Is there a card you just, wanted? No matter what condition, grade, company slab, you just wanted it? What was it?
For me I’m currently looking at the Squirtle/Charmander Mcdonald’s Promo. I’m likely not unique to this but they are just so freaking cool.
The eight Pikachu I’m still missing to complete my Pikachu sub-collection. 
Couldn’t care less if they’re torn in half and put back together with tape tbh. Although I’m pretty sure even those HP copies would still be at least 25k in this market (for the five Japanese Pikachu I’m missing I mean).. 
But apart from that, there have been some cards in the past I loved the artworks of and I’ve bought immediately after I first saw them. But most of them weren’t too expensive as NM card (at the time). I don’t buy cards like that outside of my collection goals too often, but some that come to mind for which this happened:
Greetz,
Quuador
What is the best Aerodactyl card by a far margin is that? Beautiful, perfectly dspicts it’s origins. Holy.
I somehow almost always miss that Zard and Karp in both cards!
There’s a few I can think I knew I really really wanted to own:
The original bubble Mew
A nasty double holo/holo bleed of the greatest TCG art ever created:
The next best Gary artwork, OBJECTIVELY 
I couldn’t justify paying up for Masaki Disco Gengar at the time but was able to pick up a raw Web version in 2020 for $100 that graded a 10
And I knew once I saw this Himeno hand drawn Gengar I had to have it no matter what
There are more, many more, but I don’t think the market will ever value these guys more than I do.
This card makes me SO SO jealous, just brilliant
Snap Charmander.
Could some rich benevolent person pls help 
Same for me but the whole trio
Jeez, don’t be greedy….
Asking for just one is at least reasonable.
1997 No. 1,2,3 trainers would be my grails. I don’t understand why the illustrator is more expensive, I think these just haven’t gotten the attention. First Pokémon tournament! I’ll never have them though.
In terms of aesthetics, I think the 1997 Carddass No.000 promo is pretty much #1 for me. Don’t care whether it was Sugi or not who painted it. And almost any condition is really fine to see the artwork.
Hard agree on the 000 Carddass checklist, that artwork is front and center collection material. Those who possess it belong to the cabal of all cabals.
The Pikas however would render me homeless
I’ll never be able to finish my Kizuki set because of this card, so I guess this would take the cake
I’ve also always wanted to be able to earn (not buy) any of the Worlds Trophy cards, although I personally wish they didn’t make the move to Full Arts.
This Espeon ex as it’s in my top 5 favorite ex cards, and I wasn’t going to be able to afford a LP copy anytime soon (I’ve also become quite attached to this copy):
I saw this once at my LCS. If I see it once more, I can / will reach out to ya!
