The Pokémon Trading Card Game has a huge number of cards, but there are some excellent ones that remain exclusive to the Pokémon Center stores around the world. Such rare cards are a collector’s worst nightmare, but are also more likely to become valuable due to their scarcity. Their use in battle varies, though most commemorative cards aren’t the best, likely in order to avoid breaking the meta with exclusive cards.

Unsurprisingly, many of these Pokémon Center exclusive cards feature Pikachu. There have, however, been a good number of cards that don’t feature the Pokémon series’ mascot. Many of the Pikachu cards feature other species in the background, likely just for some additional variety in the artwork. Some of the promotional cards have great art with a lot of charm, but there are some which could definitely make themselves useful beyond just adding to a collection. Cynically, some Pokémon promo cards are worth a lot of money because of their rarity, and people simply hold onto them for that reason.

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Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Pretend Comedian Pikachu (SM-P Promo 407)

The Pretend Comedian Pikachu TCG card, exclusive to the Pokémon Center in Osaka.

When the Pokémon Center Osaka DX and its accompanying Pokémon Café were opened in 2019, a special card was created to commemorate the occasion. In this one, Pikachu decided to pretend to become a stand-up comedian. This cute card was given away with purchases at the newly opened store, and it was made available until its stock ran out. Interestingly, even though this card is part of the Sun and Moon set, the Osaka Pokémon Center’s logo has Grookey on it, making it appear before its official debut as one of the new monsters in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Special Delivery Charizard (SWSH Promo 75)

The Pokémon Center Special Delivery Charizard TCG card, with Pikachu riding on a Charizard's back.

After a number of pop-up Pokémon Center stores came to London, the Pokémon Center website was finally launched in the UK in July 2022, and Special Delivery Charizard was released to celebrate. Unlike many of the other event cards, this one can deal quite a lot of damage with Flamethrower. Clearly, it shows the benefits of being fully evolved, as many of the other Pokémon Center exclusives still have an evolution or two and can barely deal damage. Attempting to access the online promo for this card reveals a message saying that the promo has ended, and as such, the card is no longer being distributed. The distribution of Special Delivery Charizard was supposed to last until August, but all cards were claimed merely three days after the promo started. Charizard Pokémon cards are consistently popular and valuable, and this card serves as proof of that.

Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Rayquaza (XY-P Promo 232)

A Pokémon Center exclusive TCG Rayquaza card.

An older promotional card than the previous two, this one features a Shiny Rayquaza, which is one of the best Shiny Pokémon. It is another commemorative card that came out to coincide with the opening of the Skytree Town Pokémon Center in Tokyo. It can potentially output more damage than Special Delivery Charizard, though 80 of that damage is reliant on coin flips, showing how much power creep has taken place in the Pokémon TCG recently. Interestingly, one of this card's attacks debuted on an older Shiny Rayquaza card, making for some nice continuity.

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Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Jirachi (SM-P Promo 89)

Jirachi's exclusive Pokémon Center TCG promo card.

Customers who bought five booster packs in the Tohoku Pokémon Center were given this card as a bonus. This was an event when the store reopened in 2017. The art on this card is adorable, which makes sense considering Jirachi is one of the cutest Mythical Pokémon, and it's also powerful enough to completely break BDSP in the main games. Jirachi is joined by an Alolan Exeggutor which has its head poking through the clouds, which is a nice way to reference one of Pokémon’s funniest designs.

Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Shaymin (SM-P Promo 225)

Shaymin's exclusive Pokémon Center TCG promo card.

Rather than the opening or reopening of a store, this card celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first Pokémon Center store opening up. Customers who arrived at the store and said “Pokénchi” to attendants would be given this card as a prize. "Pokénchi" is an abbreviation of the name of a show, with said show’s logo also featured on the card itself. The art shows an adorable Shaymin holding a bouquet of Gracidea Flowers, which can turn it into its Sky Forme, which appears in Shaymin's VSTAR Premium Collection. Poor Shaymin also can’t deal any damage as part of this card, making its uses limited. Shaymin is the Gratitude Pokémon, so it fits perfectly in celebrations like this, with its ability literally translating to "Symbol of Gratitude."

Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Squirtle (DPt-P Promo 9)

Squirtle's exclusive Pokémon Center TCG promo card.

10 years before the Shaymin card was released, there was the 10th anniversary Squirtle card. When a Pikachu anniversary card was being offered out, customers were asked to pick between Squirtle or Meowth. Squirtle won the poll and as a result, this card was printed. Yuka Morii is responsible for the illustration of the card, who sculpts Pokémon and takes pictures of them, as can be seen here. Cards in this style stand out from the more traditional 2D and 3D pieces more generally seen in the Pokémon TCG, with fans making their own 3D Pokémon TCG sculptures.

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Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Rapidash (Wizards Promo 51)

A Pokemon Center exclusive TCG card featuring Rapidash.

One of the earliest Pokémon Center exclusives is perhaps one of the most unexpected Pokémon. Neither a mascot, starter, nor Legendary Pokémon, Rapidash was featured in this card that was given out at the Pokémon Center New York in 2002. There’s a Pokémon Center NY stamp that’s featured beneath the illustration on the card. There is a version that comes without the Pokémon Center NY stamp too, but that is also exceedingly rare, only coming with a November 2002 issue of Nintendo Power, the same month as the Pokémon Center exclusive version.

Pokémon Center TCG Exclusives: Gardevoir (SM-P Promo 408)

A Pokémon Center exclusive TCG promo card showing Gardevoir standing in front of a sunset.

Another card from the Sun and Moon era of the Pokémon TCG, the artwork for this Gardevoir card was actually made by a fan. It won the Pokémon Card Game Illustration Grand Prix in 2019, and the card was then officially printed as one of the best submissions in the new Pokémon card contest. It’s easy to see why this artwork came out on top, with a fantastic sunset scheme and gorgeous pastel colors. The card first appeared in Pokémon Centers in October 2019, and was also given away when customers bought five booster packs, and could be redeemed up to four times per person. Weirdly, the illustrator for this card, Yuu Nishida, was not credited on the card itself, but does feature the logo of the artwork competition.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game has a long history of exclusive cards, and this is something that is likely to continue in years to come. Although older promotional cards were slightly more unpredictable, it’s a given that future cards will continue to heavily feature Pikachu. With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet the latest video game releases, it will be interesting to see the promotional cards that are created for this new era of the franchise.

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