In brief: The cards commonly known as Pokémon CD Promo cards were included with the Japanese Pokémon Song Best Collection, released on 1 January 1999. The package contained ten Japanese promo cards and one English-language Pikachu card. Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur had, however, already been distributed through the Trade Please campaign in 1998.
The Pokémon CD Promo cards have become a distinctive part of early Japanese Pokémon TCG history. They combine well-known Pokémon, classic artwork and an unusual distribution method through a music release rather than a standard Pokémon card set.
The term “CD Promo” is often used broadly for the cards, but the history is more nuanced than the name suggests. The cards were not originally created as one standalone card series, and several had already been available through other Japanese promotions.
What is Pokémon Song Best Collection?
Pokémon Song Best Collection was a Japanese compilation album featuring 13 songs from the Pokémon universe. The songs were selected through a magazine poll, and the release also included a 32-page illustrated lyric booklet.
For Pokémon card collectors, the key feature was the enclosed promo-card pack. The CD release included ten Japanese cards together with an English-language Pikachu card intended to introduce Japanese players to the Western version of the Pokémon TCG.
| Release | Pokémon Song Best Collection |
|---|---|
| Product code | TGCS-570 |
| Release date | 1 January 1999 |
| Contents | 13 songs, an illustrated lyric booklet and 11 Pokémon cards |
| Card distribution | 10 Japanese promo cards and 1 English-language Pikachu |
Which Pokémon CD Promo cards were included?
The complete card pack contained the following 11 cards:
| Card | Note |
|---|---|
| Venusaur | Holo promo card with the Pikachu Records logo |
| Charizard | Holo promo card with the Pikachu Records logo |
| Blastoise | Holo promo card with the Pikachu Records logo |
| Arcanine | Japanese promo card |
| Mewtwo | Japanese promo card |
| Mew | Japanese promo card |
| Cool Porygon | Japanese promo card |
| Hungry Snorlax | Japanese promo card |
| Computer Error | Glossy Trainer card |
| Super Energy Retrieval | Glossy Trainer card |
| Pikachu | English-language card included in the Japanese release |
Are the Pokémon CD Promo cards from 1998 or 1999?
The CD release itself is from 1999. The confusion surrounding 1998 mainly concerns Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur.
The three cards were first offered through the Japanese Trade Please campaign, which ran in 1998. Participants could submit two Pokémon cards and choose whether to receive Charizard, Blastoise or Venusaur together with a Trade Please promo card.
The same three cards were later included in Pokémon Song Best Collection in 1999. Both distributions use the Pikachu Records logo in place of a normal set symbol. A loose copy therefore cannot usually prove on its own whether it originally came from the Trade Please campaign or the CD package.
How to identify Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur
The three best-known cards can be identified by several details:
- They are in Japanese and use the original Japanese card back.
- They feature alternative artwork compared with the standard Japanese Base Set versions.
- The Pikachu Records logo appears where a set symbol would normally be shown.
- Charizard displays Pokédex number 006, Venusaur 003 and Blastoise 009, but the cards do not belong to a normally numbered Pokémon card set.
The logo identifies the relevant promo printing, but it does not reliably distinguish the original Trade Please distribution from the later CD distribution.
If you are unsure about the number, edition or variant, use our guide to collector numbers and precise card identification together with our guide to Pokémon card variants and languages.
Are Pokémon CD Promo cards rare?
It is more accurate to describe them as desirable vintage promo cards than to assume that every copy is extremely rare.
There is no publicly documented print run for the complete CD release, and several cards were distributed through more than one promotion. Availability therefore depends on the specific card, its condition and the desired grade.
Charizard typically has the strongest demand, while Blastoise and Venusaur also attract significant interest from collectors of the original starter Pokémon. The remaining cards may have a different price and demand profile even though they came from the same CD package.
What affects their value?
The value of a Pokémon CD Promo card cannot be determined from the name alone. The following factors usually matter most:
- The specific card: Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur do not have the same demand as every other card in the package.
- Condition: Whitening, scratches, surface damage, edges, corners and any bends affect a raw card.
- Centering and print quality: These are particularly relevant for copies being considered for grading.
- Raw or graded: A graded card has an external assessment and a protective holder, but the grade must still be considered alongside demand and market price.
- Grade and grading company: A PSA 10 will normally trade differently from a PSA 8, PSA 9 or raw copy.
- Completed sales: Actual completed transactions provide a better pricing reference than unsold listings and high asking prices.
Read our guide to Pokémon card condition and assessment before comparing prices for raw copies.
What does PSA 10 mean for a CD Promo card?
PSA 10 is the grading company’s designation for Gem Mint. It does not necessarily mean that a card is microscopically flawless, but that it meets PSA’s standard for that grade.
A high grade can make a card more attractive to collectors because its condition has been assessed by an external party and the card has been encapsulated. It is not, however, a guarantee of a particular market price or future increase in value.
PSA’s population report can be used to see how many copies the company has recorded at each grade. The figures change as new cards are graded and should therefore be checked at the time of assessment.
Are Pokémon CD Promo cards an investment?
Pokémon cards should not be presented as a guaranteed investment. Prices can rise or fall, and the market is affected by demand, economic conditions, grading populations, availability and collector interest.
For many collectors, the main value lies in the cards’ connection to early Japanese Pokémon TCG history, the unusual CD distribution and the opportunity to collect the complete group or the three original starter Pokémon.
A purchase should therefore be based on the specific card, documented condition, a realistic market price and the role the card will have in the collection.
View current Pokémon singles
The selection of vintage and promo cards changes continuously. You can view all Pokémon singles currently available at CollexyLux or use search to look for a specific card, set or collector number.
Sources and further reading
- Bulbapedia: Pokémon Song Best Collection
- Bulbapedia: Unnumbered Promotional cards 1996–2005
- PSA: 1999 Pokémon Japanese CD Promo population report
Last editorial update: 24 July 2026.
