Best Starter Pokemon Pokémon Cards to Collect
Collector-focused roundup for Starter Pokemon: chase prints, artist lines, TCGPlayer prices, and card guides.
2026-04-23
If you are building a Starter Pokemon focused collection, start with the species collectors actually chase in the TCG. We surface Rowlet, Squirtle, Chikorita, Torchic, and Venusaur as high-signal picks, then point you to dedicated guides for every card line.
Collector picks prioritize artist lines (Yuka Morii, Asako Ito), baby shinies, cute taxonomy overlap, and scene art, with a light tie-in to the same Reddit survey index used for popularity — so this list stays distinct from pure fan-vote rankings. Card thumbnails include TCGPlayer market prices when available.
Best cards to hunt down
Chase prints with TCGPlayer prices when available — open each species guide for full galleries.
- #1Rowlet#0722
Rowlet is a smart chase target — Yuka Morii clay-art cards, scene-style artwork collectors pin plus multiple TCG sets mean you can build a full page from holos up to illustration rares.
Cards to collect — Rowlet
$5.75 NM market
View on TCGPlayerRowlet #SV2 (Hidden Fates Shiny Vault) is a top priority for collectors — the shiny treatment adds a sparkly centrepiece to any Rowlet page.
$4.33 NM market
View on TCGPlayerRowlet #17 (Cosmic Eclipse) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Rowlet an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$0.50 NM market
View on TCGPlayerRowlet #9 (Sun & Moon) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Rowlet binder page.
- #2
Squirtle#0007Squirtle is a smart chase target — Yuka Morii clay-art cards, scene-style artwork collectors pin plus multiple TCG sets mean you can build a full page from holos up to illustration rares.
Cards to collect — Squirtle
$77.50 NM market
View on TCGPlayerSquirtle #131 (Expedition Base Set) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Squirtle an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$2.22 NM market
View on TCGPlayerSquirtle #33 (Unbroken Bonds) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Squirtle binder page.
$7.58 NM market
View on TCGPlayerSquirtle #63 (Base Set) is a solid binder pick — easy to find and always looks great in a spread.
- #3
Chikorita#0152We highlight Chikorita for collector depth: standout print runs, display-worthy art, and enough singles variety to match different budgets.
Cards to collect — Chikorita
$33.29 NM market
View on TCGPlayerChikorita δ #44 (Dragon Frontiers) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Chikorita an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$0.88 NM market
View on TCGPlayerChikorita #5 (Lost Thunder) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Chikorita binder page.
$11.89 NM market
View on TCGPlayerChikorita #53 (Call of Legends) is a solid binder pick — easy to find and always looks great in a spread.
- #4
Torchic#0255Torchic rewards focused hunting — check the card picks below for the prints worth sleeving first, then dive into our full species guide for set history.
Cards to collect — Torchic
$0.43 NM market
View on TCGPlayerTorchic #22 (Darkness Ablaze) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Torchic an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$0.52 NM market
View on TCGPlayerTorchic #25 (Celestial Storm) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Torchic binder page.
$8.07 NM market
View on TCGPlayerTorchic #RC5 (Legendary Treasures) is worth tracking down — approachable prices and binder-ready artwork.
- #5
Venusaur#0003Venusaur rewards focused hunting — check the card picks below for the prints worth sleeving first, then dive into our full species guide for set history.
Cards to collect — Venusaur
$85.40 NM market
View on TCGPlayerVenusaur & Snivy-GX #SM229 (SM Black Star Promos) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Venusaur an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$22.90 NM market
View on TCGPlayerVenusaur & Snivy GX #1 (Cosmic Eclipse) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Venusaur binder page.
$147.55 NM market
View on TCGPlayerVenusaur #15 (Base Set) is a staple for Venusaur fans — simple, affordable, and always binder-ready.
- #6
Croconaw#0159Croconaw is a smart chase target — Yuka Morii clay-art cards, scene-style artwork collectors pin plus multiple TCG sets mean you can build a full page from holos up to illustration rares.
Cards to collect — Croconaw
$61.96 NM market
View on TCGPlayerCroconaw δ #27 (Dragon Frontiers) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Croconaw an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$0.60 NM market
View on TCGPlayerCroconaw #19 (Shining Legends) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Croconaw binder page.
$6.77 NM market
View on TCGPlayerCroconaw #41 (Call of Legends) is a solid binder pick — easy to find and always looks great in a spread.
- #7
Froakie#0656We highlight Froakie for collector depth: standout print runs, display-worthy art, and enough singles variety to match different budgets.
Cards to collect — Froakie
$6.28 NM market
View on TCGPlayerFroakie #SV11 (Hidden Fates Shiny Vault) is a top priority for collectors — the shiny treatment adds a sparkly centrepiece to any Froakie page.
$0.29 NM market
View on TCGPlayerFroakie #56 (Twilight Masquerade) by Yuka Morii is essential — her signature clay-art style gives Froakie an irresistibly handcrafted charm.
$0.36 NM market
View on TCGPlayerFroakie #51 (Unbroken Bonds) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Froakie binder page.
- #8
Piplup#0393Piplup rewards focused hunting — check the card picks below for the prints worth sleeving first, then dive into our full species guide for set history.
Cards to collect — Piplup
$22.11 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPiplup #DP03 (DP Black Star Promos) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Piplup binder page.
$12.08 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPiplup #33 (Legendary Treasures) is a solid binder pick — easy to find and always looks great in a spread.
$3.86 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPiplup #27 (Dark Explorers) is a great option for new collectors — easy to find and display.
- #9
Bulbasaur#0001Bulbasaur is a smart chase target — scene-style artwork collectors pin plus multiple TCG sets mean you can build a full page from holos up to illustration rares.
Cards to collect — Bulbasaur
$2.54 NM market
View on TCGPlayerBulbasaur #1 (Shining Legends) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Bulbasaur binder page.
$2.44 NM market
View on TCGPlayerBulbasaur #44 (Base Set) is a staple for Bulbasaur fans — simple, affordable, and always binder-ready.
$4.18 NM market
View on TCGPlayerBulbasaur #67 (Base Set 2) is a fun addition for collectors — affordable and perfect for filling out a Bulbasaur page.
- #10
Primarina#0730We highlight Primarina for collector depth: standout print runs, display-worthy art, and enough singles variety to match different budgets.
Cards to collect — Primarina
$0.78 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPrimarina #41 (Sun & Moon) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Primarina binder page.
$30.56 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPrimarina GX #149 (Guardians Rising) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Primarina binder page.
$1.24 NM market
View on TCGPlayerPrimarina #67 (Lost Thunder) is a promo worth chasing — alternate art that stands out on any Primarina binder page.
Related posts
More lists and guides in the same series.
Cutest Starter Pokemon Pokémon Cards for Your BinderMost Popular Starter Pokemon PokémonMost Expensive Starter Pokemon Pokémon CardsRowlet Cards & Binder Ideas (Featuring Dartrix)Collecting Squirtle: The Complete Card Guide for Aesthetic BindersChikorita Pokémon Card Guide: Cute Picks, Best Sets, and Collector TipsTorchic Pokémon Cards: Best Artwork, Key Releases, and Binder IdeasVenusaur Card Guide: Iconic Prints, Chase Cards, and Display Picks
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