What is the most random thing you have discovered about pokemon cards?

[Quuador]

I created a similar thread back in 2018 to which I’ve added things a couple of times:
Random TIL moments

To just quote portions of those facts here:

@Quuador

Italian and German Crystal Boxtoppers were placed on the same uncut sheet:

@Quuador

The Aquapolis set contains a few Pokémon with an set number ‘a’ and ‘b’ variation, like Drowzee (which I personally already knew). What I didn’t know however, is that they are exactly the same card for this set, except for the E-reader dot code at the borders. I always (falsely) assumed they were two of the same cards with different artworks for the ‘a’ and ‘b’ set numbers, like the Yellow A Alternate ‘a’ numbering for the XY era. (Pictures for the Drowzee: 74a/147 and 74b/147.)

@thundermoo

Today I learned that XY generations had a “prototype” plane white booster box handed out to employees but never released. Found a old thread on here talking about it and this one listed on ebay. I remember a deriums video forever ago where he mentioned them as well, but it left my memory until I saw this one.

@rainbowgym

Old Jumbo cards, Best Winner like Rocket’s Sneasel, Dark Ivysaur given out at Leagues were made in 2 “versions” The USA ones on thick cardboard, the European ones on paper.

@Quuador

There are three miniature cards (Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup) from the 7-Eleven PokéBall Lottery campaign. As you can see in the bottom of this picture, they are smaller than regular TCG cards:

@Quuador

The Italian 1st edition non-Holo Fossil Aerodactyl has an English 1st edition symbol instead of an Italian one:

@Quuador

Some Pokémon booster packs had ISBN codes. I always thought ISBN were only used for books, but apparently not.

Here an EX Sandstorm pack with an ISBN:

Source.

Which can even be found at ISBN search websites. Apparently this pack was first sold in September 2003 for 3.29 USD.

@Quuador

The French Eevee from the Jungle Set has the wrong description of Ditto from the Fossil Set:

@Quuador

Another foreign error, French again. The WotC #3 promo is called Deuxmiaou in French, which literally translates to “two meow”:

Even though Mewtwo is still supposed to be called Mewtwo in French (unlike a lot of other French Pokémon)…

@Quuador

Another thing I learned today, although most of you might already know this one:
Articuno; Zapdos; Moltres, where “uno dos tres” is of course “one two three” in Spanish. Never noticed this personally, tbh.

@Quuador

TIL that the foreign VS cards from the Tyranitar Half Deck have the new Japanese back.

@pichufan

Some e-Reader cards have different e-Reader serial number variants.

Kecleon 001/P has 4, Z-01-a to Z-01-d:

@Quuador

And here some TIL for myself today:

• Donphan from the Japanese Neo Genesis (Gold, Silver, to a New World…) set has an error without damage number and a corrected version with 10x damage number
• Japanese Misty’s Seaking from the Misty Theme Deck (Hanada City Gym) has a No. 118 error and No. 119 corrected version
• Japanese Brock’s Zubat from the Brock Theme Deck (Nivi City Gym) has a No. 027 error and No. 041 corrected version
• The Japanese Mewtwo from the Vending Series 3 (Green) has two different textual versions

@Quuador

I’ve just learned that there was a ten-character limit for the names of the first few generations of Pokémon. This is the reason why for example Victreebel is with a single ‘l’ instead of being Victreebell (combination of victory, tree and bell); and why it’s Feraligatr instead of Feraligator (combination of feral and alligator).

@Quuador

TIL that the combined supporter Trainer cards from Cosmic Eclipse are copy-pastes of earlier cards (the background are unique though, since I just checked ):

(With the exception of Lorelei, who’s missing a loose card. The artwork is re-used from the Let’s Go, Pikachu! Let’s Go, Eeevee! game according to Bulbapedia, though.)

@Quuador

Today I learned that the Art Academy Gourgeist (most likely) has the most unique Pokémon in a single TCG artwork. A total of 33 to be exact. (Thanks a lot to @goldcrest who helped me with identifying all of them!)

1. Gourgeist
2. Trevenant
3. Pumpkaboo
4. Chandelure
5. Drifloon
6. Rotom
7. Dusclops
8. Froslass
9. Shedinja
10. Banette
11. Lampent
12. Litwick
13. Yamask
14. Frillish
15. Duskull
16. Sableye
17. Cofagrigus
18. Gengar
19. Dusknoir
20. Spiritomb
21. Golurk
22. Misdreavus
23. Phantump
24. Aegislash (Shield Forme)
25. Golurk
26. Golett
27. Mismagius
28. Gastly
29. Haunter
30. Jellicent
31. Shuppet
32. Giratina
33. Driblim

Some of the unnumbered Japanese Jumbo promo cards from the BW era have around 20 unique Pokémon in the artwork, like the Captain Pikachu promo for example. One card that comes very close with 29 unique Pokémon in its artwork is the Champions Festival from 2019, which has frames hanging on the wall of some of the previous years:

• The one from 2014 has 6 unique Pokémon in its artwork (counting the two different Vivillon forms as one).
• The one from 2016 has 8 unique Pokémon in its artwork
• The one from 2017 has 9 unique Pokémon in its artwork
• The one from 2018 has 8 unique Pokémon in its artwork
• And the one from 2019 above has 7 unique Pokémon in its artwork excluding the frames on the wall

All of them contain a Pikachu and Psyduck though. Also, the frame of the artwork from 2017 is cut off, causing the Rowlett to be out of frame. Adding that all together, there are 6 + (8-2) + (9-2) + (8-2) + (7-2) - 1 = 29 unique Pokémon in the Champions Festival 2019 artwork:

1. Pikachu
2. Psyduck
3. Vivillion (both Modern and Ocean patterns)
4. Froakie
5. Gogoat
6. Braviary
7. Bulbasaur
8. Squirtle
9. Charmander
10. Krabby
11. Wingull
12. Altaria
13. Litten
14. Popplio
15. Alolan Exeggutor
16. Drifloon
17. Pokédex Rotom
18. Shedinja
19. Tauros
20. Loudred
21. Darumaka
22. Meloetta
23. Pom-Pom Style Oricorio
24. Kricketune
25. Eevee
26. Machamp
27. Meltan
28. Rufflet
29. Smeargle

Someone asked this question on reddit (Which artwork features the most Pokémon on a single card?), where I answered the above, and since I thought it was a pretty interesting question I decided to share it here as well.

@Quuador

TIL that although all English Mega Pokémon cards had a Japanese text in the artwork, the Japanese cards only had an English text in their artwork on the Ultra Rare versions. The Secret Rare versions had a Japanese text in the artwork instead. Here for example the four M Charizard EX cards from the Flashfire/Wild Blaze sets:

English Flashfire 13/106 and Japanese M Charizard-EX Mega Battle Deck 002/021 Ultra Rares:

English 69/106 Flashfire and Japanese Wild Blaze 055/080 Ultra Rares:

English Flashfire 107/106 and Japanese Wild Blaze 088/080 Secret Rares:

English Flashfire 108/106 and Japanese Wild Blaze 089/090 Secret Rares:

As you can see, the Japanese Secret Rares have Japanese texts in the artwork as well. Just something I’ve learned just yet and thought was worth sharing.

@Quuador

TIL someone at the Pokémon company didn’t know the alphabet and screwed up the alphabetical order of the 54/109 Koffing and 55/109 Goldeen Commons of the EX Ruby & Sapphire set. I’m putting the 1k+ cards I had in a box in my binders, and noticed it just yet.

@muk

Today I learned that the Unowns on the Japanese Neo Destiny booster art spell “SHINE”.

Perhaps there is even more, but I can’t identify the letter on the far right side and Celebi is possibly blocking another letter.

@Quuador

Seems to be a D, and the rest spells DARK, based on the booster box:

Since the Japanese set name is Darkness, and to Light…, the SHINE and DARK are pretty fitting I guess.
And good job noticing, TIL as well thanks to you!

@krill

When I got my first aquapolis crystal, I disappointingly realized they don’t have the cool holo around most of the card like the skyridge crystals, but I also found out the last little bar on the left side right above the E isn’t holo, nor is it for any of the holos in aquapolis.

@quibble

I realised for the first time a couple of days ago that 1st edition & shadowless Magikarp all have an error of two “breaks” in the text box at the bottom of the card.

The gaps are mirrored top-left/bottom-right.

@Quuador

Apparently all Japanese Reverse Holos of the Ultra Force (SM5+) set can come with both black text at the illustrator and set number, or white-outlined text. I learned this from someone on reddit.
Here a random example:

The “Illus. match” and “003/050” texts are just black on the left card, but black with white outlines on the right card.

And here another one:

Too bad the SM5+ set doesn’t contain a Pikachu nor Seviper, but a nice TIL moment regardless.

EDIT: This apparently also applies to the SM1+ set.

@thymeee

Unowns are a special kind and most of the times spell out something. TIL that the unown of the neo premium file 2 spell out neo, never knew that and it is so obvious now haha.

@Quuador

TIL that the Japanese T18 Neo Genesis Typhlosion artwork was zoomed in, in comparison to its English and international release:

@sacari

Only found out a month ago that greninja’s scarf is actually its tongue, completely blew my mind.

@stagecoach

Dark Exeggutor from Neo Destiny prominently misspells the Pokémon’s name as “Exeggcutor”:

@Quuador

Most likely well-known but new for me, but today I learned that Dark Pokémon have darker artwork, evolution, and Pokédex boxes than default. And Light Pokémon have lighter artwork, evolution, and Pokédex boxes than default.

To quote from the Bulbapedia pages:

Dark Pokémon:

In terms of card design, Dark Pokémon have a brown/black character window, evolution box and Pokédex box, as opposed to the regular gold.

In terms of gameplay, Dark Pokémon tend to have higher attack damage and lower HPs compared to those of normal Pokémon, likely due to the highly offensive nature of the Trainer. Also, most evolved Generation I Pokémon feature alternate pictures of their previous stage in their evolution box.

Light Pokémon:

In terms of card design, Light Pokémon have a white-gold character window, evolution box and Pokédex box, as opposed to the regular gold. The card art in many cases depicts the Pokémon seemingly content with itself or in a serene environment.

In terms of gameplay, Light Pokémon tend to have higher HPs compared to those of normal Pokémon and attacks that often aid other Pokémon in play, likely due to the caring nature of the Trainer.

Here three Neo Destiny Fire Pokémon: a Dark, regular, and Light Pokémon, so we can see the difference in the box-borders:

[quote=“thymeee, post:69, topic:21493, full:true”]The Mewtwo from the CD and the Mewtwo from the Pocket Monsters fan book are the same art but just a mirror image.

[/quote]

@Quuador

1. It’s reasonably well-known that Ekans and Arbok are Snake and Kobra backwards (and Muk backwards of course…), but today I learned that Rotom is Motor backwards.
2. Girafarig is a palindrome, just like the Pokémon itself kinda is.

@Quuador

TIL that the POP1 Rayquaza holo has two different variations: ©2004 and ©2006 (where 2006 seems to be the more common one to find).

Here a non-holo, holo ©2004, and holo ©2006 side-by-side:

Loads of random little facts I’ve learned about over the last seven years.

Greetz,
Quuador