ICING THE CORNER

Keywords like atomic and best go big in describing Moss’s explosive game and staying power. Trace today’s ice-obsessed designs to this set, which also introduced numbered Refractors to Bowman’s Best. Player backgrounds were split between veteran gold and rookie silver, and combined with Atomic Refractor treatment, delivered one of the most iconic designs of the last 25 years.

1998 SP Authentic #RM

Players Ink

A rarified rookie auto from a player who ran routes faster than the ink could dry. And though the base version is iconic and special in its own right, the Moss-obsessed can’t overlook the elusive Gold parallel limited to just 18 examples.

1999 SkyBox Premium #1

Shining Star Rubies

A star was born in ‘98, and a Shining Star Rubies moment was quick to follow as newly anointed No. 1 receiver was #1 on the checklist. Find Moss in outer space with a blinding holofoil refractor design and star pattern. Names of veterans come enshrined with a ruby red foil, while blue foil reveals an even rarer rookie variation numbered to 15.

Fresh off a historic record-breaking rookie season, Stadium Club got right to work igniting a GOAT debate that would continue for years to come. It’s the only dual auto to feature Rice and Moss on the front of the card, with 354 career touchdown receptions between them—none higher. With condition sensitivity and impossible odds in play, a perfect auto is priceless.

Topps Finest revolutionized the refractor design in the early ’90s, and while variants were introduced along the way, from embossed to die-cut, it wasn’t until 2002 that the iconic Xfractor parallel made its debut. Propelled by six-figure sales of Tom Brady’s Xfractor (his first Finest year), the set’s popularity has skyrocketed.

There is seemingly no end to the Pokémon cards that emerge from off the beaten path. While the most popular cards stem from the mainline Trading Card Game, it is far from the end-all, be-all. Carddass, Meiji, and TOMY each offer obscure gems from Pokémon’s early Japanese era, and many Topps Pokémon cards have also maintained a lasting impact in the TCG space.

But while millions of diverse Pokémon items have hit PSA’s grading room floor over the years, not all of them have been able to be graded. Before an item can be accepted, there needs to exist reliable background information and a verified checklist with which the PSA Research team can use to identify, authenticate, and process the item. PSA’s standards for provenance and authentication have always been high, and extensive measures are put in place to ensure each collector’s item is authentic. Because of these measures, many obscure cards have been deemed ungradable by many.

That is, until now.

In recent months, PSA has made breakthroughs in locating reliable resources that have allowed the Research team to finally begin processing Pokémon cards on the fringes of the hobby—namely, those from spinoff Pokémon tabletop games. From standard 52-card Frenchsuited decks to UNO, collectors have been waiting years for the doors to open, and that time has finally arrived.

52-card decks featuring Pokémon characters have been around as long as the franchise itself. In 1996, Nintendo began publishing playing card decks utilizing the very same Ken Sugimori artwork seen in other early Japanese sets. The ‘96 decks were split into Blue, Green, and Red versions, mirroring the different versions of the first Game Boy games. Cards in the red deck are identified by red card backs featuring Charizard, while the green and blue versions depict Venusaur and Blastoise respectively.

The standard suits and ranks of a normal poker deck are included, but each of the 52 cards also has multiple variations, leading to endless collectability for setbuilders. As an example, the 8 of Diamonds can come as an Exeggutor, a Kangaskhan, or a Lapras. The Gen 1 starters (Bulbasaur, Charmander, etc.) represent most of the Aces across the three decks, and human characters (Professor Oak and the Gym Leaders) are the Jokers. There are a few other thematic groupings, but one cannot help but wish Nidoking and Nidoqueen were given the King and Queen titles. Regardless, the 1996 decks represent the original playing cards of the franchise, giving them an undeniable appeal, not to mention they look slick in PSA holders.

In 1998, Nintendo followed up with a handful of additional playing card sets. The Yellow Version Deck retained the previous playing card design, but added Pikachu-themed yellow card backs. The three Pokémon Stadium decks went in a different direction, introducing an entirely new card frame and incorporating assets from the Pokémon Stadium video game. The angular N64 polygonal graphics just ooze late '90s nostalgia. These Stadium Decks also reorganized their checklists to create more thematic groupings: the Blue Version Aces are composed of Legendaries, while the Red Version Aces are composed of the Eeveelutions.

Alongside the English TCG launch from Wizards of the Coast, the first North American Pokémon poker cards arrived in 1999. Unlike previous releases, these decks were published by the United States Playing Card Company under the popular Bicycle brand. These Bicycle playing cards opted to use scenes from the Pokémon TV series, allowing for characters like Ash, Misty, Brock, and Team Rocket to become the subjects. Bicycle also published mini decks in the same year, featuring microsized cards with revised character placements and new artwork.

Major Pokémon TCG expansions continued to receive companion playing card decks as the years went on. The Gold & Silver playing cards carried on the tradition of including two separate varieties per era: Lugia donned the Silver Version backs while Ho-Oh donned the Gold Version backs.

In 2017, playing cards came full circle with the release of the All Star Playing Card set, which introduced a deck that spanned all generations of Pokémon (from Blue & Red to Sun & Moon) in a single product. By tracking down reliable resources and conducting further research, PSA gained a greater understanding of each of these playing card sets and finally began offering grading services for them as of January 2023.

In between the tentpole releases, there were also a number of specialty decks that were introduced, such as a 2006 Pokémon Center deck, which celebrated the franchise’s 10th anniversary. Another exclusive deck dropped in 2016 to commemorate the opening of the Kyoto Pokémon Center in Japan, which included some of the most stunning playing cards to date. These “Maiko Pikachu” and “Okuge Pikachu”themed cards depict Pikachu in traditional Japanese garb against gorgeous backdrops. Similar exclusive decks were released as part of limited-time Mario Pikachu, Pretend Pikachu, and Winter Pikachu campaigns held in Pokémon Centers across Japan, each dedicating cards to Pikachu playing dress-up.