels too new still imo.
The middle being “mid” feels more accurate than calling ex/dp/hgss modern. I think modern starts with BW. The beginning of Full Arts is an easy line in the sand.
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Agreed! We can go the MTG route with Golden, Silver, Bronze Ages, etc. To me, Black/White and XY are their own era due to full arts. They are also distinct from modern sets in Sun/Moon and Sword/Shield.
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Maybe it shouldn’t but I think it partly depends on the type of item. As well, ‘modern’ has the connotation of being more available in my mind.
For example, I don’t think I’d refer to a Japanese Ancient Origins box modern, but I probably would for the English release. And although Warm Pikachu came out before Ancient Origins, it feels more contemporary.
Glad someone gave this response. I don’t know that it really answers OPs question, but it’s a good way to look at it.
However…
While I love HGSS, and would like to think it is vintage, I say vintage stops with Ex era.
DPPt is modern, but it’s not “modern” so what comes between vintage and modern?
THAT is what I’d call DPPt - to BW, and then BW + is modern.
Here’s another question, could newer sets ever be rightfully considered “vintage”? In 30 years, will Unified Minds be vintage? I’m sure it won’t hold the weight that WotC does, so…
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I’m curious: do you mean 1996 through May 2003, or are you including Ruby/Sandstorm/Dragon in the vintage category?
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Yes WOTC/Skyridge being the end.
With that said if wotc remained the owner of pokemon it would be harder to distinguish today. Similar with Japanese cards, the back design change in 2001 is an easy line to draw.
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I dislike the use of the word ‘vintage’ at all when it comes to talking about Pokemon cards. It doesn’t actually mean anything because it is so broad and up for debate about when ‘vintage’ ends. As evidenced by this thread still being active 3 years on.
It is so much easier and efficient to just call the eras by their common era name.
WOTC
ex
DPPT
Legend
BW
XY
SM
SWSH
SV
I know that some of these eras have little mini eras in them, and I do agree that BW onwards is appropriately called ‘modern’ because of the drastic shift in design and release philosophy that started with BW. But there is no harm is being a little more specific. Vintage also gets thrown around a lot as a marketing term that people use to try and push their sales, which also makes me dislike the word.
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3 years ago, I would’ve said end of the Ex Era. Now I consider HGSS to be part of the vintage era.
Probs I’ll say BW is vintage in 5 more years. Is anyone here getting older, btw?
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I have three opinions
Japanese oldback
OR
Base to Skyridge/WoTC
OR
Base to Legends era (Call of Legends+HGSS)
DPPtHGSS feels closer to EX era than BW era so thats why I go straight from Skyridge to Legends. I am a bit biased and stopped collecting during Neo. If there was a mid generation I’d consider that range as Web/VS to Legends or EX to Legends.
BW introduced full arts and cosmos was no longer the primary holo pattern so I consider this modern.
finally, someone with the correct opinion 
What is considered vintage can and will change and the goalpost will keep moving up to include more and more. it isn’t about what feels old to you, its about being from an era or environment distinct and significantly different from the current era.
I’ve working in “vintage” fashion resale for a decade now and the goalposts are moving there - in part due to the high velocity of change in the industry/market/trends. TCGs are also pretty fast paced and eras like HGSS and DP feel like completely different universes compared to what is put out now.
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Vintage = when window holos are considered hits.
Modern = when window holos are considered bulk.
At least for me.
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Couldn’t have said it better
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For me personal I did draw a line at BW. Because they changed the order from Alphabet to Type.
I still have a no no no feeling when a set starts with an common grass pokemon.