Set Overview
Legendary Collection was a mid-2002 reprint set that gathered fan-favourite cards from the original Wizards of the Coast era — Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Base Set 2 and Team Rocket — into a single 110-card release. Its lasting legacy is the reverse holo: this was the first English Pokémon set where every card had a shimmering reverse-foil parallel, a format still used today.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | May 24, 2002 (English) |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast |
| Total Cards | 110 cards (reprints of earlier sets) |
| Holographic Rares | 19 holo rares (cards 1–19) |
| Notable Feature | First English set with reverse-holo parallels · no 1st Edition |
| Key Chase Card | Charizard 3/110 (Holo) |
About the Set
Legendary Collection was pure nostalgia: no new cards, just a curated best-of from the first two years of the game, reframed with a distinctive gold-accented border. The 19 holo rares (cards 1–19) revisit heavyweights like Charizard, Venusaur, Gyarados and Zapdos, along with the “Dark” Team Rocket reprints. What collectors remember most is opening a booster and pulling a reverse holo — a first for the English game.
How to identify it: Legendary Collection cards carry the gold outer border and a card number in the format N/110. Reverse-holo copies have the foil pattern across the whole card body rather than just the artwork window.
Reverse Holo & Printings
Unlike the sets it reprints, Legendary Collection had a single Unlimited print run — there is no 1st Edition stamp. The variant that matters here is the reverse holo.
| Version | How to spot it | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| Non-holo | Standard finish. The base version of each card. | Common pull |
| Reverse holo | The foil pattern covers the whole card body, not just the art. First introduced to English packs here. | One per pack — collectible |
| Holo rare (1–19) | Traditional holo in the artwork window, as on the original prints. | Chase cards |
Quick check: a full-card foil shimmer means a reverse holo; there is no 1st Edition variant, so any stamp claim on a Legendary Collection card is a red flag.
Complete Card Gallery
All 110 cards from Legendary Collection. Click any card to view it full size — use the arrow keys (or swipe) to move through the set.
Key Cards
The reprinted Kanto heavyweights lead the holos, with Charizard the headline pull once again.
| Card | Name | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
 |
Charizard 3/110 Holographic Rare | The set’s marquee card — a Legendary Collection Charizard holo, and the most valuable pull. |
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Venusaur 18/110 Holographic Rare | A classic Kanto starter holo among the headline rares. |
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Gyarados 12/110 Holographic Rare | A fan-favourite reprint holo with striking artwork. |
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Zapdos 19/110 Holographic Rare | Closes out the holo block as one of the legendary birds. |
Promo Cards
Legendary Collection landed in mid-2002 as the Wizards Black Star Promo series neared its final entries. These late promos are from the same window, though they were never part of any set.
Wizards Black Star Promos use their own numbering (#1–#53) and carry a black star where a set symbol would be.
Collecting & Where to Buy
Legendary Collection is out of print and trades on the secondary market. Non-holo singles are cheap, but the holo rares — Charizard above all — and the reverse-holo parallels of popular cards carry solid premiums, especially in high grade.
Collector tip: the reverse holos are the collectible variant here — a full-card foil shimmer sets them apart from the plain non-holo version, and there is no 1st Edition print to chase.
Note: external links are provided for reference only. Always confirm a card's printing, condition and authenticity before purchasing.