If you have even taken a glance at any of my social media feeds, then you would know that I am a huge fan of collecting the Pokémon Trading Card game. I got into collecting Pokémon cards way back when they first debuted in the west way back in 1999. My friends and I would make our way down to the local Wizards of the Coast store in Orange County, California and buy pack after pack of the cards, trying to collect the entire set. We dabbled in playing the TCG every once in a while, often with “house rules” rather than the official rules as laid out by The Pokémon Company – but we didn’t care. For us, it was all about the collection and having fun. Sharing a common interest with good friends and having a good time doing so. Even if it was a rather expensive hobby. But I was having fun with my friends. Meeting at the shop either before or after work and just trying to see who could pull the best hits – it’s what drove us, and we had fun doing so.
Fast forward nearly a quarter of a century, and you can find me still collecting Pokémon cards; this time though I am sharing my passion and hobby with my own three teens. Whenever we have some extra income or they have earned enough on their own to do so, we head down to out local hobby shop (shout out to Finch and Sparrow Games and Frank and Sons) and buy a few packs each, trying to see who can pull what from our respective packs. And just like my passion for the hobby has grown and evolved over the years, so has the TCG, with numerous sets and subsets having been released throughout the years. And this past weekend has been no different. This past weekend saw the release of the Sword & Shield Crown Zenith subset – the last subset to be released under the Sword & Shield set before the game evolves again with the release of the Scarlet & Violet set in March.
That’s why I want to focus this post on the Crown Zenith set as I have quite a few cards in the set that I am chasing, hoping to add them to my collection. Some cards are quite obvious as to why I want to collect them; they either feature my favorite Pokémon, Charizard, or are Full Art Trainer Cards, my personal favorite cards in each set. But there are some cards in the set that I want simply because I think that look absolutely beautiful and would love to add them to my sets. But Crown Zenith has a bit of a catch: not only is there a 159 card set in the base collection (or 160 if you count in the Secret Rare card), but there are also an additional 70 cards to collect as part of the Galarian Gallery subset – bring the total number of cards to 230. And that’s quite a few to collect. That’s why I am limiting myself to simply chasing the following ten cards here before I consider my set complete.
Pokémon Sword & Shield Crown Zenith Base Set
Leafeon VSTAR 14/159 Rare
Plain and simple, this is one of my daughter’s favorite Pokémon, and when I look at the extremely cute artwork that adorns this card, I find myself also in love with the overall cuteness of this Pokémon myself.
Charizard VSTAR 19/159 Rare
My all-time favorite Pokémon has been and always will be Charizard. From the time that I started collecting Pokémon cards until this day, Charizard’s design will always be top tier, in my opinion.
Rayquaza VMAX 102/159 Rare
Rayquaza is one hell of beautifully designed Pokémon. To me, this Pokémon has always looked like a blend between a snake and a Chinese dragon, and that comes across beautifully in this amazing card.
Elesa’s Sparkle 147/159 Rare
One of mt favorite Pokémon trainers from any generation of the games, Elesa has always had a stunning design, and this new full art trainer card featuring the character only reinforces how I feel about her design.
Pikachu 160/159 Secret Rare
The ultimate Secret Rare card of this set, one look at this artwork on the card is enough to tell you why I want this card. It is a beautiful design that just jumps out to me as a collector and fan of the series.
Pokémon Sword & Shield Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery
Zeraora VSTAR GG43 Common
Okay, no lie; this Zeraora card reminds me of a very playful kitty on a poster, and there is something simply alluring about that. It’s a very simple design that exhibits so much in the art and makes for a playful card in any collection.
Mewtwo VSTAR GG44 Common
Next to Charizard, Mewtwo is perhaps my next favorite Pokémon, if not in my top five at the very least. So, looking at the absolute beauty of the design here, and it’s no wonder why I am chasing this card to add to my set.
Irida GG63 Common
Ever since I played Pokémon Legends: Arceus and met the leader of the Pearl Clan, I was in love with the look and design of the character. So, when I learned that she was going to be featured as a Trainer Card, I knew I would be chasing this one.
Melony GG64 Common
Not gonna lie, but I could totally simp for this Cichester Gym Leader as I found her look and design absolutely appealing. That is why when I know she is going to be a featured card in any set, she immediately becomes a chase card for me.
Arceus VS GG70 Common
Usually, I am not a huge fan of the Pokémon Arceus. But looking at the artwork on this card and how epic the design for it is, I could easily find myself chasing this one just for aesthetics for my personal collection.
And there you have; my ten favorite cards in the Pokémon Sword & Shield Crown Zenith set. What do you think? Are you looking to chase some other cards in the set? Are you hoping for some of the same as I am? Do you even collect Pokémon cards? Let me know down in the comments below. And I hope to see you again soon. Stay safe, my friends.
