Pokémon - 5 Card - Pokémon – 5 Very Rare Vintage Japanese Cards – ANA 1999

Prestigious selection composed of 5 vintage Japanese Pokémon cards, dated between 1999 and 2002, chosen for their historical importance, the particular distribution methods, and the features that distinguish them from ordinary cards coming from commercial expansions. The lot brings together some of the most interesting testimonies of the early years of the Pokémon Trading Card Game in Japan: exclusive promotions realized in collaboration with major Japanese companies, an original illustration later modified for the Western market, and a famous variant with a printing error. The 5 cards that make up the lot: 1) Zapdos #145 – ANA Unnumbered Promo – 1999 Japanese promotional card illustrated by Toshinao Aoki, distributed through the ANA campaign "Everyone's Happy Campaign" organized by All Nippon Airways in 1999. To obtain this card, together with the corresponding Moltres, it was necessary to collect boarding receipts from two national ANA flights and participate in the dedicated promotional initiative. A particularly representative card of the historic collaborations between Pokémon and Japanese airline companies. Condition: LP / Good 2) Moltres #146 – ANA Unnumbered Promo – 1999 The second card of the iconic ANA promotional pair from 1999, also illustrated by Toshinao Aoki. Distributed through the same campaign, Moltres completes the original pair obtainable by participants in the initiative. The presence of both cards in the same lot allows them to be kept together as two promos born from the same historic collaboration. Condition: Excellent 3) Mewtwo 046/P – JR Pokémon Happy Adventure Rally – 2002 A particular Japanese promotional card from the e-Card era, illustrated by Midori Harada and belonging to the P Promotional Cards series. It was distributed as part of the Pokémon Happy Adventure Rally 2002, an event organized along Tokyo's Yamanote Line in August 2002. Its promotional origin, the exclusively Japanese distribution, and the distinctive 046/P numbering make it a very interesting piece for collectors of vintage Japanese cards. Condition: PL / LP 4) Sabrina's Gengar – Japanese Gym 2 – Banned Artwork – 1999 One of the most famous Japanese Pokémon cards with artwork modified for Western distribution. Originally published in the Japanese set Challenge from the Darkness, it features Ken Sugimori's illustration with a spooky cemetery backdrop, characterized by tombstones and crosses. These elements were subsequently removed in the English version, making the original Japanese illustration particularly recognizable among the so-called Banned/Censored Artwork. An iconic card that testifies to the artistic and cultural differences between early Japanese and Western Pokémon publications. Condition: LP 5) Ancient Mew – Japanese Promo 1999 – Nintendo Error Famous Japanese promotional card tied to the release of the second Pokémon film in 1999, internationally known as Pokémon: The Power of One. The offered specimen belongs to the first Japanese version, characterized by the peculiar holographic treatment and the famous typographical error "Nintedo" present in the copyright line instead of the correct "Nintendo". A historic detail that distinguishes this variant from the later correct versions and from more common international distributions. Condition: Good / Excellent A dedicated selection for vintage Pokémon collectors The main interest of this lot lies in the possibility of gathering five cards with different stories but united by a direct link to the historical period that marked the first major expansion of the Pokémon phenomenon in Japan. From ANA air promotions to JR railway initiatives, up to censored illustrations and typographical errors of the early editions, each card represents a particular chapter in the history of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Conditions and transparency The five cards are original and not graded. The indicated conditions represent my personal assessment, offered as a reference also for less experienced collectors. All signs of use, any imperfections and the state of preservation are documented in the photographs, which I invite you to examine carefully before bidding at the auction. Shipping The cards will be shipped individually protected in sleeves and top loaders, with additional rigid materials and careful packaging. Tracked and fully insured shipping. Combined shipping available. Happy bidding to all! — Nostalgia Wave Store

Estimate:£837.59

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