Everyone has their own collection goals. The hobby is so big, its likely you have more than 1 “goal” with your collection. Some goals might be easy, others might be difficult.
What is your hierarchy of needs for Pokemon collecting?
Here’s mine:
/__\ => Master Set Dragonite PSA 10 (i will never achieve this… 100% an aspirational goal)
/____\ => Sealed Products, mostly Modern Japanese Sets (ongoing fun!)
/______\ => Dragonites and other random cards I like (ongoing fun!)
/________\ => Base Set Unlimited (complete!)
/\_\_\ => Entire English WOTC Unlimited in PSA 9. Even commons and promos. (Barely started)
/\_\_\_\_\ => One of each WOTC Unlimited Booster box (Only have Base Set so far)
/______\ => PSA 10 master sets of Evolutions and Generations (every card) (None yet. Tons at PSA)
/________\ => Casually collecting modern. Each time a set comes out open some, keep some sealed. (Ongoing)
More information:
I have a strong connection to vintage, particularly WOTC-era since I grew up with it. My ultimate goal is to own every card from that era in PSA 9. They don’t have to be first edition, and they don’t have to be gem mint. Just a mint example of each card, including commons and uncommons. I would also like one of each booster box. At least the original trio of Base, Jungle, Fossil. Currently I have just a Base Set box.
I came back to the hobby in 2016 after a decade+ hiatus. Generations and Evolutions were the sets that brought me back. I would love to own master sets of each in PSA 10. This one is immensely ambitious considering how hard it is to grade Evolutions holos… I have a ton of these cards at PSA right now. Some have been there for nearly a year.
More realistically, I buy booster boxes and ETBs every time a new modern set comes out. Some I keep sealed, others I crack. I don’t bother trying to complete the modern sets, there are too many cards… I just like to experience a little of each one.
/\_\_\ => Grade my collection so I'm ready to sell extras when the next boom hits
/____\ => Feed my addiction through the buying and opening of booster boxes
/______\ => Deepest ink versions of 1st ed and Shadowless Base holo trio (if you know you know)
/________\ => More booster boxes
/__________\ => More 4/102
/__\ => Holo shift errors and unusual Chansey cards, No. 1 girl trainer
/____\ => Trophies
/______\ => Complete WOTC binder set
/________\ => Modern full arts and cool cards
/__\ => AzulRyu’s Snap Gyarados
/____\ => For PSA to return my order from 2016
/______\ => For PSA to return my order from 2018
/________\ => For PSA to return my order from 2019
/_\ => Complete Magnemite collection (I have a fear of Kor Base 1st/UED’s rarity)
/___\ => Obtain Polish/Russian Magnemites, complete Portuguese Mites, complete English Metagross collection (mostly just Metagross gold star here)
/______\ => Complete Dutch/French/German/Italian/Spanish Mites, English Beldum/Metang (sans Stadium)/Magneton/Magnezone
/________\ => Complete English/Japanese Mites (Almost done)
Chinese, Thai, Indonesian are unranked for no good reason.
/__\ => Finish my Johto Starter pokedoll goals and the 3 Giant legendary dog pokemon nyc plush
/____\ => Continue to collect my psa 9-10s of the Johto Starter Evolutions
/______\ => Possibly move towards doing a complete neo wotc 1st ed binder set
/________\ => Always buy merch and fun johto related anything items. (and all the dedennes )
/__\ => Complete binder set of the 1st 6 English sets, Base through Gym
/____\ => 1st ed. binder sets for as many WotC sets as possible (making decent progress on Jungle, Rocket and Neo Genesis so far, not sure I’ll ever complete holos though)
/______\ => Master sets for my 2 favorite non-Starter/non-Legendary (aka achievable) evolution chains: Diglett/Dugtrio & Seel/Dewgong (~50-60% complete)
/________\ => Random interests (vintage Japanese holos/sets, Japanese VS, WotC/Nintendo promos, and if prices ever come down, sealed vintage packs/theme decks… if prices ever come down, my hopes aren’t high for that one)
/__\ => 1st Ed Neo Revelation Suicune Holo PSA 10. Theres only 30 I think? I want one more than anything else on the list.
/____\ => A sealed collection of every ETB ever released, including Pkmn center ones
/______\ => Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge blister packs in really good condiition
/________\ => Near mint collection of every Suicune card ever printed, all variants like reverse holos, cosmos holo, etc. Both English & Japanese (I’m like 20% done…)
I’d count cameos under English Mites. I’m primarily focusing on the art of those so it’s an excuse to not have to get the Computer Search ace spec, 1st eds, all 5 Super Scoop Ups (though I might get 3-4 for the reverse holos) and the one illustration contest Zorua that has half a Magnemite in the corner.
@coil, ah, I remember when I had the same innocence, confident I didn’t need to include foreign language unique art cameos. I recommend tracking down that Zorua. LOL!
I ordered mine from most to least difficult, top to bottom:
/\_\_\ => Complete every English set
/\_\_\_\ => Obtain an Art Academy Gourgeist
(Big gap here)
/______\ => Complete binders of all 11 English BW sets
/________\ => Complete NM-M binder of all English BW Holo Rares, EX/FA/SR
/__________=> Random collection desires I find along the way
Ah yes, the foundation of everyone’s collection… Aka the impulse purchases made while browsing ebay at midnight that you hadn’t even considered buying before
/\_\ => No. 1 Trainer (2001 or 2002)
/\_\_\_\ => Illusion's Zorua (Pokémon Fan winner Izumi Sakaga)
/\_\_\_\_\_\ => Tropical Tidal Wave 2010 (One of each in Eng/JP)
/_______\ => All cameos and variants in Eng/JP that are under $150 each [86% complete]
/_________\ => All main cards and variants of Marill/Azumarill/Azurill in Eng/JP [complete]
I would love to be able to buy the tropical tidal waves at some point next year, but realistically I think that might be the highest I will get to on the pyramid
I don’t bother trying to complete the modern sets, there are too many cards… I just like to experience a little of each one.
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