Pokemon Card Collections and the TCG - A thread

[The Kharkivan Cossacks]

Howdy, most know or at least heard of Pokémon, and the TCG is no exception. Back when I was a wee one, they were all the rage in schools.
Now, to get to the point of this thread;
Its intended for folks who might simply open a pack or two in a while, folks who collect cards for their artwork or their favorite Pokémon, those who participate on the actual game part, and of course the die hard Pokemon card fans who probably know the top 10 most valuable cards in the market.
I'm interested in folks chatting with each other about their favorite cards, any nice hits they got on packs, what's going on in the market and of course, new sets.

Most recently was Surging Sparks, which was very much hyped up, just looking at the market the prices are quite insane, especially for the SIR Pikachu EX, which is a maddening 300+ Dollars in value. The set has many other beautiful artwork in the illustration and special illustration rare's. While I have yet to get my hands on anything, considering the prices, with around 5$ per pack, excluding shipping, I await Black Friday to hopefully have a better chance at collecting them, my chase being the Hydreigon EX SIR, an absolute beauty of a card. And right at the gates is Prismatic Evolutions, another set based around the Eeve-lutions and so far the shown artwork is stunning, and surly will be expensive.

[Raiding puPpeT]

now I love Pokemon. especially pulling good cards. but I HATE trading. it makes me so sad to part with my great cards for other cards. however I need to tell you of the trade of a LIFETIME.

to set the scene I carpool with some other people to and back to school. earlier this school year 2 of the guys I carpool with were into Pokemon. lets call them food giver and food eater. food giver and food eater bring their cards to the car one day. i also had brung my cards. now at the time i had a tauros gx. nice card. now i was looking at food eaters deck and he had this first edition team rocket charmander (worth like $4. still more then my tauros).

Now for the deal of a lifetime. I showed him my Tauros and well he liked it. its a nice full art GX. I told him "I'll give it to you on one condition. You give me that charmander". And well he accepted it. Most stupid decision in his life.

Now I had my phone on me at the time and I went to a TCG website that states the value of cards. Now I didn't know the value yet of the cards. However I then found the value. Like less than 90 cents for the GX and like 4-5 bucks for the charmander.

and thats the end. i know the charmander isnt worth a lot. other cards go for $100-$1,000's of dollars. but like first edition charmander? for a tauros? insane deal.

I cant wait for Black Friday so I can buy all the Pokemon cards and get a billion dollars.

[NorthernPesos]

If you are interested in a really strange idea.....
that fits with the Pokemon cartoons... then I would suggest reading the ancient Book of Enoch........ and especially notice "Azazel" and the 208 Watchers.... sons of God.... who fell because of the daughters of men............ Once you do your homework I would be honoured to try my best to explain further...... but to give you a hint I could say that the concept of Eventual Universal Salvation that fits with getting out of Purgatory or hell.......... can be compared with getting the poor and very poor up out of their being forced to run like economic Gerebils on an endless treadmill...... The fallen Watchers Peek at You... and I... from higher invisible dimensions of space and time....... but there is so much more to the full topic......

[Minoa]

I have a Pikachu and Rookidee card if that counts. I may also have other Pokémon cards in long-term storage, and I know they are pre-2005, but I don't know exactly how old they are.