Hello there! I’m a father residing in South Korea, and my son is an ardent fan of Pokemon cards. Here, Pokemon packs typically comprise 5 or 7 cards and all the boys love showing them off at school or the playground. Most cards here are in Korean except the English ones that kids bring back from traveling abroad.

The reason why I’m so into these playing cards is the fact that I have a legendary collection of sports cards that I’ve collected, as a hobby, since I was a pre-teen so I understand that gathering cards like this is fun for boys.

I’ve spent time learning about these fascinating collectibles to bond with my son over his favorite hobby. I thought about writing about these Pocket Monsters and the sizes of cards, preservation methods, and their history.

Pokémon Trading Card Game

The History and Evolution of Pokemon Cards

The Pokemon Trading Card Game, AKA Pokemon TCG) was first introduced in 1996 with drawings by 3 Japanese artists. The first Pokemon sets were printed in the standard poker card size, a practice that continues today.

Over the years, the Pokemon Company has introduced various different sizes, including energy cards, promotional cards, box toppers, and promotional jumbo cards, each contributing to the game’s rich history and global appeal.

The cards quickly gained immense popularity and, in 1999, they were brought to North America by Wizards of the Coast. Shortly after, they spread to the rest of the world.

As a result, Pokémon ‘official events’ like card tournaments emerged, providing players with the opportunity to compete against each other. Today, there is even a global championship tournament held for this purpose.

Since their introduction, over 30 billion cards have been printed. Interestingly, collectors are willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money, reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, for particularly rare cards.

While the standard card size remains consistent for gameplay, the introduction of jumbo cards has added an exciting dimension to Pokemon card collecting. These larger cards allow for more detailed and creative artwork, making them coveted collectibles for fans around the world.

A Look at Standard Pokemon Cards

The standard trading card size for Pokemon cards, as well as most trading cards, is 2.5 x 3.5 inches or 6.3 x 8.8 centimeters. This consistency in size is crucial to the gameplay, as it prevents players from distinguishing cards based on size while shuffling or playing the deck.

This size is deeply rooted in the history of gaming cards, tracing back to the first playing card decks in France in the 1370s. It has since been adopted by modern card games like Magic the Gathering and the Pokemon Trading Card Game.

Extra Protection For Your Pokemon Cards

Preserving the condition of your Pokemon cards is essential, especially for valuable cards or those with sentimental value. Standard-size card sleeves, top loading sleeves, and binders are excellent for safeguarding your cards against corner damage.

Reputable brands like VAULT X offer high-quality standard sleeves that are easy to shuffle and protect your cards effectively. We use VAULT X top loaders and binder pages with cards at home and the quality is quite nice and is a great value. 

Where to Buy Standard Cards?

Normal Pokemon cards can be purchased from various online and offline sources. Online platforms like Amazon, eBay, and the official Pokemon Center online store offer a vast assortment of cards.

In South Korea, booster packs are found in local retail stores, hobby shops, and even many convenience stores. We buy ours locally as they are in every corner store or easily found in Pokemon vending machines around the country. 

Jumbo Pokémon Cards

In addition to the standard size, the Pokemon Company produces jumbo or oversized Pokemon cards. These cards measure around 8 x 6 inches or 15.3cm x 20.3cm. However, in 2020, the Pokemon Company slightly reduced the size of jumbo cards to 5.75 x 8 inches to fit their new oversized binders. These larger-than-life cards are not meant for play but are collectible items featuring detailed artwork, making them a favorite among fans. 

They are not popular here in South Korea and rarely find kids playing with them.  On the other hand, Pokemon Chips are highly prized and played with here as well as the cards.

Protecting Jumbo Cards

These oversized collectibles can be a bit tricky due to their larger dimensions. Fortunately, few products on the market cater to jumbo card collectors. The Pokémon Company and its cards are so popular that many companies made binders for Jumbo Pokemon Cards. For example, Karly Pro oversized card binder is a popular choice, available on Amazon.

What Can You Do with Jumbo Cards?

While jumbo cards can’t be used in official gameplay, they serve as fantastic collectible items and display pieces. Their detailed and often unique artwork makes them a centerpiece in any Pokemon card collection. Many fans also enjoy trading and collecting these oversized cards due to their limited availability and unique designs.

Where Can You Buy Them?

Jumbo cards are usually included in special promotional box sets sold in retail stores and online platforms like Amazon and eBay. They’re also given out at official Pokemon events. Be sure to check the official Pokemon Center online store for exclusive releases and limited edition jumbo cards.

Game Over…

For me I’m not sure what is the bigger draw, collecting these regular-sized cards from characters that were, at one time unknown to me, or spending a fun time and bonding with my son. But of course, as a dad, I must say the latter.  From EX Holon Phantoms to the cute and cuddly Poorin and so on, it’s fun to be reliving my youth with these fun characters. 

Hey You~~~

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