The Pokémon franchise debuted in Japan in 1996 with a video game for Nintendo’s Game Boy and the trading card game. Since then, it has become a massive worldwide franchise across multiple game formats, films, and other collectibles. The cards themselves have always been desirable, but they have seen a huge rise in value over the last few years. Now, in Hake’s Auction #232, Pokémon collectors have the opportunity to add some very rare and desirable cards to their collections.

The first lot to catch is the 1999 Pokémon Shadowless Holographic Uncut Proof Sheet with 99 cards, including 7 Charizard cards. The Base Set’s first issue print and a few of the following have a slightly different design than the standard Unlimited third issue prints with brighter color, thinner font, the year 1999 appears twice in the copyright notice, and they lack the shadow around the pictures. Known as Shadowless cards, they are rarer compared to the Unlimited cards because of their smaller print run.

The item offered at Hake’s, measuring 23-1/2” x 39-3/8”, is the earliest uncut Pokémon proof sheet to come to auction. There are 15 Shadowless Holographic cards produced for the set, including No. 1 Alakazam (7 cards), No. 2 Blastoise (7), No. 3 Chansey (7), No. 4 Charizard (7), No. 5 Clefairy (7), No. 6 Gyarados (5), No. 7 Hitmonchan (7), No. 9 Magneton (7), No. 10 Mewtwo (6), No. 11 Nidoking (6), No. 12 Ninetales (6), No. 13 Poliwrath (7), No. 14 Raichu (7), No. 15 Venusaur (7), and No. 16 Zapdos (6).

For complete sets, Hake’s has a 1999 Pokémon Base Set First Edition set of 102 CGC-graded cards. Predominately in higher grade, the complete set includes 16 cards at CGC 9, 40 at CGC 8.5, 35 at CGC 8, 9 at CGC 7.5, 1 at CGC 7, and 1 at CGC 6.5. Some of the standouts include Alakazam CGC 8.5, Blastoise CGC 9, Chansey CGC 9, Charizard CGC 9, and Clefairy CGC 8.5. The set includes 16 Holo cards.

Another complete set is the 1999 Pokémon Fossil Set First Edition set of 62 CGC-graded cards. The grades include 1 card at CGC 9.5, 8 at CGC 9, 35 at CGC 8.5, 15 at CGC 8, 2 at CGC 7, and 1 at CGC 6.5. Some of the top examples are Aerodactyl CGC 8.5, Articuno CGC 8.5, Ditto CGC 8.5, Hypno CGC 8.5, and Kabutops CGC 8.5.

The next complete set is a 1999 Pokémon Jungle Set First Edition set of 64 CGC-graded cards. The grade breakdown includes 10 cards in CGC 8.5, 16 in CGC 8, 16 in CGC 7.5, 7 in CGC 7, 6 in CGC 6.5, 3 in CGC 6, 4 in CGC 5.5, and 2 in CGC 5. Highlights include Flareon CGC 8, Kangaskhan CGC 8.5, Pidgeot CGC 8.5, Pinsir CGC 8.5, and Scyther CGC 8.5.

Moving to individual cards, Hake’s is offering a 2000 Team Rocket Set Dark Charizard 4/82 Holo First Edition CGC 9, a 2000 Base Set 2 Charizard 4/130 Holo CGC 8.5, 1999 Base Set Mewtwo 10/102 Holo First Edition CGC 7.5, 2002 Neo Destiny Shining Tyranitar 113/105 Holo Unlimited CGC 7.5, and 1999 Base Set Charizard 4/102 Holo Unlimited CGC 7.0. There’s also a 2000 Base Set 2 Holo group lot of Blastoise, Charizard, and Venusaur.

All of the Pokémon trading card lots are now open for bidding on Hake’s website. The auction closes on June 29-30, 2021.