From the binder
Guides to collecting Pokémon cards
One long note on how I collect, and nine shorter notes that each answer one question.
Updated 24 October 2026
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- The complete guide to collecting Pokémon cards in binders
How I collect Pokémon cards in a set binder and a Pokédex binder, and where the checklists live.
One question each
- How I organise a Pokémon binder
Nine-pocket and four-pocket pages, set-number order, and Pokédex order, the way I actually sort a binder.
- What to do with bulk Pokémon cards
Bulk fills the binders. I sort by set, then by the empty species line, and I keep the rest.
- How I complete a Pokédex binder
One card of each species, from #001 through the end of generation 9, filled from bulk.
- Gen 1 checklist: all 151 original Pokémon
How I collect the original 151 Pokémon in one binder, using the generation checklist and the Base set list.
- How I read a Pokémon card
How I find the collector number, the set symbol, and the rarity mark so a bulk pile can be sorted.
- Protecting Pokémon cards without a fuss
Sleeves, binder pages, and ordinary storage for a collection that gets opened, including a child's binder.
- Donating Pokémon cards to children
I donate a finished binder to a child, through a hospital, a shelter, or an after-school club, and I write down the date.
- Pokémon card sets in order
The series and sets in the public card list, from Base in 1999 through the newest series, with a link to every set page.
- Starting a Pokémon collection with a child
How I start one binder with a child: one job, bulk cards, sleeves, and permission to stop.