Canceled Pokemon TCG cards are finally being released after more than 10 years

Trading card grading company CGC Cards has exclusively released an elusive set of 7 Japanese canceled Pokemon TCG cards from the canceled 2011 Japanese Pokemon World Championship Qualifier event.

One of the big three card grading companies, CGC Cards, was able to grade and release a set of seven elusive Pokemon TCG promo cards for the Japanese World Championship Qualifiers. The cards were previously unreleased after the event was canceled following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit northeast Japan.

The canceled Pokemon TCG cards were graded between 9 and pristine 10, which Kevin Murphy of CGC said was “insanely high” for a 2011 set that was “thought to be destroyed.”

CGC-grade canceled Pokemon TCG cards from the 2011 Japanese World Championship Qualifier

The Japanese World Championship Qualifier promotional Pokemon cards were supposed to be awarded to participants who made the cut for the annual Pokemon World Championship, while the Energy cards were to be given to winners of side events.

The Pokemon Company usually prepares promotional cards for participants and staff at these events, which are stamped with the year they were distributed or the word ‘STAFF” for workers.

Unreleased? No problem! 😎

CGC Cards has recently certified a very special group of cards from the Pokémon TCG: seven Japanese Pokémon World Championships 2011 promos that were never formally released to the public, due to the Japanese Representation Qualifiers being cancelled… pic.twitter.com/SMIqa9yUVd

— CGC Cards (@CGCCards) December 1, 2023

 The full list of cards and their grades are:

• Emolga Black & White Promo: 025/BW-P Graded CGC Pristine 10
• Druddigon Black & White Promo: 026/BW-P Graded CGC Pristine 10
• Pokémon Catcher Black & White Promo: 027/BW-P Graded CGC Pristine 10
• Grass Energy Black & White Promo: 028/BW-P Graded CGC Pristine 10
• Water Energy Black & White Promo: 029/BW-P Graded CGC 9
• Psychic Energy Black & White Promo: 030/BW-P graded CGC Pristine 10
• “Metal Energy Black & White Promo: 031/BW-P graded CGC Pristine 10.
• CGC Cards

The canceled Pokemon TCG cards would have made amazing prizes, especially Pokemon Catcher, which Kevin Murphy of CGC said was, at the time, “the most powerful card in the entire game of Pokemon.”

Among the cards CGC have been entrusted with is a Wizards of the West Coast blank-backed Blastoise, which in 2021 was tied as the highest-priced Pokemon card ever sold in auction.

Mike Quinn, the Vice President of CGC, said he was “thrilled” to have authenticated and certified what he described as “pieces of Pokemon history.”