The Origin of Pokémon Cards: How a Game Changed the World

Published by ChariCards | July 2026 | Sources cited throughout

Introduction

Few cultural phenomena have had the staying power of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. What began as a Japanese collectible card game in 1996 has grown into a global industry worth billions of pounds, with cards regularly selling for tens of thousands — and in some cases, millions — at auction. But how did it all start? This is the factual, documented story of the Pokémon TCG's initial release.

The Origins: Media Mix and Satoshi Tajiri's Vision

Pokémon was created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, co-founders of the game development studio Game Freak. Tajiri's childhood passion for collecting insects inspired the core concept: catch, collect, and trade creatures. The first Pokémon video games — Pocket Monsters Red and Green — launched in Japan on 27 February 1996 for the Nintendo Game Boy, published by Nintendo.

The franchise was designed from the outset as a media mix — games, anime, manga, and merchandise working in tandem. The Trading Card Game was a deliberate extension of this strategy.

The Birth of the Pokémon TCG: Creatures Inc. and Media Factory

The Pokémon Trading Card Game was developed by Creatures Inc. (then known as Ape Inc.), one of the three companies that jointly own the Pokémon IP alongside Nintendo and Game Freak. The card game was published in Japan by Media Factory.

The game's mechanics were designed by Tsunekaz Ishihara, who would later become President of The Pokémon Company. Ishihara drew inspiration from the existing Magic: The Gathering TCG, which had launched in 1993 and demonstrated that collectible card games could be a commercially viable format.

Illustrators were recruited — most notably Ken Sugimori (who had designed the original Pokémon artwork for the video games), alongside artists such as Mitsuhiro Arita, Keiji Kinebuchi, and Koichi Ooyama. These artists produced the iconic Base Set illustrations that collectors still prize today.

Japan Launch: October 1996

The Pokémon TCG officially launched in Japan on 20 October 1996 — just eight months after the video games. The initial Japanese release consisted of what is now referred to as the Expansion Pack (拡張パック), containing 102 cards across multiple rarities: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Rare Holo.

The 102-card set included:

• 16 Holographic Rare cards — the most sought-after, featuring a shimmering foil background
• 16 non-Holographic Rare cards
• 32 Uncommon cards
• 38 Common cards

The iconic Charizard (card #4/102 in the English set) was among the holographic rares, as were Blastoise, Venusaur, and Mewtwo. Charizard's status as the most powerful-looking card in the set — combined with its role as a fan favourite — made it the most coveted card from day one.

Booster packs in Japan contained 10 cards and retailed for approximately ¥300 (roughly £1.50–£2.00 at 1996 exchange rates). Starter decks were also available.

The English-Language Launch: Wizards of the Coast, 1998

The international rollout of the Pokémon TCG was handled by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) — the same company behind Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. Nintendo licensed the TCG rights to WotC for North America and international markets.

The English Base Set launched in the United States on 9 January 1999, coinciding with the peak of Pokémon's Western cultural explosion, driven by the anime series airing on 4Kids Entertainment and the release of Pokémon Red and Blue for Game Boy in September 1998.

Key facts about the English Base Set:

• 102 cards total (matching the Japanese set)
• Booster packs contained 11 cards (one more than Japan) and retailed for approximately $3.29 USD
• Two-player starter decks retailed for approximately $9.99 USD
• Cards featured the now-iconic "Wizards of the Coast" copyright line on the bottom, a key identifier for collectors
• First print runs are identifiable by the absence of a set symbol (later printings added a small symbol to denote the set)

The UK received the English Base Set shortly after the US launch, in early 1999, through the same WotC distribution network.

Shadowless vs. Unlimited: Why Print Run Matters

Collectors distinguish between three key print runs of the English Base Set, each with significant differences in value:

1. 1st Edition (First Print) — Identified by a "Edition 1" stamp on the left side of the card image and a shadow-free card border. These are the rarest and most valuable. A PSA 10 Gem Mint 1st Edition Charizard sold for $420,000 USD at PWCC Auctions in March 2022.
2. Shadowless (Second Print) — No "Edition 1" stamp, but still lacks the drop shadow on the card image box. Rarer than Unlimited but less so than 1st Edition.
3. Unlimited (Third Print onwards) — Features a drop shadow on the card image box. The most common version, produced in the largest quantities.

The 1st Edition print run was intentionally limited — WotC underestimated demand significantly. By mid-1999, Pokémon cards were in such short supply that retailers were rationing packs, and the secondary market was already booming.

The Pokémon Craze of 1999

The scale of the Pokémon TCG's success in 1999 was unprecedented for a trading card game. By the end of 1999:

• Over 4 billion cards had been produced worldwide (source: The Pokémon Company)
• Schools across the UK and US began banning Pokémon cards due to playground trading disputes and gambling concerns
• WotC reported that Pokémon had become the best-selling TCG in the world, surpassing Magic: The Gathering
• The Pokémon: The First Movie (1998 in Japan, 1999 internationally) included promotional cards in cinema ticket packages, further driving demand

Notable Cards from the Original Base Set

For reference, here are the 16 holographic rares from the original Base Set — the cards that defined a generation:

The End of the WotC Era

Wizards of the Coast published the Pokémon TCG internationally from 1998 until July 2003, producing sets including Jungle, Fossil, Team Rocket, Gym Heroes, Gym Challenge, Neo Genesis, Neo Discovery, Neo Revelation, Neo Destiny, Legendary Collection, Expedition, Aquapolis, and Skyridge.

In 2003, Nintendo reclaimed the TCG licence and established Pokémon USA (now The Pokémon Company International) to publish the game directly. The transition occurred with the EX Ruby & Sapphire set in July 2003.

WotC-era cards — particularly 1st Edition Base Set holos — remain the most valuable Pokémon cards in existence. The grading industry (PSA, BGS, CGC) has been significantly shaped by demand for authenticated WotC-era cards.

Legacy and Current Value

The Pokémon TCG is now in its Scarlet & Violet era (as of 2026), with The Pokémon Company International reporting cumulative sales of over 43 billion cards worldwide as of 2022 (source: The Pokémon Company press release, 2022).

The original Base Set cards have become blue-chip collectibles:

• PSA 10 1st Edition Charizard — sold for $420,000 USD (PWCC, March 2022)
• PSA 10 1st Edition Blastoise — sold for $360,000 USD (Heritage Auctions, 2021)
• Illustrator Pikachu (Promo) — sold for $5.275 million USD (Goldin Auctions, July 2022) — the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold at auction

Sources & Further Reading

• The Pokémon Company — Official corporate history: pokemon.com
• Bulbapedia — Pokémon TCG Base Set documentation: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net
• PSA Card — Population reports and auction records: psacard.com
• PWCC Auctions — $420,000 Charizard sale record: pwccmarketplace.com
• Goldin Auctions — Illustrator Pikachu $5.275M sale: goldin.co
• Heritage Auctions — Blastoise sale record: ha.com
• Nintendo — Game Boy Pokémon Red/Green release history
• Wizards of the Coast — Historical TCG publishing records
• The Pokémon Company press release (2022) — 43 billion cards milestone

Image usage note: All images used in this article are either in the public domain, sourced from Wikimedia Commons under appropriate licences, or used under UK fair dealing provisions for the purpose of reporting and commentary (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s.30). No copyrighted card artwork has been reproduced. Trademark references to Pokémon, Nintendo, Wizards of the Coast, and related brands are used for journalistic identification purposes only.

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