The Pokémon Trading Card Game has a lot of cards that are worth collecting, even if they aren't worth a lot of money. By now there is an incredible amount of cards that have been printed, some that have been competitively strong, and others that were primarily used for filling out the binders of collectors. Even cards without many accolades can be worth having in one's collection.
Collecting Pokémon cards has been a tradition just as long as the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself has been around. Not every Pokémon fan is interested in playing the card game, but many of them are still enthusiastic about the cards themselves. They could be fans of the card art, or they could just want to collect cards of their favorite Pokémon. Not everyone cares about finding the value of their Pokémon cards, but most fans would want cards that they like. There are a lot of reasons why people would want to collect specific cards, from Magikarp to Legendaries like Mewtwo. Even when the cards aren't worth much, they're great to have in one's collection.
The Legendary Treasures Tepig Line Is The Pokémon TCG's Cutest Story
The Tepig, Pignite, and Emboar cards from the Legendary Treasures set are a solid set of cards in general. Although they are not especially powerful, their high HP and strong attacks give them solid power to work with. Despite being rather decent, this line's competitive strength is the least interesting aspect of it. Rather, the story told in the art of the cards is what makes them worth collecting, because the story behind them is absolutely adorable, even if it isn't considered Pokémon's best Fire-type starter.
In the Tepig card, a family is shown, and the child is holding a happy Tepig. It seems likely that the Tepig has either just been caught or adopted by the family. In the Pignite card, the same family is seen a few years later. Pignite is now standing on its own, and the son looks to have grown to his early teens. In addition, the family now has a young daughter as well. This continues to the Emboar card, where Emboar is not easily the biggest in the picture. Both of the parents from the original card are now elderly, and the son has a family of his own. Even though it had been decades since Tepig was originally adopted, it is still a big part of the family.
A lot of players likely wish they could have Pokémon as pets, and one can forget that in addition to battling, Pokémon are often beloved pets in the series' universe, as shown by these cards. Seeing how Tepig stayed with this family through an entire generation is a cute story, even though it's only told through pictures. The Legendary Treasures Tepig line is a good reminder of the more tender, emotional side of Pokémon.
The Original Movie Promo Mewtwo Is A Piece Of Pokémon History
Mewtwo is one of the most famous Pokémon in the series, and for good reason. Even though it wasn't on the box, it was the first legendary in the games that wasn't part of a legendary trio. Not only that, but its stern look gives it one of the most intimidating designs in Pokémon. It even starred in the first Pokémon movie and joined Super Smash Bros. Its popularity has endured over the years, and it still makes regular appearances in games to this day. Although Mewtwo isn't one of a kind in Pokémon, it does star in a couple of notable cards.
When Pokémon: The First Movie was released, promotional Mewtwo cards were released alongside it. Considering that Mewtwo was the film's main antagonist, this isn't much of a surprise. There were actually two versions of the card that were released with different artwork. The theatrical release featured Mewtwo standing against a black, violet, and pink background with what appears to be white energy bolts sparking behind him. The alternate artwork, which came with the VHS release of the movie, features Mewtwo surrounded by a yellow glow, radiating green energy and levitating a set of balls similar to the ones that he used in the movie. It's also drawn in a different, sketchier art style, making it quite distinctive.
The story behind Mewtwo's creation in Pokémon is different in the game and anime, and the prices of the artworks for these promo cards are different as well. The theater release Mewtwo runs a price of around 10 dollars, while the VHS card, which arguably looks better, is only around 3 dollars. Both cards are a part of Pokémon's history, with their legacy being tied to that of the first movie. Both cards give different looks at the series' original legendary, and their historical significance combined with their cool art makes them a good part of any collection.
Radiant Pokémon Cards Are Based On The Series' Shiny Pokémon
Shiny Pokémon are one of the most popular aspects of the series. Because they are so rare to find, shiny Pokémon are prized my much of the fanbase, even though the aesthetic change has no effect on their abilities. The makers of the Pokémon Trading Card Game must have noticed the popularity of shiny Pokémon, because much like shiny Snom being brought to Sword and Shield, a line of cards known as Radiant Pokémon celebrates Pokémon's shinies.
The artwork for Radiant Pokémon cards is based on the shiny form of the respective Pokémon. They are also usually stronger than usual cards of said Pokémon, and there's a rule that only one Radiant Pokémon can be in the player's deck. Even considering the strength of the cards, the artwork is easily the more intriguing part of the cards. Not only do they use the often-striking shiny palettes for the Pokémon depicted, but a few of them, such as Radiant Alakazam, have impressively cool artwork as well.
The Radiant Pokémon cards would be a great addition to one's collection, and the most surprising thing is that many of them are surprisingly affordable. A few of them, such as Radiant Gardevoir and a card based on the evolved form of Legends: Arceus' best Hisuian Pokémon, Radiant Hisuian Sneasler, even regularly go for less than a dollar. As a celebration of one of Pokémon's most popular features, Radiant Pokémon can make for a grand collection.
Pokémon cards don't have to be expensive to be worth collecting. From old favorites, cards with historical significance, or even cards that simply have fantastic artwork, there are a lot of reasons to collect them. When it comes to the Pokémon Trading Card Game, one can collect whatever cards they want, even if they aren't worth a lot.