Hello and welcome to my collection thread. Enjoy! 
(Here’s some fitting music to listen to while your reading because reading the entire thread can take up to 30 minutes) 
Let’s get started shall we!
Added a picture of my three portfolio with vintage cards and in the center is my pokédex collection binder which is my main collection.
how I do my version of the Pokédex collection:
A different name for my Pokédex could be “the one of each collection” because I try to get one of everything I learned in the Pokédex. This is information like what sets exist and in what language. Also info like how and where the cards are made to what errors exist. To do this I need to choose certain Pokémon to be the card from a specific set so I can have the information that I want to have in the collection. I try to choose cards with my favorite artwork but that is not always possible and it does bring tough choices with it but that is one of the things I like about it. So basically it is a giant puzzle with allot of information in it.
my TCG history:
Summary
I loved collecting and trading cards with my friends when I was a kid but I didn’t have the money to try and complete sets. Now that I think about it, collecting sets never crossed my mind even then. I did however had the idea to collect the Pokédex an try to get as much holos in it as possible but I did not get very far though. When the hype for collecting went down here in Europe my few cards eventually ended up in the attic and a bunch even got sold to buy my game boy advance if I remember correctly. Fast forward to 2015 and that’s when I found my remainder of cards in the attic, I was overjoyed and felt the need to continue on my quest to complete the Pokédex. I bought around 10 holos or something and I remember thinking that this was way to expensive for my budget and I had to stop collecting again. (Heh, if I had known then what I know now. 
) And so we arrive at the 2020 lockdown, a friend of mine got into collecting cards again and he gave me that spark that would make me complete my Pokédex and turn it into the monster/ beauty it is today.
my motivation:
Summary
From the beginning I knew that I wanted fewer cards that hold more value instead of thousands of cards with the same total value because I don’t see myself holding onto boxes full of cards for a long time but three or four binders shouldn’t be a problem. My main reason for collecting now is that nostalgia of the early days that gave me so much good memory’s and also the fun of collecting I guess, sometimes I think not much explanation is needed to enjoy something. While researching I learned that Belgium printed allot of cards witch created my interest for the printing process and printing locations and I hope to one day recognize Belgium printed cards. Because I collect the Pokédex in the way that I do I started to see allot of differences in the cards. This was a big drive force for me because I kept finding new things and I’m sure I’m not even halfway there. I also think that the reason I like searching for these very small differences in the cards is mainly because there are just so many to find. In the first sets a lot of changes/ mistakes where made and because these variations are there to find I enjoy looking for them.
how I choose cards:
Summary
First of all I wanted to say that I buy damaged cards because it is not possible for me to buy all these cards in near mint condition because of my budget. So The more I learned what cards are out there while starting up this Pokédex project my vision for where to go started to get shape. The idea is that everything I learned I want to be able to show of in this one Pokédex. This means that I have to compile a list of everything that I know and then choose certain cards to represent certain info. this can mean one of each set and one of each language but also things like error cards that hold info on how these cards where made and certain variations that proof printing locations. This means that the cards in the dex can be changed as long as the info it holds stays in the binder through another card and this way I try to search for what cards I like the most and then see what info it holds and how I can use it. this also means that sometimes I have some though decisions to make because I have to choose one card for the binder even though I like multiples of certain Pokémon. Most of the time I then choose the card that holds the most information value and the others I had to choose from I put in my side collection binder so that I can have them both but the info that is important is in the dex.
card knowledge:
Summary
Most of the research I have done I have been writing down because I am a forgetful person and also because I feel that the knowledge of the cards is equally important as the cards themselves. If for some reason I have to store my cards away for a long time, I by then will have forgotten all the information on the cards that I have collected but with my research that stays with my cards all the time it would be easy to remember and pick up on my collection. I also have some bonsai and other small collections but with bonsai the main idea is that you make the trees to later pass them on to your grandchildren and I do like that idea, that they get to start with something that already has great age. so if I pass my card collection on to my grandchildren that research must come with it because without that they won’t understand what is out there, what is interesting and why certain cards can be valuable. only time will tell if this actually will happen but the idea is that this information on the cards is so important that without it these cards mean nothing to most people.
moving forward:
Summary
the idea is that this collection can never be completed and that it is meant to be collected for over an entire lifetime. this mainly comes from the upgrading system that I use witch is like a certain card can hold important info but it is possible to find a variant that holds even more info and those cards I see as an upgrade. I do have some collecting goals for the future but I don’t really know yet where I will go because over time my ideas or perspective on things can change. When I started the Pokédex I didn’t know much but the more I researched the more I envisioned where I wanted to go so because I still have allot to learn I think my ideas for the future of my Pokédex will change multiple times down the line. but that is a good thing because like my side collections it is all a bit of trial and error on finding out what I do and don’t like.
enjoying my collection
Summary
One of the reasons I went this in depth with my research is because I do like searching for all this information and finding proof of certain ideas is even more rewarding. Sometimes I do feel like a detective figuring out every aspect of the cards and how they came to be and that is really fun to me. And when I learned of certain differences and then hunted for that card it gets allot of sentimental value I think because every time I see that card I remember the journey I have done to find it. Also, I write down my purchases and because of that I know for every one of my cards who I bought it from and that also adds allot of sentimental value to it witch I feel is very important. I read a topic on the forum on being fulfilled with your collection and sentimental value really is important in my eyes. Because of it I truly love my collection and am thankful for everyone who helped me in any way. 
Wow owkey, that is allot of text but I wanted to share my drive for collecting and also how my Pokédex came to be because it is a very big journey and that journey helps shape the collection to what it is today.
Pokédex main collecting goals:
-as many holos as possible
-one of each holo type
-one of each reverse holo type
-as much 1st edition stamps as possible
-one of each 1st edit stamp type + error type
-one of each set symbol
-one of each rarity symbol type
-one of each language
-one of each promo type
-one of each printing location
-one of each error type
-…
Pokédex side quest ideas:
-proof certain cards come from theme decks
-proof certain cards are BE printed
-make a timeline through card info
-proof printing process through card info
-have more swirls than cards in the pokédex
-have more errors than cards in the pokédex
-…
binder pages Pokédex generation 1
list of info attained in gen 1
-62 holos (3 types)
-13 reverse holo (3 types)
-13 1st edition stamps (2 type + 4 error types)
-5 rarity symbol types
-10 languages
-13 promo types
-5 printing locations
-13 error types
binder pages Pokédex generation 2
list of info attained in gen 2
-44 holos (2 types)
-13 reverse holos (4 types)
-23 1st edition stamps (2 type + 1 error type)
-4 types of rarity symbols
-6 languages
-9 promo types
-3 print locations
-2 error types
binder pages Pokédex generation 2 Unowns
list of info attained for Unowns
-6 1st edition stamps
-3 sets
-3 rarity types
-5 languages
-3 promo types
-3 print locations
-2 error types
summary of my total Pokédex info
-work
-in
-progress
-
my entire Pokémon cards collection:
My entire collection is 4 binders large and may not grow larger because the idea is to upgrade and not expand.
(picture of my entire collection aside from a stack of loose cards)
-My red portfolio holds my main collection. The vintage Pokédex, I call it the “ultimate information Pokédex” or that’s what I’m trying to do at least. 
Behind that I had enough room for my grass energy collection. The front page of the portfolio is showing card backsides and the back page Pokédex trainer cards.
(red portfolio front and back page mini collections in 8 languages)
(grass energy collection) yep that’s me
-My green portfolio holds my side collections like starter Pokémon + Pikachu, promos around the world, changed/ corrected cards and error cards. The front page shows professor Oak trainers and the back page ruin wall trainers.
(green portfolio front and back page mini collections in 8 languages)
(Bulbasaur and Ivysaur collections)
(Charmander and Charmeleon collections)
(Squirtle and Wartortle collections)
(stage 3 starters and Pikachu collection)
-My black portfolio is at the moment filled with random cards in order of energy types. I use it as some sort of support for my Pokédex collection and also to have cards available for research purposes. The front page has Poké ball trainers and the back page shows mysterious fossil trainers.
(black portfolio front and back page mini collections in 8 languages)
-My red ring binderIn the beginning I also started making a modern Pokédex collection but unfortunately I had to stop collecting for it because my budget isn’t high enough to collect both modern and vintage. The intention was to do it in the same way like I do the vintage Pokédex and I could continue on this in the future but right now it’s on hold.
Thanks for watching the main post of my Pokémon cards collection. At first I wanted to make this thread for my Pokédex only but later on I decided to showcase my entire collection here. Please let me know if you liked it or not. all opinions, ideas and input are welcome because everyone has a different way of viewing things and that’s the beauty of it.
(picture of the research I have done so far and my trusty loupe)
other collections
Because I’m a collector of heart I cannot resist showing you all my other small collections. They are less worth then my pokémon cards but they are equally as important to me. ^^
Thanks again for watching!
(thread is still a work in progress)
Now that I have a new phone I intend to make new pictures of my cards but this is a slow process so I will post these in separate posts. There will also be some cards mixed in that are from my side collection because I probably will not make a second thread for my side collections. Enjoy! 
