Pokemon for Collectors Part 2: the Cards

Welcome back to our guide to Pokemon, perhaps the most successful non-sports trading cards in the world.

With the impending 30th anniversary of the Japanese-created Pocket Monsters and a huge sale upcoming courtesy of YouTuber Jake Paul, it’s an exciting time for Pokemon collectors.

Here, we follow on from our introduction with a full breakdown of the Pokemon card universe.

A whole world of Pocket Monsters has followed the first generation of Pokemon into battle. Image courtesy of Pokemon.

The Pokemon cards

If you look back you’ll see our introduction tells you that Pokemon was born as a video game before cards were introduced.

From Japan it went to the US and it’s also been published in the UK and Europe, though, the whole franchise can be considered genuinely global in these internet-connected times.

There are now 1,025 Pokemon species (1,164 with all possible variants), which are recorded in a Pokedex that is divided into national and regional sections.

There are 18 Pokemon regions across the entire world the creatures inhabit.

The cards have been released in Generations.

They are:

Pokemon first generation.

Released between 1996 and 2000.

Contains 150 main species. They are native of the Kanto region.

Mew, a Mythical Pokemon, is also in this release to make a total of 151 Pokemon.

Mew, who is considered very cool. Image Pokémon series artwork by Ken Sugimori.

Generation II

Released between 1999 and 2002.

Numbered from 152 to 251 in the Pokedex, the first revealed was Togepi, though Chikorita is the lowest numbered. They are from the Johto region.

Generation III

Released between 2002 and 2006.

Kecleon was the first Gen II released, followed by 134 other new species numbered from 252 to 135, who are natives of Hoenn region.

Generation IV

From 387 Turtwig to 493 Arceus and native to Sinnoh there are 107 species in Generation IV.

Arceus strides into the Pokemon world. Image courtesy of Bulbagarden.

Generation V

Released between 2010 - 2013.

Generation VI

Released from 2013 - 2016 with 72 new species from Kalos (Pokemon France) from 650 to 721.

This is the first generation to include Mega Evolutions and Fairy Pokemon.

Generation VII

Published between 2016 and 2019 for Pokemon’s 20th anniversary, meaning there were lots of specials included in the new cards among 88 new species from 722 (Rowlet) to 809 (Melmetal).

Rowlet looks friendly enough, but... Image courtesy of Pokemon.

Generation VIII

Printed from 2019 - 2022 with an England-inspired region called Galar, and with 96 new species of Pokemon numbered from 810 to 905.

There were some new game features and a new series called Pokémon Legends: Arceus,

Generation IX

The current generation, for now, in January 2026 has introduced Pokemon to take us up to 1,025.

Sets

Within generations are multiple sets of cards.

It’s not possible to do a comprehensive description of them here.

They are released as base sets and expansion packs.

There are too many to list here and it’s worth looking at a specialist Pokemon site (the bulbagarden site is enormous and comprehensive) to read up on them.

If it's not in Bulbapedia is it even worth knowing? A huge Pokemon resource and community collectors should be aware of. Image courtesy Bulbapedia.

Rarity in Pokemon cards

Like many collectibles, Pokemon cards have had two lives.

And the current releases also exist in two worlds.

It’s in these contradictions that rarities are produced.

The accidental Pokemon rarities

You could easily use baseball cards as a proxy model for Pokemon here.

Although the match isn’t entirely exact, you can see similarities.

A cheap, ephemeral product aimed to be used by kids - in quite rough-and-tumble ways - that isn’t going to last.

So, the first Pokemon rarities are cards that survive when they weren’t really expected to survive.

But, Pokemon is also a dual-use product.

It’s a card game.

And a collecting and trading game.

Which means that rarity is built into the product - some cards are few and far between from the off.

These will be desirable.

They’re often distinguished by holograms and other special printing effects.

And, at the top end of the price list are the real scarcities - the competition prizes, the promos, the prototypes and some very rare errors.

To rarity we must add desirability.

A great image on a very rare card makes for a collector's favourite and a highly valuable Pokemon.

Pokemon is a very visual phenomenon.

And, some cards look better than others in the opinion of buyers.

Here’s a great example of one of the historically valuable cards, that was sold for $420,000 in 2022.

The Holo 1st edition Charizard from 1999.

This is early in Pokomon history. It’s a base game card, but a rare one, with holographic printing. And, it’s the first edition.

To quote Vaulted’s assessment: “This vivid depiction captures not only the card's essence but also the mythical allure of Charizard, immortalized in the Pokémon universe.This iconic card, recognized as one of Pokémon's most beloved, transcends popularity.”

And, the most valuable example is one of 3,000 graded cards, but one of only 121 to get the top condition grading.

The perfect collector’s card.

Should collectors buy new Pokemon cards?

Absolutely.

Whenever we write for collectors we assume one thing.

They love what they collect.

The Pokemon game logo. It's what is at the heart of all of this. Image by Nintendo via Bulbapedia.

There is a monetary aspect to this, for some collectors, but almost everyone gets into stamps, or death metal t-shirts, or Pokemon because they like them.

So, you’ll naturally want to get the latest Pokemon.

Most people will want to complete sets, it’s what collectors do.

And Pokemon is very keen to encourage you to try to do it. Because they sell more cards.