Volume V · Field Notes
Field Notes
Long-form guides on Pokémon TCG collecting — rarities, set symbols, history, scalpers, and the hobby. Written by collectors, for collectors. Bookmark the ones you'll want to send to someone else later.
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Reference
Pokémon TCG Set Codes
Every Pokémon TCG set with its real corner symbol and 3-letter PTCGO/Live code (SVI, PAL, OBF…), organized by current format legality. 141 sets indexed.
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Market Report
Weekly Bulk Movers
Every Friday — the Pokémon TCG cards moving most: bulk commons & uncommons popping off, the biggest gainers across all rarities, and the steepest decliners.
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Strategy
How the Pokémon Center Queue Actually Works
Is it random or first-come? Does showing up early help? And why does a 45,000th-place wait time mean you've already lost? We read Queue-it's own documentation and the real drop data so you don't have to.
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Vintage
Neo Destiny Card List
The complete 2002 checklist — all 113 cards, the 8 Shining secret rares, the Dark and Light holos, and what the set is worth today.
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Vintage
Shadowless Pokémon Cards
The scarce early printing of the 1999 Base Set — the drop-shadow test, how to tell shadowless from 1st Edition and Unlimited, and why it commands a premium.
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History
A Brief History of the Pokémon TCG
From the 1996 Japan launch through Wizards of the Coast, EX, Diamond & Pearl, the pandemic boom, and the current Mega Evolutions era. Six big shifts that shaped the hobby.
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Getting Started
Pokémon Collecting for Beginners
A no-FOMO starting guide — what to buy, how to store cards, where to shop, when to grade, how to spot fakes, and a first-month plan.
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Opinion
Scalpers and the Hobby That Endures Despite Them
The 2020 pandemic boom was supposed to be a one-off. Prismatic Evolutions brought the same conditions back in January 2025 and they haven't relented. An honest look at what's happening at retail in 2026 and what collectors can actually do.
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Reference
Understanding Pokémon Card Rarities
The complete taxonomy — modern silver-star system, vintage WOTC tiers, secret rares explained, and why a Common can be worth more than an Ultra Rare.
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Reference
Sets, Symbols, and Abbreviations
How to read a Pokémon card — every symbol in the corner, every rarity mark, every regulation mark, and the alphabet soup of set codes.