Expedition Base Set

With all 165 cards priced and a wide rarity spread, the set offers both breadth for completion and selective highlights for art-led collecting. The most valuable card is Gengar (ecard1-13), which can concentrate attention on specific holo targets without defining the entire set.

Released: Sep 2002
Cards: 165 printed
Illustrators: 32
Top card: Gengar $555
Series: E-Card
Era: Founding generation

92 unique Pokémon 136 Pokémon · 21 Trainer · 8 Energy Average market $38.00

§ 01 — The full checklist

Browse the 165 cards.

Filter by type, rarity, illustrator.

Showing 165 of 165 cards

Illustrator

Sort by

Rarity

§ 02 — About Expedition Base Set

A look inside the set.

Expedition Base Set presents a full 165-card snapshot of the E-Card era, anchored by 136 Pokémon cards and rounded out with 21 Trainers and 8 Energy. The rarity mix is broad—Commons, Uncommons, Rares, and a substantial run of Rare Holos—giving the set a steady rhythm of everyday illustrations punctuated by shinier highlights. Across the card pool, the dominant visual language is cartoonish and colorful, with playful moods and a preference for simple, focused, balanced compositions.

Within that framework, the set’s strongest moments often come from clean character-forward staging and high-chroma backgrounds that keep silhouettes readable. Visual standouts include Mew (ecard1-19) and Mewtwo (ecard1-56), both aligning with the set’s bright palette and direct framing. Among the most represented illustrators, Atsuko Nishida, Hajime Kusajima, Kagemaru Himeno, and Tomokazu Komiya help define the collection’s range—from approachable, lighthearted scenes to more graphic or quirky accents—while staying consistent with the set’s overall clarity.

I · Visual identity

Vibrant color dominates, often paired with contrasting accents that keep figures crisp against uncluttered space. The prevailing mood is playful and lighthearted, supported by simple, centered or tightly focused compositions; even when scenes turn more dynamic, the staging stays readable and character-forward.

II · Illustrators

Atsuko Nishida leads the set by volume, with substantial contributions from Hajime Kusajima and Kagemaru Himeno, and additional depth from Tomokazu Komiya. Together, they account for a significant share of the artwork and reinforce the set’s consistent balance of approachable cartooning, bright color, and clear composition.

§ 03 — Featured