History of Pokemon Part 2a - Prerelease Raichu

[PokePop]

History & Timeline of the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Organized Play - Part 2a (PokeGym Anniversary Edition -Mystery Guest Special)

Continuing the the tradition started with Part 1a, which touched upon a little known but important part of Pokemon history, we present for your edification the story of "Prerelease Raichu", the "Holy Grail" of Pokemon.

The legend of this card started with a report on the 1999 Tropical Mega Battle by Edo, one of the PokeGym's suppliers of translations of Japanese cards. Since Edo lived in Hawaii at the time, he was able to spectate at the event. The WotC staff were familiar with him, so they allowed him to attend the event. Among the highlights for Edo was getting to play a game of cards with Imakuni? (see below)



Toward the end of the first day of the event, he reported on an odd error card that a WotC rep had in his possession.

Originally Posted by Edo

Andrew Finch came out again, and showed that same guy from Media Factory a special misprint card. "Only eleven exist," he said. Many know that there was a Clefable that was released that had a special green "Pre-Release" stamp in the lower-right corner of the picture. However, it seems that there were eleven Basic Set Raichus in with the Clefable mix, so they were stamped as well.

And so started a mystery that would plague serious collectors of the game for years. Six and a half years, to be exact. Collectors clamored for a confirmation of the existence of these cards, but no copies of the card were ever put up for sale, nor pictures shown in any venue. WotC representatives consistently denied the card's existence. One such WotC representative was Mike Boozer, affectionately known to the players as Dark Master Trainer Mike.



Adding to the mystery, Mike would willingly show the card to some players late in the evening, after the main events had shut down and been packed up. But, he'd do this while verbally denying the existence of the card. Often simultaneously! Oh, he truly was "Dark".

Because of all this, the card was known by many to really exist, but with the lack of official confirmation and no copies to point to, an air of mystery and desirability grew over the card. Many top collectors had it on their "want list", but they all knew it was futile. That no copies of the card had ever hit the market, either for sale or trade.

But now, in honor of the PokeGym's 7th Anniversary, Dark Master Trainer Mike has broken his silence and has agreed to reveal the existence of this card to the world! The PokeGym proudly presents the only known image of this exceedingly rare error card.... Prerelease Raichu!!



Original image - lightened image

So, how did this card come about? It seems that when they were printing up test copies of the Prerelease Clefables for the original season of the Pokemon League. The sheets of cards that they used had a Base Set Raichu printed on it in next to the Jungle Clefable. Here, you can see how cards appear on a similar sheet of cards prior to being cut into individual cards:



Now, imagine that this sheet had Clefable after Clefable after Clefable and then at some point it switched over to a series of 8 Raichu. I say eight because that is the number given by Mr. Boozer (Certainly, it could have been 11 copies as Mr. Finch reported to Edo all those years ago. However, 8 or 11, the number is exceeding small). When they ran the sheet through the foil stamped, these few Raichu were also stamped. Once the proof copies were delivered to WotC, the managers noted the problem and corrected it for the rest of the print run. However, what to do with these 8 or so copies? They each got one and have kept them to themselves for all of these years.

(Sounds a bit like Lord of the Rings at this point, doesn't it?)

While no copies have made it onto the market, we are glad to finally at least offer definitive proof to collectors that the cards do, in fact, exist. Any price estimate would be just that, an estimate, since none have been sold.
However, conservatively, this is the most valuable and desirable English language Pokemon card and so any estimate of it's value starts at a conservative $5000.00 and goes upward from there.

[sdrawkcab]

hmmm *plots many skemes to find and sell one of these*
none seem reasonable enough to work, that is without killing anyone of coarse <_< >_> $_$!

[Flaming_Spinach]

EXCELENT article. I love it.


Maybe, now that the world knows that it exists, one of those old WOTC managers will come forward and finally sell one. I can hope!

[spazcrackers]

the one card have never been able to find during all my travels. out of all the sites,hundreds of binders from scrub to pro,and thousands of cards. never have i seen the card before. i will offer a challenge to anyone that owns one and reads this. I'M WILLING TO WAGER MY ENTIRE COLLECTION ON A GAME FOR IT. if i lose i will humbly walk away from this game for good and hand over every pokemon card i own...

there are only 8 to 11 but any challengers amongst those please step up.

-spaz

[Cyrus]

That's a wager most players would make, because winning a prerelease Raichu is like winning the world championships of collecting, only in one round.

The scan is still kinda tough to see, though...I ummm...don't even see the prerelease stamp @_@

[M_Liesik]

Originally Posted by PokePop

One such WotC representative was Mike Booker...

Actually, that's not Mike's true last name. Mike's true last name is possibly one of the coolest last names you could have (aside from Moss). It's Boozer. Mike Boozer.

[EDIT: Yes, I know it was just a typo, but I felt the need to point out how much of a stud DMTM is.]

[PokePop]

Yep. A typo.
Of course, Liesik ("sick lie") is a pretty interesting name too.

[Burninating_Torchic]

Originally Posted by PokePop

(Sounds a bit like Lord of the Rings at this point, doesn't it?)

One Rai to rule them all?

[SD PokéMom]

Originally Posted by M_Liesik

...I felt the need to point out how much of a stud DMTM is.

Hmmmm...could this possibly be the 'unnamed POP official' quoted HERE?

*don't kill me...*

'mom

[Dodou Master]

Originally Posted by SD PokéMom

Hmmmm...could this be the 'unnamed POP official' quoted HERE?

*don't kill me...*

'mom

OH NO!

Mike, your cover has been blown. I've secured you an asylum from the country in a safehouse with Ives in Mexico. I guess I shouldn't have said that. My bad.

[PokePop]

"Safehouse" and "with Ives" don't belong in the same sentence!
>Duck!<

[Metagross_Ex]

Ok, I'm blind; someone point out where the pre-release stamp is, because I don't see it.

[bullados]

Barely visible, accross the lower right corner of the picture, written in plain block text.

[dragonspy900]

i wwished i owned prerelease raichu but i only own a normal one in my pokemon tcg game foor my gbc. Plus prerelase stamps were to simple back then

[badganondorf]

It doesn't look like a stamp really. It's just few black letters on the right down corner of the picture.

[Kempley05]

Originally Posted by PokePop

However, conservatively, this is the most valuable and desirable English language Pokemon card and so any estimate of it's value starts at a conservative $5000.00 and goes upward from there.

What about No1 trainer?

[PokePop]

It's at least a toss up.
I'd prefer the Prerelease Raichu, myself.

[Metagross_Ex]

We need a better picture. To me, it looks like a plain base set Raichu.

[PokePop]

Obviously a lot of you need new monitors!
I'll see if I can adjust the contrast on the picture...

[sdrawkcab]

Originally Posted by PokePop

Obviously a lot of you need new monitors!
I'll see if I can adjust the contrast on the picture...

or they could just copy/paste it into paint and do that cool invert color thing :)

[POLOP]

The stamp is a clear as a picture on my screen, no idea why other people can't see it :P

So is that the only photo of it anyone has ever got?

[Flaming_Spinach]

Originally Posted by POLOP

The stamp is a clear as a picture on my screen, no idea why other people can't see it :P

I see it. It's kind of dark, but it's clear.

So is that the only photo of it anyone has ever got?

Yep. That is the ONLY picture known.

[ColdCoates90]

Originally Posted by Flaming_Spinach

I see it. It's kind of dark, but it's clear.



Yep. That is the ONLY picture known.

On the PTCO someone claimed to have owned a pre raichu and posted a pic of it.

[Flaming_Spinach]

Originally Posted by Moltres423

On the PTCO someone claimed to have owned a pre raichu and posted a pic of it.

Link?

[speedy dude]

My friend owns one of these...AND HE'S 10 lol! To him it's not that big a deal. I should tell him about this thread! ;)
Speedy