I’ve saved this picture many years ago from an already completed auction. I have lowkey tried to find them a few times, but without much luck.
I’m mostly curious about how these were released. So if anyone has any info about their origin, I’d love to know. Maybe an insert in some kind of magazine?
The Pikachu on the left is originally from the Intense Fight in the Destroyed Sky set of July 10th, 2008 (the last/sixth DP era set), and the one on the right from the Advent of Arceus set of July 8th, 2009 (the last/fourth DPt era set).
Tagging some experts in identifying random Japanese stuff: @rainbow@sableguy.
I don’t recall seeing them. I don’t actually collect or follow the Japanese TCG, which is not out of snobbery, it’s just not in my wheel house, which isn’t very helpful in this instance. I did a quick search for these, but it was fruitless.
I do have a few initial thoughts though in the absence of substance.
It’s interesting they are both in the same style given the cards they contain are from sets a year apart from each other. That design choice makes it seem like the sheets were likely released at the same time.
But if that’s the case, why not have them randomised? Instead they are front facing, which is a deviation from the norm. I suppose they could have been peeled and replaced back into the sheet though, but the backs contain gold borders typically.
The manufacturing layout is exactly the same as the old McDonald’s sheets (even the ‘peel neatly from here’ text). They don’t appear to have been attached to a magazine in the same way many of the others have been (note all edges are finished, with rounded corners).
I would have thought they would likely have been promo cards if they were attached to a product for sale? Which makes me wonder if they were part of a more direct campaign to drum up interest in the TCG in some public way.
Thanks for those links. They’re indeed fairly similar to the McDonald’s ADV promos!
Searching for ‘unpeeled promo 2009’ I’ve actually came across the 048/DPt-P promo Ultimate Zone with the same unpeeled background as those two Pikachu, making what you write in point 2 pretty interesting:
Maybe it’s the peeled Ultimate Zone promo cardboard, where someone put those two random Pikachu cards into for some reason.
EDIT: Then again, although it’s very hard to see, I think the Pikachu are still attached to the cardboard:
EDIT2: Just bought the cheapest 048/DPt-P Ultimate Zone I could find, to verify whether its back is glossy or not (if it is, and these Pikachu peelable Pikachu are legit, I might have two new Pikachu to try and locate for my collection ). It was only 3.63 bucks, so I have no issue just buying it to verify in person. I hope it’s non-glossy..
This is fascinating! A quick reverse Google Image search didn’t find any similar inserts with Pikachus in them, but I do agree with you that it looks like the Pikachu cards are attached somehow. Both of the inserts have this same little dot halfway up the card. That said, it could be the case that this was residual from when the other card was removed, and the Pikachus were still added in after.
Will be interested to see if you find that the other card has a glossy back or not. Please report your findings!
EDIT: I wonder if those “attachment dots” on the Pikachus are just left over from when the Ultimate Zone card was removed? You can see the same thing in this photo you shared.
I came across these, unsure of the contents of the 2009 packs on the side. The second image also shows 2 card backs, not sure if that could indicate something is inside. It’s hard to translate the stylized text.
I believe your Pikachu’s may be hiding in the 2009 booster packs seen on the side according to this website. I’m not sure if a peelable sheet would fit in a pack though
Have seen this before with a few different cards. 99% certain they have just placed these cards into an empty peeled promo sheet.
When you peel the cards from the sheet theres no joining points, just a slightly sticky back, so you can place whatever you want in those without any sign of “tampering”
Update, and not what I was expecting tbh, but the Ultimate Zone promo arrived at my US middleman and he mentioned it does have a glossy back..
So now the question still remains: are those two Pikachu just placed inside already peeled Ultimate Zone cardboards, or are there two new Pikachu variants with Glossy backs I’ve got to look for for my collection.
). It was only 3.63 bucks, so I have no issue just buying it to verify in person. I hope it’s non-glossy.. 
