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 Steven Z. and his collection, follow @Stieven on Rare Candy!
Fast Facts
Name: Steven Z.
Age: 31
Location: Dilsen, Belgium
Collects: Articuno cards, Fossil, Jungle, Gym Heroes, Gym Challenge, Chilling Reign, 151, Japanese Radiant cards, full-art cards with all-white backgrounds, Topps Pokémon cards
Crown Jewels: His childhood collection
Currently Seeking: Legendary Collection reverse-holo Articuno
It all began on a childhood Christmas when Steven Z. and his brother, Wesley, got copies of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. “We just started playing the games non-stop on these big Game Boys, the original ones. And I really went deep into it, because I started watching the anime,” he reminisces. “I started playing with the figurines. Then the TCG slowly started. I had T-shirts, I had hats—I was full on-into it.”
And even though his brother’s interest waned, for Steven, Pokémon continued to be a source of joy throughout childhood. “We were 6, 7, 8 years old — and having Pokémon cards was just incredible. Everybody had them, and everybody was happy.”
“That Is Not a Pokémon Card”
Steven's earliest relationship with the cards actually began with Topps, which found their way to Belgium slightly earlier. And though Steven grew up in — and still lives in — the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, many of those early cards were French, he recalls. And when the Wizards of the Coast cards finally made their way into his classmates circles, he wasn't so sure.
“I liked the cards that I had, those Topps cards,” he explains, remembering those first encounters. ”Like “This is a Pokémon card. That is not a Pokémon card.’” Yet with time, he too started collecting the TCG we've all come to know and love. And though early vintage sets did circulate in Dutch—and Steven has some among his early cards—his passion began to quickly hone in first on cards in English and later in Japanese.
A Tale of Two Cinematic Promos
One trade in particular stands out in particular for Steven: He loved the Wizards Black Star Promo Dragonite (“the one that's flying with the satchel”) that was distributed exclusively for the release of Pokémon, the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1999. While Steven didn’t score one with his admission, through some smart trading he got ahold of one at school, and it’s a beloved card he has to this day.
Yet a year later, the release of Pokémon the Movie 2000 and its rare promo, Ancient Mew, led to a less happy ending. ”I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but it ended up in my pants... in the laundry... and it got washed,” Steven admits. Together with his mom, he lovingly tried to tape it up and hold it together, despite the rips and tears. And though he held on to it for years, as an adult collector he ultimately made the tough call to throw it out and replace it. ”It had to be done,” he explains, ”I was always embarrassed to show that card.”
A Return Grounded in Community
Steven's focus on Pokémon faded somewhat with time, though he continued to keep track of new titles and games as they came out. And then, with the launch of Pokémon Go in 2016, Steven realized that he wasn't alone in he love he’d been quietly harboring for the games.
“I started a local community with 10–15 people who were playing in the town, and we just grew really close” he explains. From there, Steven started collecting again (especially in the Sword & Shield era) and immersing himself back in the scene, but always with his sights set not on the cards, but the people. ”Collecting is almost a secondary thing,” he explains. “The primary thing that draws me and keeps me is hanging out with people, talking to people and meeting people.”
And Steven's grown his community well past the Belgian borders. Faced with a relatively small Pokémon TCG community in his country, he sought out digital friendships online—some of which have become deep and long-lasting. “How strange is it that I've been talking to people online for three years who I consider very close me even though I've never met them?” he muses. ”I hope to actually meet a lot of those people eventually.”
Finally, in 2022, Steven got a taste of that real-life connection he'd been looking for at London Worlds. “That was the first time I actually went to like a Pokémon TCG event. And I loved it, like every second of it.” Even though he decided to travel to the event and attend on his own, he found himself easily connecting with like-minded fans of all ages who were eager to share in the enthusiasm.
Articuno, I Choose You!
Throughout Steven's entire journey as a collector and fan, one bird has always led the flock: Articuno, the legendary freeze Pokémon.
But the legendary love didn’t actually start with Articuno itself. Rather, with a particular move: Ice Beam. “I don't know why, I just loved Ice Beam,” Steven reflects, excitedly. “I liked the sound effect of it. I liked the fact that I could KO the dragons in the Pokemon League. So I started slapping it on every Pokémon in Gen One.” Then, after purchasing a lot of TM13s, Steven eventually discovered that there was a legendary Pokémon that came with Ice Beam by default—and that’s when it all began.
And with the release of the Crown Tundra DLC for Sword & Shield, there was suddenly twice as much Articuno to love! “When I first heard that Articuno was getting a regional variant, I was very skeptical,” Steven admits. “Once you've established that favorite Pokémon and you hear the news that they're gonna take that design and do something with it, you get worried that they might just butcher it. But when the Galarian did come out, I thought it was absolutely fantastic.”
Advice for Collectors
Steven's adamant that he’s not out to impress anyone with his collection. Rather, it’s about staying balanced and focused on what he loves. And for new collectors, he warns against comparing your own collections to others. ”Do Pokémon because you like Pokémon, not because you think you can make money off of it,” he cautions. “I'm very much aware that this is a space that involves a ton of money. But don't let that consume like your love for Pokémon in the end.”
And with his wise advice, Steven is also raising two future collectors of his own. “I have two small kids, and I'm slowly starting to give them a little bit of Pokémon in their development.” He started small with age-appropriate plushies, and now he’s beginning to hand down pieces of his own collection. “I have these small play figures that I used to play with, and I always kept them because I always wanted my kids to eventually play with them. So that's wholesome."
