PROMO CARDS (WIZARDS)
One Class Act

Set Size: 53 in the US
They aren't sold in packs, but instead handed out when you go to a special event. And since they're handed out for free, they have no rarity.

Release Date: February 1999 to January 2003 in the US
Promo cards are Pokémon cards made especially for a specific event. They're made to promote the game, therefore a "promo". Actually, the list below will tell you what card was released when.

Other Goodies:
• With the sole exception of Promo Pikachu #1, no promo card has a 1st Edition version.
• Wizards of the Coast made 53 different Promo cards before starting their "Best Promo" series.

Symbol: There symbol for Promo cards is a star with the word "Promo" in it (so you'll know it's a Promo card!)

Name:	Number:	Released:	Event:	History:
Pikachu	01	July 1999	Pokémon League	Back in June 1999, the hot topic on the internet was that a few 1st Edition Promo Pikachus were "accidentally" added to packs of 1st Ed. Jungle. Well, WotC said it was "accidental", however almost everyone on the internet thinks it was intentional. Anyway, the chances of getting one was like 1 in every 10 boxes (so it's extremely rare). Right now it's worth at least $60, however some were easily auctioned off on eBay for $1,000 and up. We're guessing that promos were originally going to be 1st Edition in the first place, but then this little event permanently turned them into non-1st Editions. ... Maybe it's all part of a plan.... hmm.....
Electabuzz	02	September 1999	Pokémon: the First Movie	One of 4 Pokémon TCG promos handed out whenever you watched Pokémon: the First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back).
Mewtwo	03	September 1999	Pokémon: the First Movie	One of 4 Pokémon TCG promos handed out whenever you watched Pokémon: the First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back).
Pikachu	04	September 1999	Pokémon: the First Movie	One of 4 Pokémon TCG promos handed out whenever you watched Pokémon: the First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back).
Dragonite	05	September 1999	Pokémon: the First Movie	One of 4 Pokémon TCG promos handed out whenever you watched Pokémon: the First Movie (Mewtwo Strikes Back).
Arcanine	06	March 2000	Pokémon League	Nothing really to talk about. Well, this was the first Fire promo card released... that's about it.
Jigglypuff	07	December 1999	Pokémon: the First Movie Soundtrack Mail-in Promo	If you bought the Pokémon Movie Soundtrack, you got a little mail in form to get a Pokémon TCG promo card, a Jigglypuff. A number of us didn't think buying the soundtrack was worth the promo. With such lousy bands on that CD, it didn't justify the cost of the promo. This card also was passed out during later STS Main events for free. [phew]
Mew	08	January 2000	Pokémon League	If you signed up for the Pokémon League, you got a Mew. This Mew was actually supposed to appeared in Fossil, but it was taken out to be made into a League Promo. Some people at first thought that this was a horrible idea and demanded that Mew was to be put back into Fossil. But those were the same people who walked out of Toys R' Us with like 10 Mew promos.
Mew	09	April 2000	Pokémon League	When the original Promo Mew was released, people stopped complaining about the lack of Mew in Fossil and began complaining that there was no Holo Mew. Eventually their annoying cries were silenced when they got their own Holo Mew. The first hint that a Holo Mew was when several people on eBay posted up them up for auction. The next hint was in one of the Pokémon League activity sheets, which had a secret message, "Holographic Mew is coming soon!" At the West STS, many of these were being handed out. Pshaw.
Meowth	10	April 2000	Pokémon TCG for Game Boy Promo	This Meowth cards to be released with the Pokémon TCG Game Boy game. At first, many people thought this was a fake (even me). However, like we said in the Neo Edition page, Media Factory (the people who make the Japanese Pokémon cards) and WotC are working on ways to add a bit of uniformity between the US and Japanese card sets. One example of that is the Japanese Neo starter boxes having the same shape as US starters. Another example is that the US holos rares are going to start using the Japanese holos. If you didn't know, this Meowth card is technically the 1st product of the new MF/WotC uniformity. At the West STS, many of these were being handed out. Pshaw.
Eevee	11	June/July 2000	Pokémon League	There nothing much to talk about here.
Mewtwo	12	March/April 2000	Nintendo Power Magazine, Subscriber's only promo	In December 1999, Nintendo Power magazine said that they would have a special, subscriber's only, Mewtwo promo in their January 2000 issue. But January 2000 came and went, and there was no Mewtwo promo. Everyone was in an uproar. Later in Late February, Nintendo Power announced again that the Mewtwo promo would be an another issue of NP, and this time they were positive. The cool thing about this Mewtwo card is it's illustration. In the original Japanese version of this Promo card, the picture was too close to the Mewtwo promo #3 (US), actually it was almost exactly the same. We guess that WotC saw this to be a problem if the card was released in the US. So WotC got the permission the redraw the picture. And guess who drew it? A famous Magic: the Gathering artist, Christopher Rush. So this means that this Mewtwo was the first American drawn Pokémon card released (to my knowledge). (I just can't wait for the first 100% American made Pokémon card!)
Venusaur	13	April-ish 2000	Pokémon TCG GB Players Guide	Well... it was released in a players guide, that's all that's important with this one. It was the first grass promo cards...
Mewtwo	14	March 2000	Pokémon: the First Movie on VHS/DVD	When the Movie came out on video tape and DVD, it had a special Pokémon TCG promo card in it. It's actually the same as the #3 Promo Mewtwo card, just with a different picture. All together now... Enough With the Mewtwos!
Cool Porygon (That's it's real name!)	15	March 2000(1), Fall 2000(2)	Pokémon Stadium/N64 Bundle Pack(1) Pokémon League(2)	Like the Venusaur... it's there, nothing much else is available for it. Hey! Since Cool Porygon really has a different name, you can have 4 Cool Porygons and 4 regular Porygons in your deck!! Since not many people were able to get this elusive card, it is planned for this card to be handed out at Pokémon Leagues some time soon. Many complain about how this'll destroy the value of Cool Porygon, but we say if you took the card out of the plastic wrapper, you've already destroyed the value. Leave it in the wrapper and it'll maintain it's worth. DUH! At the West STS, many of these were being handed out. Pshaw.
Computer Error	16	May 2000	Pokémon League	Nothing of any importance. It was the first Promo Trainer released in the US. However.... it's Promo symbol is in the wrong place (explain that one to me).
Dark Persian	17	August 2000	Nintendo Power Magazine, Subscriber's only promo	In May, WotC had some printing problems and this card didn't make it into the June issue as it was originally planned. Otherwise, nothing interesting here. Coolness news here, the first Dark Persian scan appeared at PA! first, and was sent in by Hackman, a ex-news dude at PA!.
Team Rocket's Meowth	18	August 2000	Pokémon League	Well, you get one for getting 250 stamps or something at the Pokémon League.
Sabrina's Abra	19	October 2000	Nintendo Power Magazine, Subscriber's only promo	Man, we thought people were pulling our leg on this one. Humph.
Psyduck	20	Fall 2000	Pokémon League: Victory Road	If you get 20 points in your special Victory Road booklet, you get a Promo Psyduck.
Moltres	21	July 2000	Pokémon the Movie 2000: Power of One Movie Promos	Like the first Pokémon movie, WotC will release 4 promo cards.
Articuno	22	July 2000	Pokémon the Movie 2000: Power of One Movie Promos	Like the first Pokémon movie, WotC will release 4 promo cards. Well, this one will be the first Promo Water Pokémon card released in English.
Zapdos	23	July 2000	Pokémon the Movie 2000: Power of One Movie Promos	Like the first Pokémon movie, WotC will release 4 promo cards.
___'s Pikachu ("Birthday" Pikachu)	24	September 2000 (1), November 2000 (2), January 2001 (3)	Pikachu 9-Card Set (1) Wizard's Pokémon Site (2) Pokémon League Year 2 (3)	First released as a promo set in the 2000 Olympics in Australia in September. It was part of a 9 Pikachu "Around the World" set, which featured 9 different Pikachu cards from various parts of the world. Later in it's American debut, it's said that it'll be made avalible on WotC's website, then as a promotion for "Year 2" of the Pokémon League.
Flying Pikachu	25	September 2000 (1), August 2001 (2)	Pikachu 9-Card Set (1) Pokémon League Year 2 (2)	First released as a promo set in the 2000 Olympics in Australia in September. It was part of a 9 Pikachu "Around the World" set, which featured 9 different Pikachu cards from various parts of the world. Crazy, this card was first made in German before English.
Pikachu	26	September 2000 (1), September 2001 (2)	Pikachu 9-Card Set (1) Pokémon League Year 2 (2)	First released as a promo set in the 2000 Olympics in Australia in September. It was part of a 9 Pikachu "Around the World" set, which featured 9 different Pikachu cards from various parts of the world. Crazy, this card was first made in Spanish before English. This Pikachu card was originally a promo card for the Japanese release of "Pokémon Snap" or something along those lines.
Pikachu	27	September 2000 (1), November 2000 (2)	Pikachu 9-Card Set (1) Pokémon the Movie 2000: Power of One Video Release (2)	First released as a promo set in the 2000 Olympics in Australia in September. It was part of a 9 Pikachu "Around the World" set, which featured 9 different Pikachu cards from various parts of the world. Crazy, this card was first made in Italian before English. This Pikachu card was originally a card from Safari Zone.
Surfing Pikachu	28	September 2000 (1), June 2001 (2)	Pikachu 9-Card Set (1) Pokémon League Year 2 (2)	First released as a promo set in the 2000 Olympics in Australia in September. It was part of a 9 Pikachu "Around the World" set, which featured 9 different Pikachu cards from various parts of the world. Crazy, this card was first made in French before English.
Marill	29	December 2000	Neo Genesis Teaser Promo	Technically the first Neo card released. Notable errors include "Height" instead of "Length", and the lack of a Water energy symbol in it's attack. .... At first people though this was another one of Nick15's hoaxes, but eBay proved them wrong. ;)
Togepi	30	January 2001	Pokémon League	A promo card for the league. Whoo.
Cleffa	31	February 2001	Pokémon League	Another promo card for the league. Whoo two.
Smeargle	32	March 2001	Pokémon League	Another promo card for the league. Whoo three.
Scizor	33	April 2001	Pokémon League	Another promo card for the league. Whoo four. .... But what I'd like to know is why this card isn't like the other Metal-type Pokémon... it doesn't have that "lottery scratcher" look to it. Hmmmm...
Entei	34	April 2001	Pokémon 3: Spell of the Unown Movie Promo	Dagnabbit.... why was there only 1 Movie promo released?? Interestingly enough, it's a reverse holo like the Japanese Neo 2 Promo card.
Pichu	35	April 2001	Pokémon League	Another promo card for the league. Whoo five. Interestingly enough, it's a reverse holo like the Japanese Neo 2 Promo card.
Igglybuff	36	May 2001	Pokémon League	It sucks.
Hitmontop	37	May 2001	Pokémon League	Not one, but two different Hitmontop hoaxes were floating around the internet. Hmmm...
Unown J	38	August 2001	Pokémon 3: Spell of the Unown VHS/DVD Promo	[twiddles thumbs]
Misdreavus	39	October 2001	Pokémon League	Yawn.
Pokémon Center	40	November 2001	Pokémon Center in NY	When the first non-Japanese Pokémon center first opened in New York City, this was one of two Promo cards released. Pokémon TCG players rejoiced when they could finally use Pokémon Centers in Modified-format tournaments!
Lucky Stadium	41	November 2001	Pokémon Center in NY	Same here, although TCG players weren't AS excited about this one.
Pokémon Tower	42	December 2001	Pokémon League	Another Vending card. It was fairly close to Nick15's version. :P
Machamp	43	February 2002	Pokémon League	Yup.
Magmar	44	March 2002	Pokémon League	Yet another Vending card released in the US. Good times.
Scyther	45	April 2002	Pokémon League	Once again, another Vending card is released. I wonder how many more will be made?
Electabuzz	46	May 2002	Pokémon League	Wow! Who'da thunk it? Another Vending card.
Mew	47	June 2002	Pokémon League	Now THIS is cool... the longest hold-out of all time, Lily Pad Mew, is finally released. And lo-and-behold, there's an error on it. ;) It's supposed to Paralyze, not Confuse!
Articuno	48	July 2002	Pokémon League	One more Vending card for you!
Snorlax	49	August 2002	Pokémon League	Wizards held a contest a while back. And art contest. You get to draw a Snorlax, and if you win, it'll be put on an ACTUAL REAL Pokémon TCG card. I'm SOOOOOO jealous!!
Celebi	50	October 2002	Pokémon 4Ever Movie Promo	The first Card-E Promo card, Celebi, was released with the 4th Poké movie. Trivia: The Dot-Code on the side contains a little cartoon. Celebi has a berry addiction, and when it runs out, it goes through time to when the tree had more berries on it. Good times.
Rapidash	51	November 2002	Nintendo Power Promo	These two cards were released in a two promo deal in the November (or December, something) edition of Nintendo Power. It was the one with Samus from Metroid Prime/Fusion on the cover. Good times.
Ho-oh	52	November 2002	Nintendo Power Promo
Suicine	53	December 2002	???	I kinda grazed over this one when it was released. Sorry...
Ancient Mew	n/a	July 2000	Pokémon the Movie 2000: Power of One Movie Promos	Like the first Pokémon movie, WotC will release 4 promo cards. The "English" version of Ancient Mew will be exactly the same as the one from Japan, except for the copyright text. Hey get this, it's PLAYABLE too! Well... playable in a sence that if translated correctly, it has actual game stats. Unfortunatly, no tourney will let you play with it since people have made bizarre translations which eventually ruined it's play value. Humph.