I’ve always preferred the Base Set 2 holofoil cards because they use the same cosmos pattern the early Japanese cards use instead of the lifeless starlight pattern. I’m one of only 4 people who have voted Base Set 2 as their favourite WotC set on www.elitefourum.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-wotc-set-poll/26123/1 and that’s primarily because I felt Base Set 2 took the best parts of the older sets and made them better.
Look at this boring Base Set Clefairy:
Yuck! 
Now look at this awesome Base Set 2 Clefairy:
Perfect! 