The wait for the 25th anniversary set is finally over, and Pokémon Celebrations is here. The new set, which released to the general public on Oct. 8, commemorates this generational franchise. Along with the reprints of the iconic cards and fan favorites we remember, some Pokémon will receive that retro treatment bringing back old mechanics to create new cards such as Light Toxtricity, Mimikyu δ and Gold Star Greninja. It will take you back to those days where you “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” Before we get the chance to add these cards to our Set Registry, let’s look at some of the cards that we will get to see again when we rip the Celebrations packs.
Kicking things off, who hasn’t heard of Base Set, and most importantly, the starter evolutions, Blastoise, Charizard and Venusaur? This trio will forever be tied together as they represented our very first Pokémon when playing the video games. Blastoise is the turtle with cannons drawn by legendary artist Ken Sugimori. Another legendary artist, Mitsuhiro Arita, drew the iconic Charizard and a blooming Venusaur. The average APR (Auction Price Realized) of their 1st Edition runs at $35,881 for a PSA GEM-MT 10 Blastoise, $350,100 for Charizard, and $20,489 for Venusaur. These three epitomize the basics of Pokémon battles, which ultimately comes down to a form of rock, paper, scissors. In this case, water beats fire, fire beats grass and grass beats water.
Everyone will want their hands on Gold Star Umbreon. It was originally released in the promotional set for Pokémon Organized Play called POP Series 5. Umbreon is displayed in its shiny form with blue rings instead of yellow. The artwork leaps out of the normal borders drawn by Masakazu Fukuda who drew all the Gold Star cards. The average APR for a PSA 10 of this card sits at $15,050 with a low PSA population of 50. Being an Eeveelution means that it will easily attract fans. The Gold Star Master Set is difficult to put together but showcases the Shiny Pokémon in a way we had not seen before.
Here’s a card perfect for the occasion, 2000 Pokémon Promo Birthday Pikachu Black Star #24. This card was made available in English through a Wizards of the Coast mail campaign where fans were asked to create their own Pokémon card. Pikachu is seen with a birthday cake ready to celebrate and illustrated by Kagemaru Himeno. The average APR for a PSA 10 is $2,133. There is no better way to celebrate 25 years than with the Pokémon that holds the 25thPokédex entry.
The Pokémon Celebrations set lives up to its name. This set is a thank you to the fans who have been there since day one and the ones who have hopped on board along the way. The original cards may be difficult to acquire, but this set gives you a chance to add the iconic cards to your collection. Creating new cards by using old mechanics is also a welcomed addition that gives new Pokémon a nostalgic touch. When you get your cards graded by PSA, you will want to add them to your Set Registry. Ultimately, Celebrations will be an overall fun set to collect. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
