Here’s the start of my Raichu collection. I’m really excited for the next few upcoming mail days! Almost all of these cards will eventually be sent out to PSA, as soon as the estimated wait time for grading isn’t 1,047 business days. Suicune is there because…shut up that’s why! I love the artwork on that non-holo Fossil Raichu. Here’s an instance where I strongly feel that the non-holo version of the card looks drastically better than its holo counterpart.
Nostalgia story-time:
I remember when I was about 9 years old, my first time ever stepping foot into a card shop. It was late afternoon, and I had been dragged all around town doing errands with my mom. Of course, Pokemon was on my mind over the course of the entire time, and I made sure to bring along my little Blastoise pencil-topper figure. Blastoise and I went on tons of adventures that day: defeating Mewtwo in the Dollar Store, saving Misty from Team Rocket in Walgreens, and having a final showdown with my rival’s Charizard in Acme. We took a less familiar route home that day, and passed a store called Ontario Street Flea Market about midway on the journey home. I saw a Pokemon sign in the window and begged my mom to go in. She was clearly tired from being forced into all of my Pokemon encounters at the stores, but she took me into the shop anyway. I’ll never forget my first impression of this place. There were more toys than I had ever seen before in one place. There were Pokemon and Digimon posters covering the walls, plushies everywhere, action figures galore, and a series of TVs all playing an episode of Dragon Ball Z. The shop was PACKED with kids. They were all congregated around a particular glass case at the front of the shop. I had to see what all the commotion was about. I squeezed my way through the crowd, and saw something that would completely change everything. It was a new set of Pokemon cards that was just released. I remember gawking at those Lapras, Zapdos, and Aerodactyl packs with the red-stamped Fossil logo on the front. The shop keeper had the entire set on display, with individual cards for purchase. The art and colors were amazing. The vivid purple of Slowbro, the bright orange of Golem, and the menacing claw swipe of Golduck made my heart race. I was trying my best to look past all the other kids at each and every card. I didn’t want to miss a thing, not a single detail. And then I saw it, the green and orange electric burst from the back of a non-holo Raichu. I decided that was the card for me. I loved Raichu. I didn’t really know much about it, but I knew that it was the bigger, badder, and dare I say, better, evolved form of Pikachu. An improvement to Pikachu in every way, as far as I was concerned. I had to have it. I asked my mom, “Please can I have Raichu, PLEEEAASE??” But the $9 price tag on the single was too much for my mom to entertain. She just didn’t understand. Instead, she let me pick three singles for $3, of which I chose those same Golduck, Slowbro, and Golem cards that shaped my initial impression of the set. We left and I knew that I was destined to have a Raichu of my own. A few weeks later, my grandma heard that I was obsessed with Pokemon. She came to pick me up after school one day, and low and behold, she had a FOSSIL pack for me!!! I was ecstatic. I had to open it up right then and there. As I flipped through the cards, I was excited but nervous. I was hoping that my Raichu would appear. Card after card I flipped, waiting for my Raichu to come home to me. Then you’ll never believe what happened…I pulled a non-holo Dragonite as my rare. I was so disappointed, yet overcome with happiness at the same time. We went home that day, with my desire of owning a Raichu at an all time high. Days went by, then weeks, then months…
Then on Christmas day, I finally pulled a non-holo Raichu from a pack and stuck it in my binder. I was now obsessed with DBZ and couldn’t wait to open my new Vegeta action figure that I saw my mom buy me from a Kmart a few weeks prior. She didn’t think I saw, but I saw.
TL;DR - I saw Raichu in a card shop, was obsessed with it for a few months, then opened one in a pack and stuck it in my binder. DBZ was my new jam by then.
Fun fact: The non-holo Fossil Raichu in the pic below is that same Raichu I pulled in 1999 on Christmas. And it’s still minty fresh!
Edit: 12/16/20
Here are some cards for my next PSA submission. These are all cards from my childhood, besides the Tag Team Gengar & Mimikyu, that are still in beautiful condition and worthy of grading.
Another Nostalgia Story-time:
It was a hot, summer afternoon. I was over my grandpa’s house visiting. I was bored sitting around watching afternoon TV, so went outside and started playing with some of the local kids. Of course we were playing Pokemon, but a kind of live-action Pokemon, where we played both the trainers and the mons. I was playing the part of Blastoise, and just got finished drenching a poor Rapidash. A few kids were walking down the street, all looking at something in the hands of the boy at the front of the group. They seemed excited, so being the social butterfly that I used to be, I went over and asked them what was up. What I saw made my mouth drop. A…holographic…CHARIZARD! Up to this point, this card was just a myth in my friend circles. No one had pulled the elusive Charizard yet. I immediately said to the kid holding that work of art, “WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR THAT???” He paused and looked at me for a second. I thought for sure he would tell me to get out of his face. He replied, “Whaddya got?” And I knew this was the start of something great. We haggled for a bit, and decided on trading his Charizard, for three of my best holos and $4. I bolted into my grandpa’s house, scooped up my binder, and collapsed in front of my mom, begging for $4. She just asked why I needed it, and I explained that I had a shot at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own CHARIZARD. Surprisingly, she handed me four one dollar bills without much hesitation. Who was this woman? 
With my binder and $4 in hand, I ran faster than what was humanly possible to the Charizard guy. I honestly couldn’t tell you what I gave him along with the $4, because I wasn’t concerned. I would have given him my entire binder. But I walked away with the treasure of a lifetime, a Charizard.
The Base Set Charizard in the pic below is the same Charizard from that day. It’s not in the best condition, but it’s easily one of my most treasured possessions. Thanks again, Ma!
