Top 10 Most Bizarre Pokemon Error Cards

Let's admit it, we all make mistakes, the Pokemon company included. Pokemon error cards have taken many different shapes and forms, from a subtle misspelling to some very blatantly obvious manufacturing defects. Like true Pokémon Masters, we searched far and wide to find the most obscure and unique misprint cards. Here is our list of the Top 10 Most Bizarre Pokemon Error Cards!

10. Rocket's Minefield Gym

There are many cards with subtle typos, but few that completely ruin the understanding of the card itself.

This Rocket's Minefield Gym card reads "Whenever a player puts a Basic Pokemon onto his or her Bench from his or her hand, he or she flips a coin. If tails, put damage counters on that Pokemon."

It was originally supposed to say "put 2 damage counters," but since it doesn't specify, go to town!

9. Dragonite Color Test Strip Error

For the record, I just made that name up. But that's because this particular miscut is so rare that no one has given it an official name yet! What makes these error cards so unique is that these miscuts don't include another Pokemon, they include something that was never supposed to be seen at all! Every sheet printed includes those colors on the side, but this is the first time I've ever seen them make it onto a card. Also notice how the texture runs all the through to the silver line on on the top, whereas the card itself is supposed to be cut off in the black. A little extra bleed on the edges still can't save yah here, Dragonite!

#9 Base Set Ninetales Error

Behold, the worst moveset in the history of worst movesets! This Ninetales card allows you to, for the modest price of four energy, discard 1 energy card.

That’s it.

This error card was printed without the damage for the move Fire Blast, which was originally supposed to say 80. Later versions of this card have been updated to show the damage of the move, but that doesn't stop this special set of Ninetales from making our list, as the misprint renders this Pokémon completely useless. Might as well give him the move Splash and a cute fish crown!

7. Raichu Prerelease Promo Err0r

Now, this card actually made it onto our list of the Top 10 Rarest Pokemon Cards of All Time, being one of the most expensive error cards in existence. During the production of the Prerelease Clefable for the Jungle set, a few Base Set Raichu cards were accidentally stamped with the prerelease mark (the original prerelease card for Base Set is Gyarados). These error cards were given to employees at Wizards of the Coast, and the public did not learn of these cards' existence until 2006, when a former employee of WOTC spoke about the odd mishap! It is estimated that there are only 8-10 of this card in existence, and this card has sold in online auctions for upwards of $10,000.

6. Lanturn Reverse "PokeBody" Misprint

The reverse Lanturn from Aquapolis was given a special gift in production: a completely pointless Poké-Body symbol. Lanturn does not contain any Poké-Body ability, and it is a mystery as to how or why this symbol was ever placed on the card layout to begin with.

5. Koga's Nazi Trick

The Japanese version of Koga's Ninja Trick features a very... recognizable(?) symbol in the background. At least to some, this symbol was thought resemble a swastika, giving this card hella-Hitler vibes. In Eastern culture, the symbol is referred to as a manji (in this case, a left-facing swastika called an omote manji), which was not in any way supposed to insinuate that Koga was a Nazi, but rather is a symbol of order, harmony, and balance. The manji is also used to as a religious symbol represent Buddhist temples on maps in these given Eastern countries, and when the manji is facing left, it's a symbol for love and mercy. So, Koga may not be such a bad guy after all!

(Team Rocket on the other hand....)

4. "For Position Only" Cards

These magnificent masterpieces were never actually supposed to leave the printing facility! "For Position Only" cards were created when Wizards of the Coast was doing a test print run of Expedition Base Set. These cards were produced and packaged in Legendary Collection packs (the latest released set at the time) and were meant to get tossed upon the completion of the print run, when some Wizards of the Coast employees held onto them. Initially, companies such as PSA and Beckett would grade these cards, but later ruled them as "unofficial" and would no longer accept them. This makes graded versions of these FPO cards even more rare than they already

are!

3. Pokémon First Movie Stamp Error Cards

These Pokemon: The First Movie promo cards were accidentally stamped upside down! As seen in the photos, these Pokemon cards have their iconic promo stamp in a noticably incorrect spot; this included all four Pokemon: Mewtwo, Pikachu, Dragonite, and Electabuzz, and there is apparently an entire sheet's worth of Pokemon cards like this.

2. Growlite (Fukano) MTG Misprint

This is one of the most legendary flub-ups of all time. Wizards of the Coast has had their fair share of awkward misprints, but never across multiple fandoms in one go! This German Growlithe ("Fukano") card was accidentally printed on Magic: The Gathering card stock, giving it the appearance of a regular Pokemon card on the front, but a Magic: The Gathering card on the back. Talk about a unique card! There were only a few of these printed (for obvious reasons), making it exceptionally hard to find, and a true collectors item. If you own one, please send me a video so that I can die happy, thx.

1. Cigar Roll Hitmonlee Error Card

The iconic "Cigar Roll Hitmonlee" has become known as one of the oddest mishaps in Pokemon card history. This card features what was originally thought to be remains from the outer wrapping of a cigar, reading "Crown Roll Leaf, Inc." with a crown logo. It was later discovered that Crown Roll Leaf is a company that produces large sheets of holofoil, and a piece of scrap paper from one of these sheets had landed on this card before being printed on.

Turns out there's no crazy story about some employee who was rolling a cigar on the job, but merely some weird fluke that resulted in this scrap piece of paper falling onto the sheet of sparkly goodness.

That's it! Our list of the Top 10 weirdest mishaps to ever happen in the history of Pokemon card production. Let me know what you thought of this list and/or video down in the comments below, and feel free to join in the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube!