PokeClawPokémon TCG encyclopediaKanto Pokémon cards: the original 151 on cards
Kanto is where it all started: the region of the first Pokémon games and the home of the original 151 Pokémon. The trading card game was born there too, so the oldest, most nostalgic and most valuable cards in the hobby are Kanto cards. In the catalog, 151 Kanto species appear on 4631 cards, and 19 sets are built mostly around them, from the 1999 Base Set to Scarlet & Violet 151. This page ties those cards to the games they came from, ranks the Kanto cards worth most today, and lists the gym leaders and fossils that became Trainer cards.
Kanto in the games and on cards
| Year | In the games | On cards |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Pokémon Red and Green come out in Japan: the first 151 Pokémon and the Kanto region. | The card game launches in Japan the same year, built on those 151. |
| 1998-1999 | Red, Blue and then Yellow reach North America and Europe. | The English Base Set arrives in January 1999, then Jungle, Fossil and Team Rocket. |
| 2000 | The Gym Leaders of the first games become collectible characters. | Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge: cards like Brock's Onix and Misty's Psyduck name the leader who trains them. |
| 2004 | FireRed and LeafGreen remake the first games. | EX FireRed & LeafGreen, with ex cards of the Kanto starters. |
| 2016 | The series turns 20. | Generations and Evolutions, which brings back the look of the 1999 cards. |
| 2018-2019 | Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! return to Kanto. | Hidden Fates brings back Team Rocket and a vault of shiny cards. |
| 2023 | The Scarlet & Violet era looks back at the originals. | Scarlet & Violet 151: every one of the 151, with full art and special illustration rares. |
The Kanto sets
Every set where at least seven in ten Pokémon cards are Kanto Pokémon, in release order, with each set's most valuable card.
| Released | Set | Kanto share | Most valuable card |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-01-09 | Base | 100 % | Charizard $674.34 |
| 1999-06-16 | Jungle | 100 % | Snorlax $371.69 |
| 1999-07-01 | Wizards Black Star Promos | 71 % | Lucky Stadium $1,213 |
| 1999-10-10 | Fossil | 100 % | Dragonite $429.17 |
| 2000-02-24 | Base Set 2 | 100 % | Charizard $453.16 |
| 2000-04-24 | Team Rocket | 100 % | Dark Charizard $434.33 |
| 2000-08-14 | Gym Heroes | 100 % | Sabrina's Gengar $600.87 |
| 2000-10-16 | Gym Challenge | 100 % | Blaine's Charizard $894.61 |
| 2001-07-31 | Southern Islands | 77 % | Mew $440.82 |
| 2002-05-24 | Legendary Collection | 100 % | Charizard $499.00 |
| 2002-09-15 | Expedition Base Set | 72 % | Dragonite $799.69 |
| 2004-09-01 | FireRed & LeafGreen | 100 % | Gengar ex $1,400 |
| 2016-02-22 | Generations | 71 % | Flareon-EX $209.05 |
| 2016-11-02 | Evolutions | 100 % | M Charizard-EX $152.48 |
| 2018-10-16 | McDonald's Collection 2018 | 100 % | — |
| 2019-04-05 | Detective Pikachu | 72 % | Detective Pikachu $15.00 |
| 2019-08-23 | Hidden Fates | 100 % | Jessie & James $88.79 |
| 2019-10-15 | McDonald's Collection 2019 | 100 % | Pikachu $33.66 |
| 2023-09-22 | 151 | 100 % | Charizard ex $422.87 |
The most valuable Kanto cards
The 25 highest market prices among Kanto Pokémon cards (ungraded Near Mint). 1st Edition and graded copies sell above these.
| # | Card | No. | Set | Rarity | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charizard ★ δ | 100/101 | Dragon Frontiers (2006) | Rare Holo Star | $4,000 |
| 2 | Shining Charizard | 107/105 | Neo Destiny (2002) | Rare Shining | $3,999 |
| 3 | Pikachu ★ | 104/110 | Holon Phantoms (2006) | Rare Holo Star | $3,200 |
| 4 | Mew ★ δ | 101/101 | Dragon Frontiers (2006) | Rare Holo Star | $2,200 |
| 5 | Flareon ★ | 100/108 | Power Keepers (2007) | Rare Holo Star | $2,000 |
| 6 | Jolteon ★ | 101/108 | Power Keepers (2007) | Rare Holo Star | $2,000 |
| 7 | Gengar & Mimikyu-GX | 165/181 | Team Up (2019) | Rare Ultra | $1,550 |
| 8 | Gengar ex | 108/112 | FireRed & LeafGreen (2004) | Rare Holo EX | $1,400 |
| 9 | Gyarados | H10/144 | Skyridge (2003) | Rare Holo | $1,250 |
| 10 | Gyarados ★ δ | 102/110 | Holon Phantoms (2006) | Rare Holo Star | $1,200 |
| 11 | Charizard | 136/135 | Plasma Storm (2013) | Rare Secret | $1,150 |
| 12 | Mew ex | 232/91 | Paldean Fates (2024) | Special Illustration Rare | $1,085 |
| 13 | Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat | 85/215 | Scarlet & Violet Black Star Promos (2023) | Promo | $1,063 |
| 14 | Alakazam ★ | 99/100 | Crystal Guardians (2006) | Rare Holo Star | $1,025 |
| 15 | Gengar VMAX | 271/264 | Fusion Strike (2021) | Rare Rainbow | $1,007 |
| 16 | M Charizard-EX | 108/106 | Flashfire (2014) | Rare Secret | $1,001 |
| 17 | Kabutops | 150/144 | Skyridge (2003) | Rare Secret | $1,000 |
| 18 | Shining Mewtwo | 109/105 | Neo Destiny (2002) | Rare Shining | $940.00 |
| 19 | Vaporeon ★ | 102/108 | Power Keepers (2007) | Rare Holo Star | $900.99 |
| 20 | Rocket's Zapdos ex | 106/109 | Team Rocket Returns (2004) | Rare Holo EX | $899.99 |
| 21 | Blaine's Charizard | 2/132 | Gym Challenge (2000) | Rare Holo | $894.61 |
| 22 | Mega Charizard X ex | 125/94 | Phantasmal Flames (2025) | Special Illustration Rare | $878.22 |
| 23 | Magikarp & Wailord-GX | 161/181 | Team Up (2019) | Rare Ultra | $851.77 |
| 24 | Dragonite | 9/165 | Expedition Base Set (2002) | Rare Holo | $799.69 |
| 25 | Snorlax LV.X | 111/111 | Rising Rivals (2009) | Rare Holo LV.X | $797.47 |
Collecting Kanto
- Start modern: Scarlet & Violet 151 has every one of the 151 and is the cheapest way to fill a Kanto binder.
- Want the 1999 look: Evolutions brought back the classic layout on modern card stock.
- Going vintage: check for the 1st Edition stamp and the right set symbol, and price the exact print with the value guide.
- Buying big cards: Base Set holos are among the most faked cards there are; read how to spot fakes first.
The Kanto Pokémon printed most
How many cards each of the most printed Kanto Pokémon has appeared on. Each links to its page listing every print, oldest first.
| Pokédex | Pokémon | Cards |
|---|---|---|
| #25 | Pikachu | 177 |
| #6 | Charizard | 107 |
| #133 | Eevee | 85 |
| #150 | Mewtwo | 85 |
| #26 | Raichu | 71 |
| #52 | Meowth | 60 |
| #130 | Gyarados | 57 |
| #143 | Snorlax | 56 |
| #38 | Ninetales | 55 |
| #151 | Mew | 53 |
| #37 | Vulpix | 51 |
| #94 | Gengar | 50 |
| #68 | Machamp | 49 |
| #145 | Zapdos | 49 |
| #149 | Dragonite | 49 |
Gym leaders, Professor Oak and the fossils
The people of Kanto became Trainer cards, and its fossils became cards you can revive into prehistoric Pokémon. Counts are Trainer cards in the catalog whose name carries them.
| Card name | Who or what | Cards | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Oak | the Pokémon professor of Pallet Town; his card was in the very first Base Set | 17 | 1999-2021 |
| Brock | Pewter City Gym, Rock type | 13 | 2000-2025 |
| Misty | Cerulean City Gym, Water type | 15 | 2000-2019 |
| Lt. Surge | Vermilion City Gym, Electric type | 9 | 2000-2025 |
| Erika | Celadon City Gym, Grass type | 12 | 2000-2023 |
| Koga | Fuchsia City Gym, Poison type | 6 | 2000-2019 |
| Sabrina | Saffron City Gym, Psychic type | 9 | 2000-2019 |
| Blaine | Cinnabar Island Gym, Fire type | 11 | 2000-2019 |
| Giovanni | Viridian City Gym and the boss of Team Rocket | 15 | 2000-2026 |
| Mysterious Fossil | the 1999 Fossil set's fossil, played as a Basic Pokémon | 6 | 1999-2007 |
| Helix Fossil | revives into Omanyte | 4 | 2008-2023 |
| Dome Fossil | revives into Kabuto | 4 | 2008-2023 |
| Old Amber | revives into Aerodactyl | 5 | 2008-2023 |
From the PokeClaw kitchen
Every Kanto binder needs a snack break. Our harbour chef serves his famous tuna poke bowl to the island kittens while they trade doubles: cubes of red tuna, rice, avocado and sesame, gone faster than a booster pack.
The kittens' rule: no tuna fingers on the holos. Sleeve the card first, then eat.
More guides
- How much is my Pokémon card worth?
- The most valuable Pokémon cards, set by set
- Pokémon TCG sets in release order
- Pokémon card grading: PSA, BGS and CGC grades explained
- Fake Pokémon cards: the common fakes and how to spot them
- One of a kind: Pokémon cards with a move printed only once
- Pokémon cards under $5: vintage, holos and ultra rares