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thedonofpokemon

@thedonofpokemon

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“Connections Build Collections”
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Dedicated community member focused on building relationships within the Hobby 💎🤍

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This Celebi means the most to me out of any other items on my page. This card I pulled myself back in the day, when my grandmother used to buy me a few packs per week. This card always reminds me of her. I always loved Celebi, and I loved shinies so this was my favourite for a long time. No matter the value, no matter the hype, whenever I look at this Celebi I remember why I started collecting: Because I love Pokémon!! I’ve bought and sold hundreds of cards over the years, but I assure you, no matter the price this Celebi will always remain in my possession! #pokemon #pokemoncards #pokemoncommunity #celebi #goldstar #crystalguardians by @thedonofpokemon

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9

6 years ago

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3 years ago

With the help of this amazing community I was able to locate my favourite English card within a matter of days! Truly grateful to the seller for agreeing to trade with me! A shame to see my shadowless Zard go, but for the nicest English card ever printed (In my opinion), I was happy to accept the trade! This one will never leave my possession 😍 #pokemon #pokemoncommunity #pokemoncards #groudon #groudongoldstar #goldstar #goldstarpokemon #deltaspecies #legendary #bgs #cgc #psa #bgs9 by @thedonofpokemon

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6 years ago

Salamence δ Holo PSA 9, EX Delta Species #14 🔥🐉

Released in 2005, EX Delta Species introduced one of the most memorable concepts of the ex era, reimagining familiar Pokémon with completely different typings. This Salamence appears as a dual Fire/Metal-type Pokémon, a combination that perfectly represents just how unique the Delta Species era was.

More than anything, though, this card is pure nostalgia for me. I vividly remember having this exact Salamence on the first page of my binder as a kid and falling in love with the artwork all those years ago. It’s funny how certain cards stick with you — and having it in a self-graded PSA 9 again today immediately brings me back to that binder and why I fell in love with collecting Pokémon in the first place.

Salamence has always been one of my favourite Pokémon, and the Delta Species era continues to be one of my favourite periods of the TCG. Sometimes it isn’t an ex or Gold Star that leaves the biggest impression — it’s the cards you actually remember owning as a kid.

Very happy to have this one back in the collection, this time in a PSA 9. ❤️🔥 by @thedonofpokemon

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1

a month ago

Dark Charizard Holo 1st Edition PSA 9, Team Rocket #4 🔥🖤

Released in 2000, Team Rocket introduced the iconic “Dark Pokémon” concept to the English TCG, giving many familiar Pokémon a completely different personality and aesthetic. At the centre of the set is Dark Charizard — one of the defining WOTC-era holos, featuring classic artwork by Ken Sugimori.

This is a card I’ve always wanted, and ironically, one of the cards that originally pushed me into collecting WOTC vintage hardcore. There is just something about the simplicity of this era that modern cards can’t replicate.

At a time when it feels like every modern PSA 10 is approaching the price of cards like this, adding this card to the PC seemed like a no-brainer.

WOTC may not be the era carrying the most hype right now, but in my opinion, that’s exactly what makes it so appealing. For the history, scarcity, artwork and significance of these cards within the hobby, I still think vintage WOTC offers some of the best value for money in Pokémon.

A card I’ve wanted for a long time, from the era that changed the direction of my collection.

As “The Don,” I am pleased to finally own a 1st Edition Dark Charizard 🔥🖤 by @thedonofpokemon

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

Darkrai Super Rank Prize PSA 10, 021/L-P Japanese Promo 🖤🌑

Released through the Pokémon Daisuki Club in 2009, this Darkrai was awarded to members who reached Super Rank by accumulating 3,200 Action Points through the club’s participation-based ranking system. Despite older PSA labels identifying the card as a “Gold Rank Gift Card,” this was an incorrect labelling error. The “Gold Rank” was the previous rank below Super Rank, where the Pikachu was awarded. The 021/L-P Darkrai was presented at the Super Rank reward alongside Cresselia 020/L-P, hence modern labels identify them as a “Super Rank Prize”.

An even rarer DPt-P version of Darkrai exists from the earlier 2008 reward period. Super Rank was the highest rank available at the time, and collectors had a very limited window to accumulate the required points before the DPt-P promos were phased out. Making matters even more interesting, Battle Road Spring 2008 — a major opportunity to earn Action Points — was cancelled. As a result, the 2008 Darkrai and Cresselia Super Rank variants have become some of the rarest and most niche Daisuki Club promos in the hobby.

Beyond the history, I’ve been hunting this specific 021/L-P for nearly two years. Wataru Kawahara’s artwork is incredible, with Darkrai emerging from the darkness using a powerful attack - not something seen often! That translates really well to this card specifically, as this card hasn’t surfaced very often in Canada, especially at a price that reasonably reflects the broader market. After waiting as long as I have for the right copy, I’m incredibly happy to finally add this PSA 10 to the collection.

Another long-term piece that won’t be going anywhere. 🖤🤍 by @thedonofpokemon

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2 months ago

Today I had the absolute privilege of meeting the artist behind my favourite English Pokémon card ever printed — Masakazu Fukuda! 🖤💛

Groudon is also my favourite Pokémon, but it wasn’t always that way. This card is a huge reason why.

Because of this artwork, I’ve shiny hunted Groudon in Sun & Moon, used it competitively in its Primal Form, and collected a variety of other Groudon artworks for my personal collection. But this one has always been different. There’s just something truly special about it.

I still remember organizing the trade for this copy back in 2021, driving out to get it, and trading away my Shadowless Charizard CGC 5.5 for it — plus receiving $200 cash back.

This card had been a chase of mine for years. When I was younger, I simply could never afford to buy one outright, so finally owning it felt like accomplishing something I had wanted for a very long time.

Since then, it has stayed with me through most of my collecting journey — through all the ups and downs, changing interests, buying, selling and trading. Through all of that, it has remained one of the very few cards that I have never listed for sale or made available for purchase.

It is, and truly always will be, a forever card.

Getting the opportunity to meet Fukuda today felt like an incredible full-circle moment. To interact with the person behind an artwork that helped inspire so much passion, emotion and love for this hobby was something I’ll never forget.

While it was unfortunate that he couldn’t sign the card itself, having him draw a volcano on the acrylic — and then seeing how it unintentionally lined up almost perfectly with the artwork behind it — somehow made the experience even more special.

A card I chased as a kid.
A card that helped make Groudon my favourite Pokémon.
A card I traded for in 2021 and never let go.

And now, a piece of the artist himself gets to live alongside it forever.

Today was truly incredible. 🖤💛 by @thedonofpokemon

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2 months ago

Deoxys Holo - 2006 Spring Battle Road 🧡💙

Awarded during the 2006 Japanese Spring Battle Road tournaments, this promo has always stood out to me as one of the more unique Deoxys cards ever released. The artwork by Kouki Saitou, the silver holo border, and the exclusive tournament distribution give it a completely different feel compared to standard set cards from the EX era.

Very happy to own this copy. With only 68 examples graded in a PSA 9 and just 80 in a PSA 10, it remains one of the rarest cards in my collection.

One of those promos that perfectly captures why Japanese tournament cards from this era continue to be so underrated. by @thedonofpokemon

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5 months ago

Crobat 1st Edition Holo - Neo Destiny #2/105 💜🌕💚

Crobat has remained one of my favourite Pokémon ever since the release of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, when I was finally able to use one on a real playthrough team. Back in Pokémon FireRed, my Golbat never evolved because Crobat was locked behind the National Dex. Instead, I got to watch half of the evolution animation every single level before it immediately stopped.

POP 251 in a PSA 9, this copy is extra special to me because it was self-graded after I picked up a large portion of my 1st Edition Neo Destiny holos back in 2022.

Another piece in the collection that will never be for sale, especially considering how undervalued this guy still feels.

#pokemon by @thedonofpokemon

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5 months ago

Indigo Plateau #070 - Challenge Battle July 💚💛

One of those pieces that quietly tells a deeper story… this 2010 Japanese L-P Promo Indigo Plateau (070/L-P) was awarded during the Pokémon Card Game LEGEND era through exclusive July 2010 events—like Challenge Hiroba tournaments and Pokémon Center Card Get Battles, often requiring players to win multiple matches in a row to earn it.

That kind of distribution is what makes these promos so special—tied directly to in-person competition and a moment in time that can’t be replicated.

And for me, this one hits even more personally… Celebi floating in the artwork is one of my all-time favourite Pokémon 🌿✨

I don’t often share items from my Personal Collection, but I wanted to put this one on display because of that connection.

It’s also a great reminder that Japanese promo cards—especially from the L-P era—are still incredibly underappreciated in today’s market. Limited distribution, unique holo patterns, and event-based history… they check every box for serious collectors. by @thedonofpokemon

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5 months ago

Ho-Oh Unseen Forces #27/115 - Theme Deck Exclusive 🔥🌈 by @thedonofpokemon

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a year ago