Vending Machine cards (TCG): Difference between revisions

Vending redirects here. If you were looking for an object from the Pokémon games, see Vending machine.

The Vending Machine (拡張シート lit. Extended Sheet) cards are a series of special collections for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. They were released in Japan only as a side expansion to the game and have never received an English release.

Unlike regular expansions, where a player would receive 11 cards from a booster pack, these cards were only obtainable by getting a randomized sheet from a vending machine from which the cards were peeled. It is due to this that the fan name Vending Machine Series was coined by collectors, and should not be considered the proper name for the set.

Series 1 (Blue Sheet) and 2 (Red Sheet) featured eighteen sheets with three cards per-sheet along with cardboard damage counters and coins. Series 3 (Green) featured eighteen sheets with three cards plus one special card which had a non-standard back, most of which were gag-cards or special Pass Cards.

Each sheet in the set is numbered in the bottom right corner. Each sheet always has the same cards e.g. series 1 sheet 12 has Chansey and both genders of Nidoran. Collecting all numbered sheets 1-18 will yield the entire set with some single duplicates of the common cards.

It is very hard to find full sets of these cards still attached to the sheets today.

The symbol for the Vending Machine Cards is an upside-down Poké Ball and is used for quite a number of Japanese promos asides from the Vending series.

Set Size

• 36 cards in Series 1
• 36 cards in Series 2
• 52 cards in Series 3

Release Dates

• March 23, 1998 - Series 1
• June 17, 1998 - Series 2
• November 24 1998 - Series 3

Series 1 (Blue Sheet)

No.	Card Name	Type	Level	Rarity	Sheet No.
--	Bulbasaur		15		3
--	Caterpie		15		4,6
--	Metapod		20		4
--	Weedle		15		5,6
--	Kakuna		20		4,5
--	Nidoran♀		12		11,12
--	Nidoran♂		22		10,12
--	Zubat		12		7,9
--	Golbat		25		13,14
--	Paras		15		8,9
--	Parasect		29		14,15
--	Pinsir		15		10
--	Charmander		10		2
--	Rapidash		30		13
--	Squirtle		15		1
--	Poliwag		15		1,2
--	Poliwhirl		30		17
--	Poliwrath		40		18
--	Pikachu		5		6
--	Abra		8		16,17
--	Mr. Mime		20		5
--	Mewtwo		54		15
--	Geodude		15		7,8
--	Pidgey		10		2,3
--	Rattata		15		1,3
--	Clefairy		15		7
--	Wigglytuff		40		14
--	Doduo		10		10,11
--	Dodrio		25		13,15
--	Lickitung		20		11
--	Chansey		40		12
--	Eevee		5		16,18
--	Porygon		18		17,18
--	Snorlax		35		16
--	Moon Stone	T	-	--	9
--	Fossil Excavation	T	-	--	8

Series 2 (Red Sheet)

No.	Card Name	Type	Level	Rarity
--	Venomoth		22
--	Grimer		15
--	Koffing		16
--	Tangela		15
--	Moltres		37
--	Seel		10
--	Dewgong		24
--	Shellder		16
--	Krabby		17
--	Lapras		24
--	Omanyte		20
--	Articuno		34
--	Raichu		32
--	Magnemite		15
--	Magneton		30
--	Voltorb		8
--	Electabuzz		22
--	Zapdos		28
--	Jynx		18
--	Sandshrew		15
--	Machop		18
--	Machoke		28
--	Graveler		28
--	Onix		25
--	Marowak		25
--	Hitmonlee		23
--	Hitmonchan		23
--	Kabuto		22
--	Aerodactyl		30
--	Spearow		12
--	Fearow		24
--	Ditto		15
--	Flash	T	-
--	Master Ball	T	-
--	Max Revive	T	-
--	Guard Spec.	T	-

Series 3 (Green Sheet)

No.	Card Name	Type	Level	Rarity
024	Arbok		30
030	Nidorina		22
033	Nidorino		23
048	Venonat		15
069	Bellsprout		10
070	Weepinbell		23
110	Weezing		26
123	Scyther		23
037	Vulpix		13
058	Growlithe		16
077	Ponyta		8
126	Magmar		27
055	Golduck		28
099	Kingler		33
116	Horsea		20
117	Seadra		26
120	Staryu		17
138	Omanyte		22
064	Kadabra		39
064	Kadabra		40
080	Slowbro		35
092	Gastly		13
093	Haunter		25
094	Haunter		26
097	Hypno		30
150	Mewtwo		67
028	Sandslash		35
067	Machoke		24
075	Graveler		27
104	Cubone		14
112	Rhydon		37
017	Pidgeotto		38
115	Kangaskhan		36
128	Tauros		35
--	Pokémon Retransfer	T	-
--	Pokémon Tower	T	-
	Additional Cards
--	4 Prize Battle	Extra Rule	-	--
--	20 Damage from Confusion	Extra Rule	-	--
--	3 Deck Battle	Extra Rule	-	--
--	3 vs 3 Dugtrio Team Battle	Extra Rule	-	--
--	Deck Exchange	Extra Rule	-	--
025	Ooyama's Pikachu		?	--
--	Imakuni?'s PC	Pass Card	-	--
--	Imakuni?'s Wicked Skill	T	-	--
--	Imakuni?'s Corner	--	-	--
--	Lose?	--	-	--
--	Pokémon Machine	--	-	--
--	Bill's PC	Pass Card	-	--
--	The Puzzle of Pokémon Tower?	--	-	--
--	Ouch! At the Pokémon Mansion	--	-	--
--	Violence in the Safari Zone!	--	-	--
--	Horsea of the Seafoam Islands	--	-	--
--	The Last Cave – Cerulean!	--	-	--

World Hobby Fair 1998 Special Sheet

No.	Card Name	Type	Level	Rarity
--	Pikachu		13
--	Mewtwo		30
--	Mew		25

Masaki Evolution Campaign cards

No.	Card Name	Type	Level	Rarity
--	Omastar		36
--	Alakazam		45
--	Gengar		40
--	Machamp		54
--	Golem		37

Trivia

• The cards are printed on glossy card stock, unlike the regular matte card stock. Glossy card stock became quite popular through the time of 1998 until about 2001 for promos from magazines such as CoroCoro.
• The front of the sheets have step-by-step guides on how to play the game and advertisements for other Expansion sets.
• While this was a novel idea in Japan, it was not introduced in America or European countries, likely because it would have been too expensive to produce/maintain and was not suited for the market. While some of these cards did make English appearances (as Promotional cards), many still remain exclusive to Japan.

• People began to notice that some Pokémon did not have complete evolution chains over the three sets – this mystery was soon revealed. In April 1999 a "Masaki Evolution" Campaign was launched, inspired by the idea that in order for certain Pokémon to evolve in the games, they have to be traded. In order to acquire the fully evolved versions of Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, Haunter and Omanyte, people had to send one of these cards along with the Pass Card Bill's PC to MediaFactory. In return they received the evolved version of the card they sent. Not many of these cards actually made it to collector's hands, and one can still expect to pay $100+ for them. Omanyte was the only Pokémon that didn't need to be traded in the actual games. These five cards are the only holo cards of the entire vending series that have rarity symbols. While these cards could be considered their own set, like the other cards, they are instead officially listed on the 1999 promotional card list in Japan.

• The character art for some of the cards in the Vending Machine series' were winners from an illustration competition started by CoroCoro Magazine in late 1997. Those winners were not only awarded by having their art feature on real Pokémon cards, they also received the coveted Pokémon Illustrator card.
• A special sheet of cards (dubbed "Series 00" by fans to follow trend of the other sets) was released at the World Hobby Fair in 1998, featuring Pikachu, Mewtwo and Mew. The cards are officially listed on the 1998 promotional card list in Japan.

Template:TCG Expansions

Sheet Differentiation

The side of the sheets opposite the cards in each series are decorated with Pokémon for 6 different regions of the game. The Pokémon contained on the sheets are representative of the region indicated. In addition, each sheet in the set is numbered in the bottom right corner. Each sheet always has the same cards e.g. series 1 sheet 12 has Chansey and both genders of Nidoran. Collecting all numbered sheets 1-18 will yield the entire set with some single duplicates.

Series One: sheets 1-3 Professor Oak's Lab sheets 4-6 Viridian Forest sheets 7-9 Mount Moon sheets 10-12 Safari Zone sheets 13-15 Cerulean Cave sheets 16-18 Celadon City

Series Two: sheets 1-3 Rock Tunnel sheets 4-6 Power Plant sheets 7-9 Seafoam Islands sheets 10-12 Victory Road sheets 13-15 Saffron City sheets 16-18 Cinnabar Island

Series Three: sheets 1-3 Lavendar Town sheets 4-6 Cinnabar Island sheets 7-9 Safari Zone sheets 10-12 Cinnabar Island sheets 13-15 Cerulean Cave sheets 16-18 Bill's Cottage