Basics

Day one. What the Pokémon TCG actually is and how collecting works.

Who this is for: You have never bought a pack, or you bought one and have no idea what you are holding.

What is the Pokémon TCG? A complete beginner's guide

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a two-player card game published by The Pokémon Company, and also the most widely collected trading card line in the world. Here is how the game, the sets and the collecting side fit together.

4 min read

What Pokémon cards should I collect? How to choose a direction

Collect one Pokémon, one set, one artist, one era, or simply what you open. Those are the five directions almost every collector settles into — choose one deliberately and your collection stops being a random pile.

3 min read

Why collect Pokémon cards? Are Pokémon cards worth collecting?

People collect Pokémon cards for fun, for nostalgia and for value. The first two reliably deliver; the third is genuinely uncertain, and here is the honest version of both sides.

3 min read

How to start collecting Pokémon cards on a budget

To start collecting Pokémon cards cheaply: buy sleeves first, then one card you actually want, then a binder. Here is exactly where the first £20, £50 and £100 are best spent.

3 min read

Sealed vs singles: which should a new collector buy?

Buy singles when you want a specific card; buy sealed when the opening itself is what you are paying for. Sealed gives you an experience and a chance, singles give you certainty.

3 min read

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