Baseera.
The Base era spans 7 Pokémon TCG sets and 604 tracked cards, released between 1999 and 2002. It established the Pokémon TCG and the holographic chase. The top chase across the era is Charizard from Base at $644.27 on the open market.
— Where it all started. Charizard, Dark Charizard, Ancient Mew — the original grails.
What are the top chase cards across the Base era?
Pulled from every parent expansion in the era, ranked by live market price.
What is the Base era of Pokémon TCG?
The Base era of the Pokémon TCG covers 7 expansions released between 1999 and 2002, totalling 604 tracked cards on Chase Season.
Mechanically the era established the Pokémon TCG and the holographic chase, which reset both gameplay and the chase-card meta.
It follows the Neo era and precedes the E-Card era — sitting in the middle of the modern TCG timeline.
The top chase across the era is Charizard from Base at $644.27, and 7 sets in the era have at least one tracked card with live market pricing.
Which sets are in the Base era?
Every parent expansion tracked on Chase Season. Click a row to open the full card list, rarity breakdown, and live pricing.
How does the Base era compare?
Compared to the Neo era it represents the next chapter of the Pokémon TCG, with a fresh chase-card meta and updated card frame design. It is succeeded by the E-Card era, which builds on the same mechanics with new variants and pulled-rate adjustments.
Frequently asked about the Base era
History, mechanics, top chases, and how this era fits in the wider Pokémon TCG timeline — answered with live data from Chase Season.