Pokémon TCG in 2025: A Returning 90s Collector's Guide to... Everything
I collected Base Set in the 90’s. I almost had the full set, including two Charizards. I gave them all away. Now I'm back, and holy shirtballs, everything has changed.
Let me paint you a picture: It's 1999. I'm carefully sliding my holographic Charizard into a binder sleeve. I have TWO of them. I'm basically a Pokémon god.
Fast forward to 2024. I decide to get back into Pokémon with my 7-year-old son. I confidently pull out some cards and realize... I don't understand a single thing I'm looking at.
What the fork is "SVI"? Why does this card say 197/193? What's an "Illustration Rare"? And why are there SEVENTEEN DIFFERENT types of holofoil now?
If you're a returning collector who last touched Pokémon cards when Blastoise was peak power, this guide is for you.
Holy Shirtballs, There Are How Many Sets?
In the 90s, we had Base Set, Jungle, Fossil. Simple. Clean. We knew where we stood.
Now? There are over 100 English sets.
But here's the key insight that took me weeks to figure out: Pokémon card eras are linked to the Nintendo game releases.
Current eras include:
Sword & Shield era (2020-2023): Abbreviated "SWSH"
Scarlet & Violet era (2023-present): Abbreviated "SVI"
Each era spans multiple sets. For example, Scarlet & Violet includes:
Scarlet & Violet base
Paldea Evolved (PAL)
Obsidian Flames (OBF)
Prismatic Evolutions (PRE)
...and many more
Why this matters: If you want to play Standard format (the main competitive format), you need cards from recent sets only. Right now, that's regulation marks 'G' and above. We'll get to what that means in a minute.
How To Actually Read A Modern Pokémon Card
Grab any modern Pokémon card. Let's decode it like we're defusing a bomb.
Bottom-left corner: This is your regulation mark. A letter (currently F, G, H, or J). This tells you if the card is legal in Standard format. As of early 2025, you need 'G' or above.
Bottom-right corner: This shows the set symbol and card number. For example: "197/193" or "025/165 SVI"
Wait. 197 out of 193? That's not... that doesn't make sense?
Welcome to Secret Rares. When the card number exceeds the set's total, that's a secret rare card - usually alternate art, full art, or special versions of regular cards.
Set codes: Those three-letter abbreviations (SVI, PAL, OBF) identify which specific set the card comes from. You'll need to learn these if you're hunting specific cards on CardMarket or checking Standard legality.
Rarity Symbols Explained (For Old People Like Me)
Remember when rarity was simple? Circle = common, diamond = uncommon, star = rare?
LOL. Those days are gone.
Basic rarities still exist:
Circle: Common
Diamond: Uncommon
Star: Rare
Two stars: Double rare (ex cards, for example)
But wait, there's more:
Reverse Holos: Any common, uncommon, or rare can come in "reverse holo" - the entire card has a holofoil pattern EXCEPT the illustration. In the 90s, only rare cards were holographic. Now your basic Energy card can sparkle.
Holofoil Rares: Like the 90s - the illustration is holographic. Classic.
Ultra Rares: Full art cards where the illustration extends to the card borders. These look gorgeous and command premium prices.
Secret Rares: Numbered beyond the set (197/193, etc.). Usually alternate art versions, gold cards, or "rainbow rares" with that distinctive rainbow holofoil pattern.
Illustration Rares: New category where the entire card is one large illustration with minimal text. These are BEAUTIFUL and my son goes absolutely mental for them.
Special Illustration Rares (SIRs): Like illustration rares but even MORE elaborate artwork. These are the chase cards everyone wants.
In the 90s, a holo Charizard was the dream. Now? You're chasing Special Illustration Rare alternate art Charizard ex with a rainbow border. It's a different world.
What Cards Are Actually Worth Money Now?
Here's what broke my brain: Most rare cards are worth pennies.
In the 90s, any holographic rare felt valuable. You pulled a Magneton? That's like £5 minimum, right?
Now? I can buy most rare cards for £0.02-0.10 on CardMarket.
What actually has value in 2025:
ex cards: The current "powerful Pokémon" category. Not all are expensive, but the popular ones (Charizard ex, Leafeon ex, etc.) hold value.
Full Arts & Alternate Arts: These command premiums. A regular Charizard ex might be £10. The alternate art? £40+.
Special Illustration Rares: The current chase cards. These can be £100+ depending on the Pokémon.
Vintage cards in good condition: Yes, your 90s cards ARE worth something now - IF you kept them mint. That Charizard I gave away? Around £200-300 in played condition now. I try not to think about it.
How to check values:
UK: CardMarket shows real market prices, though beward of import taxes if ordering from Europe
International reference: TCGPlayer (but remember to convert USD and account for UK availability)
Avoiding Fakes (Yes, This Is A Problem Now)
In the 90s, fake Pokémon cards were obvious - terrible print quality, wrong fonts, felt like cardboard from a cereal box.
In 2025? Fakes are GOOD. Scarily good.
Red flags for fake cards:
AliExpress listings with "too good to be true" prices (£5 for a full art Charizard that should be £40? It's fake)
Seller has hundreds of high-value cards in stock (real ones are scarce)
Cards feel slightly different in thickness or texture
Colours seem "off" compared to verified real cards
No texture on full arts (real modern cards have textured holofoil)
Before you buy expensive cards:
Head to r/IsMyPokemonCardFake on Reddit. Post photos. The community is incredibly helpful and will tell you BEFORE you waste money.
Stick to reputable sources:
CardMarket (user ratings are your friend)
Local game stores
Official Pokémon Center website
Established retailers
If the deal seems too good to be true, it definitely is.
Japanese & Korean Cards: Beautiful But Complicated
You'll see gorgeous Japanese and Korean cards on CardMarket, often CHEAPER than English versions.
Before you buy: Are you collecting or playing?
For collectors: Japanese/Korean cards are fantastic. Often, better quality control, sometimes exclusive artwork, and generally cheaper. They're legal in official tournaments (with translation references).
For playing casually with your kid: Not ideal unless you can read Japanese/Korean. Hard to teach a 7-year-old when you're both squinting at text you can't read.
For deck building: Stick to English for simplicity. You can mix languages in tournament play, but you need official translations handy, which is faff.
My approach: English cards for playing, Japanese cards when I find artwork I absolutely love for collecting purposes only.
The Secret Nobody Tells You
Most Pokémon cards - even rare ones - are not valuable.
This is liberating once you accept it. You can buy HUNDREDS of cards for £20-30 in bulk lots. Your kid can actually PLAY with them without you having a panic attack.
Save the protective sleeves for the genuine chase cards. Everything else? Fair game for play, trades, and building decks.
What I Wish I'd Known Day One
Start with one era: I recommend Scarlet & Violet since it's current. Don't try to understand 25 years of Pokémon cards simultaneously.
Regulation marks matter more than set names: That little letter in the corner is what determines if you can use the card competitively. Learn to spot it immediately.
Set symbols are your friend: Once you learn to recognise them, you can identify any card's set instantly without googling.
Not all shiny cards are valuable: Reverse holos are common, but your kids don’t have to know that!
The TCG is MORE fun now: Yes, it's more complex. But the gameplay is deeper, the artwork is incredible, and playing with my son using modern cards is genuinely engaging in ways Base Set never was.
CardMarket is your best friend: UK collectors should live on this site. Prices are transparent, selection is massive, and you can find literally any card.
Where Do I Start?
If you're returning to Pokémon TCG in 2025:
Buy a pre-made Standard-legal deck - Learn the modern game before diving into collecting
Focus on Scarlet & Violet era cards - Current and Standard-legal
Use a price-checking site/app - I use CardMarket
Join UK Pokémon TCG Facebook groups - Trading and learning from other collectors
Accept that you don't need to catch up on everything - Start fresh with current sets
The game has evolved (pun intended). It's not worse than the 90’s - it's different. More complex, more variety, more accessible.
And honestly? I'm having more fun now than I did as a kid with my two Charizards.
Even if I did give them away for free.
Let's not talk about that.
Want to start your modern Pokémon journey? Check out our starter decks - we stock Lorcana and One Piece, which are much easier to find than English Pokémon right now. For singles and bulk lots, CardMarket is your best bet for UK buyers.