CGC Cards Registry Featured Set: Base Set Holos graded CGC Pristine 10
Posted on 09/07/2026
When it comes to Pokémon cards, none are more iconic than the original Base Set — the first set to be released in North America in 1999. Comprised of 102 cards, Base Set introduced trading card enthusiasts to the world of Pokémon with cards illustrated by key artists such as Ken Sugimori, Mitsuhiro Arita, and Keiji Kinebuchi. Fan-favorite Pokémon, including Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Pikachu, also made their debuts in an official capacity in the TCG world.
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| A Charizard, Pokémon (1999) Base Set Holo graded CGC Pristine 10 Click images to enlarge. |
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Base Set was released in waves with multiple print runs. The Unlimited version of Base Set is the most abundant of the three — the other two being 1st Edition and Shadowless — but they're still quite rare. Originally, Wizards of the Coast — the original producer of the Pokémon TCG in North America — didn’t think the Pokémon TCG would sell that well, so they only produced a limited amount of Base Set cards at launch. Combine the rarity with the fact that these cards were released in 1999 — now more than 25 years ago — and the scarcity of Base Set cards in pristine condition becomes apparent. Very few examples are in excellent condition, and even less are pristine.
However, that doesn’t mean that they’re impossible to find. Some Pokémon TCG collectors have made it their mission to complete a full set of Base Set 1st Edition holo cards in pristine condition, and many of them are recorded in the CGC Cards Registry. One such collector, 1stpika & 1stzard, is well on their way to completing an entire CGC-certified Base Set holo set, with every card graded CGC Pristine 10! 1stpika and 1stzard’s Base Set Holo’s – Pristine set is 80% complete and includes some of the hottest cards in the set, including the iconic Base Set Charizard, Mewtwo, and Raichu. In fact, they’re only missing three cards — Clefairy, Gyarados, and Poliwrath. Several of their cards are Top Pops in the CGC Cards Population Report, such as Chansey, with none graded higher.
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| A Mewtwo, Pokémon (1999) Base Set Holo graded CGC Pristine 10 (left) and a Chansey, Pokémon (1999) Base Set Holo graded CGC Pristine 10 (right). Click images to enlarge. |
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About the CGC Cards Registry
The CGC Cards Registry is a free online platform where collectors can register and display CGC-certified cards, compete with other collectors, and get inspired. The CGC Cards Registry is also a great organizational tool for your collection. Begin adding your CGC-certified cards to the CGC Cards Registry here.
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Previous CGC Cards Registry Featured Sets:
POKÉMON
- Base Set – 1st Edition
- Detective Pikachu
- EX Delta Species Reverse Holos
- Fossil 1st Edition Master Set
- Jungle – No Symbol
- Neo Genesis 1st Edition
- Pokémon 1st Edition Gray Stamp
- Pokémon Rumble
- Shining Fates Master Set
- Snorlax – Main Set
- Southern Islands
- Team Rocket First Edition Master Set
- Wizards of the Coast Black Star Promos
MAGIC: THE GATHERING
- Limited Edition Alpha: Reserved List
- Arabian Nights
- Happy Little Gathering
- Legends – Reserved List
- Limited Edition Alpha
YU-GI-OH!
MARVEL
- Marvel The Silver Age Autographs
- Marvel Super Heroes
- Marvel Super Hero Stickers
- X-Men Series 2 Gold Foil
OTHER
About CGC
Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games, and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs, and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation, and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray, and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.
CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 110 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs, and stamps.
