POKÉMON Lot n° 1

Sealed box Basic set 1st edition Base set 1st edition (1999). Condition: Mint, sealed, perfectly preserved in Plexiglas box. Language: French. The history of Pokémon cards dates back to the mid-1990s, when Japanese designer Satoshi Tajiri and illustrator Ken Sugimori created the franchise by designing a world where players could capture and collect fantastic creatures called Pokémon. The rather original idea was inspired by Tajiri's childhood passion for observing insects. In 1996, The Pokémon Company teamed up with American gaming company Wizards of the Coast (also publishers of Magic The Gathering©) to create the first series of Pokémon cards. Launched as a preview in Japan, they quickly gained in popularity, laying the foundations for what was to become a worldwide phenomenon, whether in playgrounds, game rooms or collectors' libraries. Pokémon cards have had a profound cultural impact since their creation, and their success has never waned. More than 30,000 different Pokémon cards exist today, some so sought-after that passionate collectors and investors are ready to scour the world in search of the missing card to complete their collection.