Rare Pikachu Pokémon cards are worth millions, but he wasn't the series' OG mascot

Nowadays, we all know Pikachu as the well-established face of the Pokémon franchise, and that’s mostly thanks to the anime.

However, Pikachu wasn’t originally intended to be the series’ mascot. The first draft looked very different.

When Pokémon Red, Blue and Green were released, the core trio everyone knew was Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur, along with their evolutions as pictured on the box-art.

Then, the anime aired, introducing the world to Ash and Pikachu which eventually led to the release of Pokémon Yellow.

Before Pikachu though, it was the Normal-Type Clefairy that was originally going to be the Pokémon mascot.

This decision was quickly back-tracked as it was believed Clefairy’s design was more appealing to girls, whereas Pikachu had a more gender-neutral design that all kids could appreciate. It was the right call, as Pikachu really is the best of both worlds; formidable and adorable at the same time.

Pokémon 30th anniversary TCG cards depict Pikachu in a variety of forms - as prices continue to soar

Earlier this week, a variety of Pokémon TCG products were released to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary - and as expected, they quickly sold out both online and in-store.

Those lucky enough to grab one at participating retailers may have walked away with a limited-run Mewtwo card.

If you weren’t that lucky though, you’ll have to either wait for a restock or give into some of the resellers online who’ve listed the products for more than they’re actually worth…

While there’s a wide-variety of cards garnering attention from collectors and resellers alike, it’s the Pikachu cards in particular that most true fans will probably want to get their hands on.

Each booster pack contains one of 30 cards with varying artwork, and Pokémon trainers are dying to collect-em-all.

While none have reached the same silly heights as the multi-million dollar Pikachu card that was sold earlier this year, they are proving difficult to get due the booster packs being unavailable. This once again means you’ll find them on eBay and other second-hand market sites, with some sellers even claiming to have the full-set, somehow.

Here’s some food for thought, though. In another timeline, we’d all be stumbling over each other to grab some rare Clefairy cards instead.

Where’s the best place to look for the Pokémon TCG 30th anniversary sets?

Online and reputable retailers like Amazon are always a good shout, with Amazon in particular deploying a system to mark your interest in the event of a restock. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be invited to purchase them when they return.

Failing that though, your local card shops are always worth considering, even if you’re likely to run into queues.

Personally, I’ve seen people have success in the more obscure stores, like bookshops such as Waterstones who’ve been selling the cards in limited quantities. Out of the box thinking is your best friend if you want those packs.

Happy hunting, and if you pull any Clefairy cards during your pack openings, treat them with the utmost respect. They were almost one of the most recognisable faces on the planet.