I had this reddit post here where I thought I'd just crack into my sealed collection because I was moving house and it was taking up a lot more space than I would've liked. Also my wife had shown an interest in opening them so we had some fun. These cards were collected over years and included some major milestones in my life including my first international work trip to South Korea, my partners first international work trip to Japan, my honeymoon, my overseas engagement, and just general purchases. So I bought these packs due to being in the area and randomly coming across them. I had a close association with the packs, but I got antsy that they were just sitting sealed. My wife got into scrap booking, and then it just kind of hit me that a national dex binder would essentially have actual cards and that's where I began. Also major shout out to Deep Pocket Monster for the inspo – his national dex binder videos are great which lead to me wanting a national dex and eventually making my own placeholder cards.

This entire challenge has made me appreciate the TCG in a time when it's being ruined by scalpers and genuine fights in parking lots. There's a lot of good out there in the TCG world.

The Goal

I set out to get one unique card for every Pokémon in the National Dex — using any language, set, or rarity. That means 1168 cards including regional, Gigantamax, and special forms.

After cracking 300+ packs and diving into my bulk, I hit 835/1168. The rest I slowly picked up through trades and purchases.

The Method

I made a printable 9-card layout to help keep track — looks great in a binder and fills the gaps without using fakes. If you'd like the PDF, just comment and I’ll DM it to you (or post it with mod approval).

Hardest Cards to Find

• Chingling ($25… oof)
• Pichu, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum, Quilladin, Gigantamax Snorlax (Chinese Rainbow Rare)
• A bunch of Ultra Beasts and babies that don’t show up much

Memorable Pulls

• Scyther ex & Chansey ex – both pulled back-to-back by my wife from vintage Spanish R&S packs
• Magikarp IR (French) – bought in Paris for her birthday 💕
• Charizard IR (Obsidian Flames) – her first “is this good?” moment, and it was
• Poliwhirl IR – from my trip to South Korea
• God Pack in Shiny Treasure – our first, from a 7/11 in Japan during her work trip

Each card in the binder has a story — and that’s what makes it special.

Tips for Building Your Own

1. Plan Ahead: Know which cards are hard to find and pick them up early.
2. Take Your Time: Mine took ~4 months, but there's no rush. Make it fun.
3. Appreciate the Art: Commons can be beautiful too — pick the versions that mean something to you.
4. Make it Yours: Tie your collection to memories. That’s what makes it a real 1/1.

TL;DR:

Building a National Dex binder gave my bulk cards purpose, helped me reconnect with the hobby, and created a one-of-a-kind collection full of stories.
If you want the placeholder PDF, drop a comment and I’ll DM it over (or share with mod approval)