In order to have the best understanding of the collectibles we support, Collexy requires “state of the art”-databases. For this reason, our databases have been designed with high attention for detail, achieved without making any compromises.
We have created the Collexy databases on the basis of years of research, experience and expertise in the collectibles market. They are fueled by our passion for collectibles and determination to lift collecting to a whole new level. We have designed our databases to make the collecting processes more efficient, smooth, intuitive and completely accurate.
As we constructed these databases, we gained a strong in depth understanding of each factory set. We will share our knowledge with the Collexians a.o. in the form of “Deep Dives” of each factory set, starting with Pokémon TCG. In this article, we will set out some of the concepts we will use throughout our Deep Dives of the Pokémon TCG.
If there are any mistakes, inaccuracies, or incompleteness, please let us know on [email protected].
Set structures
For each factory set, there are different set structures depending on the language and time period of the factory sets. From the beginning of Pokémon TCG, the factory sets were varied and structured in different ways, despite the art of the cards returning throughout the various structures. The first two structures, Japanese structure and English structure, are the main structures from the very start, while the Chinese (Traditional) structure, Korean structure and Indonesian structure were introduced later.
The first structure is the Japanese structure, which is followed by Japanese, Chinese (Simplified) and sometimes followed by other Asian languages like Chinese (Traditional), Korean, Indonesian, and Thai. However, it occasionally happens that the other Asian languages do not follow the Japanese structure and instead use a structure of their own.
The second structure is the English structure, which is followed by English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish. The English structure is followed by Chinese (Traditional) cards for the factory sets Base Set, EX Legend Maker and EX Trainer Kit 2. For the Base Set, the English structure is followed by Korean cards.
The third structure is the Chinese (Traditional) structure, for Chinese (Traditional), which was used for some early sets, i.e. Base Set, EX Legend Maker and EX Trainer Kit 2, and later sets, i.e. All Stars Collection, Dreams Come True Collection, Double Burst, Legendary Clash, Sword & Shield, and Infinite Power. For later sets, the Traditional Chinese structure follows the Japanese structure.
The fourth structure is the Korean structure, which is followed sometimes by Korean. In principle, the Korean cards follow the Japanese structure. However, sometimes there are slight differences between the Japanese structure and the sequence of Korean cards warranting for a separate Korean structure.
The fifth structure is the Indonesian structure, which is followed by Indonesian and Thai. The Indonesian structure started only in mid-2019 with the set First Impact.
First, Collexy will focus on the English structure of Pokémon TCG. As we expand, we will grow and broaden our deep dives.
Era and Factory Set
Every card in the Pokémon TCG belongs to a specific era and a specific factory set.
An era is defined as the time period during which the specific factory set was released.
- WOTC (1999 – 2003)
- EX Series (2003 – 2007)
- Diamond & Pearl (2007 – 2008)
- Platinum (2009)
- HeartGold & SoulSilver (2010 – 2011)
- Black & White (2011 – 2013)
- XY (2013 – 2016)
- Sun & Moon (2017 – 2020)
- Sword & Shield (2020 – 2023)
- Scarlet & Violet (2023 – current)
A factory set refers to the collection of all cards under one denominator, a set name, that can be distinguished by their unique number.
Masters and Variants
At Collexy, we believe that collecting collectibles is only partly about the collectible itself. The rarity, desirability and the historical relevance of a specific variant of that collectible are as important as the collectible itself. For this reason, Collexy has made custom databases to provide an overview of all distinguishable variants of a specific collectible for every single Pokémon card. As Collexy grows, this service will be expanded to other collectibles.
For the purpose of the terminology used in the Deep Dives, the distinction between “Master” and “Variant” is of great importance. This distinction is also fully integrated in the Collexy databases:
- Masters are the main items or primary versions of the collectibles.
- Variants refer to the different versions of the Masters. Variants differ based on parameters like prints, stamps, holofoil patterns, or any other specific details.
For illustration purposes, in the Base Set we have a Charizard with number 4/102.
- Master: Charizard, Holo Rare, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita with set number 4/102.
- Variants: This master has 22 variants, of which one variant is a 1st edition, with the starlight holofoil pattern, shadowless subrarity and the Wizards of the Coast copyright © 1999.
It is of paramount importance to understand that per collectible, there is only one Master. Every Master has between one and more than twenty variants.
Conclusion
The above explanation on set structures and the master/variant concept is essential for the proper understanding of the Collexy databases and Deep Dives that we will conduct. If you have any feedback on this article or on the Deep Dives that will be posted after this article, please reach out by e-mail to [email protected].
I genuinely hope you will appreciate the Deep Dives (and maybe even learn) a little bit! Stay tuned!
Tom