In our Collector Feature series, we highlight collectors of all kinds and share the stories, passion and advice that have shaped their collections.
For more from Artemis and her collection, follow @Artemis1700 on Rare Candy!
Fast Facts
Name: Artemis
Age: 31
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Collects: Pokémon TCG and plushies, Lorcana, Funko Pop!, Disney Collectible Keys
Crown Jewels: Expedition holo Charizard, FireRed & LeafGreen Gengar ex, Gym Challenge Erika's Venusaur, Oceanic Operetta Vaporeon plushie, Funko Pops signed by Elijah Wood and Jeff Goldblum
Currently Seeking: Evolving Skies Vmax cards for Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon and Sylveon; Fusion Strike Espeon Vmax alt art
The Journey Begins
Phoenix-based collector Artemis began her childhood Pokémon journey on an early Saturday morning when she walked in on her younger brother watching the anime on WB Kids. She quickly came to love the show (especially the Ecruteak City arc), and the siblings continued to bond over the video games and trading cards.
She got a copy of Pokémon Red with Charmander as her starter, and her brother began with Pokémon Yellow. Their mom bought them a link cable so they could trade — and now, decades later, they still keep that tradition alive. “We both still get the games, and whenever he comes by the house we'll put our games together. We'll sit down with the new games and trade back and forth.”
When it came to the TCG, they never took to battling with one another (that's what their Yu-Gi-Oh! cards were for). Instead, they focused on trying to find early holographic cards which, though simple at the time, still felt special.
Artemis collected while up through the Diamond and Pearl series before, like many, falling off from the hobby as a teen. “I wound up skipping several generations and didn’t hop back in until about the X and Y era. Then I realized, I'd missed so much!”
That moment led her to want to begin catching up with her collection and also provided the structure for her first Pokédex binder.
Staying Organized
With more than 850 cards scanned onto her Rare Candy profile alone, Artemis needed to come up with ways to keep her collection organized. First, she has her Pokédex binders that sort all Pokémon cards by National Pokédex order. “There are four of them that I have set up: One has Kanto and Johto; one is Hoenn & Sinnoh; then Unova, Kalos and Alola are all together; then Galar & Paldea.”
Outside of maintaining her Pokédex set, she also keeps binders for all the other parts of her collection, like gold cards, trainer cards, Eeveelutions, ex & gx cards and more. “I want similar class cards together,” she explains. “For example, holos need to be together — or I've got a binder specifically for WotC-era cards because I want the vintage separate. I also have binders for my favorites and for high-end cards — as well as Pelican Cases for my graded cards and cards ready to be sent out to PSA.”
Across it all, she explains, it’s been surprisingly easy to create her digital collection on Rare Candy. “I don’t have to sit there and type in a whole name every time. I can just take a picture and the card’s there. It makes getting them in a lot easier because I can go through a whole binder and it takes way less time.”
Inside Artemis's Collection
As a completionist collector, Artemis is always looking to collect from the newest sets that come out. “I go for the new sets for any new Pokémon cards that came out that might interest me for their artwork styles,” she explains. And among those artwork styles, she loves best illustrations that show Pokémon in their natural habitats.
“The sleeping Tyranitar is just straight funny. He just got done eating and he’s taking a nap. Or you have the Giratina in its crazy reverse world with the alt art V, floating in its element,” she shares. “And all the Eeveelutions just having fun in whatever element suits them: sweets for the fairy Pokémon Sylveon, a library for Espeon, a snowy tundra for Glaceon.”
And while Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge are some of her favorite sets, “when you introduce a trainer into it, they’re acting in accordance with how they've grown with the trainers. But I like seeing them on the wild side, where they’re doing their own things, being themselves, being a Pokémon,” she shares. “It's like taking a photographer and having them go out survey Pokémon in their natural habitat — and it’s so interesting to see it done that way.” (And yes, Artemis is also a big fan of both Pokémon Snap games.)
Among Artemis's own collection, a few items stand out as some of her favorites. “The Expedition holo Charizard was the first Charizard holographic I ever pulled. And the way the card was designed during that e-reader series, it was a little different than what Pokémon had done before.”
(For those unfamiliar, the Pokémon e-Reader cards, part of the Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge sets released between 2002-2003, featured barcodes that could be scanned with an e-Reader device connected to a Game Boy Advance, allowing players to access in-game strategies, Pokédex information and mini-games. These sets also introduced significant gameplay changes, such as the introduction of Supporter cards and the division of Pokémon Powers into Poké-Powers and Poké-Bodies.)
And rounding out the crown jewels in her collection, Artemis also calls out her FireRed & LeafGreen Gengar ex and Erika's Venasaur from Gym Challenge.
Outside of just cards, Artemis is also a big-time plushie collector. “My absolute favorite plushie is Vaporeon from Oceanic Operetta. It's literally got pearls on it,” she explains with excitement. She found the plushie while on military duty in Japan. As she tells it, “I was in Okinawa in 2019 with my squad mates and the mall closest to us happened to have a Pokémon center. I saw it and knew I just had to have it. It was too beautiful.”
And Artemis also collects from areas in addition to Pokémon. She fuels her Disney fandom with Disney Collectible Keys — and she’s also begun collecting Lorcana. “With trading cards, Lorcana pulls my Disney fandom into something that's understandable to me,” she explains.
And last but not least, Artemis also collects Funko Pops, and she’s even managed to have a few iconic items autographed by actors Elijah Wood and Jeff Goldblum at her local Phoenix Fan Fusion convention.
Finding Community at Conventions
For Artemis, conventions have been a big part of the way she’s built her collecting community over time. “It's very hard for me to interact with others at times, but I do the best I can,” she shares. “In-person stuff usually only happens at conventions, because that's where all my friends are since they live in different states.”
She speaks particularly fondly of her time at both Card Party conventions, the event founded by collector and creator Pat Flynn (@DeepPocketMonster). “It was amazing to see the whole community coming together and having fun,” she shares. “The kids enjoy it and get their parents involved, and you can tell it’s a bonding experience.”
Artemis also had the opportunity to participate in both of Pat Flynn’s Guiness World Records. At the first card party, she was part of the largest number of people opening a trading card pack at the same time. And just this last, she was present for the most people placing trading cards in binder within eight hours.
Espeon, I Choose You!
As you may have picked up on, Artemis has a special place in her heart for the Eeveelutions. “Eevee is so cute. I just want to cuddle and snuggle with it!” Artemis explains, giving voice to the hold the fluffy evolution Pokémon has over us all.
But among all of Eevee's evolved forms, one of them captured Artemis like no other. “In the anime, when they originally showed Vaporeon, Flareon and Jolteon, I thought they were cool — but none of them drew me in.” Fast forward to the Johto era when Ash and friends finally meet Espeon and Umbreon,” she explains of Espeon, Not Included, the iconic episode from the anime.
“Espeon has the ability Foresight, so it can predict what's going to happen.” Watching Espeon avoid Team Rocket's traps with an ease and ennui that bordered on being “almost a little snooty” sealed the deal for Artemis, and Espeon's been a favorite ever since.
Advice to Collectors
For new collectors out there, Artemis offers the following words of wisdom: “If you find something that you love, just go for it. Don't go beyond your needs; always stay within. But if there's something that you want, put it on a wish list, note it down, keep an eye on it. If you need to save up, save up. Take whatever time you need. But collect the way you want to.”
