Hi! I recently got into collecting Japanese cards. I stumbled across web series. The artwork is super cool even though the art is reprinted. The e series border adds a cool touch to a lot of oldies like dark Charizard and Masaki gengar. What are your thoughts of web series as a set? Rarity, scarcity, etc. Just the idea of having to use a computer in 2001 when computers were still not in every single household adds an interesting element. On top of that, trust in e commerce didn’t exist. I find it kinda crazy that you had to buy these packs online to get them. Thoughts?
Personally, I like it as a set. It’s a great selection of artworks. Not exceedingly rare but more rare than most sets.
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I think it would be cool to have as a binder set. I haven’t really looked at too many of the cards in the overall set until now, but just a glance at the cards and prices tells me I think I’d rather just own the originals instead. I DID recently get the Web Magikarp in a PSA 10 and I love it. I’m pretty aware that I may never own an actual Unikarp but I’m really happy to have the artwork. 10/10 Magikarp.
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Unikarp from web series is definitely a cool card. I like that web also has the 1st edition stamp. Maybe even potential difficulty to grade given that the cards could easily crease the corners in the packs?
@rainbowneosking,it depends on the seller how they take good care of the packs/cards.
I’m still waiting for my kadabra and alakazam from psa
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My Magikarp has the 1st edition stamp and I personally like the 1st edition stamp, but a while ago there was this thread going on about how unlimited is potentially more scarce than 1st edition. Here it is in case you’re interested in reading it.
www.elitefourum.com/t/is-1st-ed-web-series-rarer-than-unlimited/25136/1
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Yeah I saw that thread a while back. It kinda goes into a tangent and starts talking about the holo serial numbers. I don’t think the unlimited print is more scarce. It just looks that way because of course people prefer to sub 1st Ed cards over unlim which is why its higher in the pop report.
It is probably the weirdest Pokemon set ever made. I have tried to understand the logic behind the choice of reprints, but have failed. There are cards from base, jungle and rocket and reprints of various obscure Japanese promos from all sorts of origins. The set on its own is completely unplayable, for instance there are no basic starters in the set despite of having both dark and normal ivysaur/charmeleon/wartortle. Hard to tell what the actual purpose was? I picked up a bunch of the Web cards as a kid including Dark Blastoise and the bird trio when the set was new back in 2001 from an adult guy that used to buy all the new releases from Japan. So I have a lot of nostalgia for the Web set, and still think it is one of the coolest sets out there regardless of its potential rarity. Since it is only 48 cards (49 if you include the Bill promo), it is a perfect binder set.
In terms of rarity, it’s for shure rarer than other reprint sets like Base 2 or Legendary collection. Out of those three, it has also easily the best artworks. The bird trio stands out in particular for me. In my opinion these cards look 10 times better in the Web version compared to the Blackstar version.
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For what I say and dont take my word as a fact, is rares or scarcer than let’s say vending machine or VS set. At least you see it pop up way less often.
I’m currently trying to finish collecting this set. Just missing Masaki Gengar, the three birds, and the team rocket trainer. If I may offer some advice, look on Japanese proxy sites for the rarer cards. Stuff like Rocket’s Meowth, Dragonite, Surfing Pikachu etc rarely show up on eBay, and when they do they are usually double or triple the price of what you can find on the proxy sites.
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Are you collecting them graded or raw. 1st Ed or unlim? I have a few ungraded copies if you would like to trade. It’s up there with my favorite sets. And I’m falling down the rabbit hole of Japanese promos like the VS movie cards. Just picked up a psa 10 alto mare latias. It’s a beauty.
I love the WEB set, its odd but unique in ways that I’m fine with. The fact that its only so little holos makes it easy for some of us to complete. I do find the unlimited versions more common than 1st edition. I remember digging into this set years ago and found a near complete set for less than 50 dollars. Now im just on the search for 3 cards to complete my 1st ed set
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I’m doing raw 1st ed. I might do an unlim set of the holos and rares. And oh man, those Japanese promos are going to be the death of me. So many good ones and so many I want to buy. The next set I want to do is the VS series, I would love to do graded, but that’s just too much for me. What do you have ungraded and what are you looking for, I might be able to trade.