For sure! I would say any long-term continuous “sacrifice” on the collecting journey counts towards the grail status. With some cards, they are available but priced so nonsensically, making them part of the waiting game as well.
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I always took it as a consensus top chase card for the tcg
A select number of cards truly qualify for this
i.e. Rayquaza Gold Star, Charizard base 1st ed, Lugia 1st ed Neo Genesis ext ext.
thats also why people constantly say the qualifier “my” or “personal” chase card as to say it isnt a consensus chase card but for ME it’s one the ultimate cards I want in my collection
Then there is the sellers conundrum where they want to increase perceived value by adding the word “grail” in their listing
something like dark blastoise holo… not even first edition. where you will be like, really? But this is just money talking and should be ignored
I see grail cards as cards with limited release, illustration contests, prototypes, error cards, daskai club cards, and cards that were released in extremely limited quantity such as korean unlimited and even red label packs, in short the “niches” of the hobby is what I would consider a grail not cards that you could open from a pack you bought at Walmart
I don’t see cards such as 1st edition charizard as a grail card even though it is rare, let’s be realistic is it more rare then a lot of cards is it more rare then some cards like a Trainer deck A Machamp? Everyone has their own perception of a grail, modern collecters might consider the hype cards grails but I view grails as truly rare cards that most people won’t see in their life, sure I don’t see ES moonbreon everyday in person but if I go to a semi popular card convention I’m sure I’ll see a couple within a hour, how many master scrolls will I see? Probably none if I do see one it probably will be at a seller with vintage rares and it will be a centerpiece of the cards sold, moonbreon while cool won’t be a center piece of most sellers that have other modern cards that are hyped right now because it’s rare but not as rare as some other cards
So basically I consider a card a grail depending on how rare it is.
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As a Pikachu collector the Snap Pikachu is the “Grail” chase for me. I’ve already realized many years ago that the odds of me obtaining the card are smaller than me graded a PSA 3.5.
My realistic “Grail” would be the 1996 Coro Coro ‘Ivy’ Pikachu PSA 10 Glossy incorrect Illustrator. Zero copies exist of the card in any grade higher than 9 from any company. Finding one still sealed with the Jigglypuff is extremely rare! They do exist and I’ve seen them but I doubt collectors have the nerve to peel it and send it off for grading. Maybe once I’ve run out of collecting goals I’d buy a few unpeeled and try to grade it. (Doubtfull)
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Saving is a part of the grail chase. The hours you have to put in, regardless, is imo a grail pursuit
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when it has umbreon and a moon on it
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I think a nice signature or uv rays can turn the most lame card into a grail
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