Vending Machine cards (TCG)

Vending redirects here. If you were looking for an object from the Pokémon games, see Vending machine. If you were looking for the real world machines that sell merchandise, see Pokémon vending machines.
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← Unnumbered Promotional cards
TCG expansions
Southern Islands →
拡張シート
SetSymbolVending.png
Cards in set Series 1: 36
Series 2: 36
Series 3: 53
Release date Series 1: March 23rd, 1998
Series 2: June 17th, 1998
Series 3: November 24th, 1998

The Vending Machine (Japanese: 拡張シート Expansion Sheet) cards are a series of special collections for the Pokémon Trading Card Game released in Japan.

Information

Unlike regular expansions, where a player would receive a number of cards from a booster pack, these cards were only obtainable on randomized sheets from a Vending Machine from which the cards were peeled. It is due to this that the fan name Vending Machine Series was coined by collectors, and should not be considered the proper name for the set.

Series 1 (Blue) and 2 (Red) feature eighteen sheets with three cards per-sheet along with cardboard damage counters and coins. Series 3 (Green) features eighteen sheets with three cards plus one special card which had a non-standard back, most of which are gag-cards or special cards featuring extra game rules or theme deck ideas.

The reverse of the sheet in each series features Pokémon from 6 different locations in the Kanto region. The Pokémon cards on the sheets are representative of the location indicated. Series 1 and 2 sheets include gameplay tips and advertisements for other expansions. Series 3 sheets detail the "Evolution by Mail Campaign" (see below). Each sheet is also numbered in the bottom right corner and each always contain the same cards. For example, Series 1 sheet 12 will always have Chansey, Nidoran♀, and Nidoran♂. Collecting all numbered sheets 1-18 will yield the entire set with some single duplicates of the common cards.

Trivia

  • The cards are printed on glossy card stock, unlike the regular matte card stock. Glossy card stock became quite popular through the time of 1998 until about 2001 for promos from magazines such as CoroCoro.
  • A special preview expansion sheet was available at the 7th Next Generation World Hobby Fair held in December 1997, featuring Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Mew. Officially Unnumbered Promotional cards, they are often regarded as additions to the Vending Machine collection and dubbed "Series 00".
  • With the release of Series 3 the "Evolution by Mail Campaign" was launched, inspired by trade evolution in the Pokémon games. In order to acquire the fully evolved versions of Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, Haunter, and Omanyte, people had to send one of these cards along with the Pass Card Bill's PC to MediaFactory before April 1999. In return they received the evolved version of the card they sent, each of them a holographic promotional card. These cards are often sought after by collectors due to the method in which the cards were originally distributed. Similarly to the WHF preview sheet, they are also often regarded as unofficial additions to the Vending Machine collection.
  • The winning entries in the CoroCoro Pokémon Illustration Contest, which ran from late 1997 to early 1998, had their illustrations printed on cards across the three series. A total of four finalists had their artwork featured on cards, with all finalists receiving the much sought-after Pokémon Illustrator card.
    • In a similar manner, Wizards of the Coast also ran an illustration contest in 2002. The winning entry was featured on the English version of Snorlax, the Japanese version of which was one of the winning CoroCoro Pokémon Illustration Contest entries.
  • Due to the likely monetary restrictions of distributing the cards in a similar manner, many of these cards were not released outside of Japan. Of those that were, all of them were printed as Wizards Black Star Promos and distributed via the Pokémon League throughout the 2001-2002 season.

Card lists

Vending Machine cards Series 1 (Blue)

Series 1 (Blue)
SetSymbolVending.png
No. Image Card name Type Rarity
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Bulbasaur Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Caterpie Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Metapod Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Weedle Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kakuna Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Nidoran♀ Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Nidoran♂ Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Zubat Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Golbat Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Paras Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Parasect Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pinsir Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Charmander Fire Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Rapidash Fire Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Squirtle Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Poliwag Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Poliwhirl Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Poliwrath Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pikachu Lightning Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Abra Psychic Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Mr. Mime Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Mewtwo Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Geodude Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pidgey Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Rattata Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Clefairy Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Wigglytuff Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Doduo Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Dodrio Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Lickitung Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Chansey Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Eevee Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Porygon Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Snorlax Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Moon Stone T
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Fossil Excavation T
 

Series 1 sheet breakdown
Area 1 - Professor Oak's Laboratory
Poliwag Charmander Squirtle
Sheet 1
Rattata
Squirtle
Poliwag
Sheet 2
Pidgey
Charmander
Poliwag
Sheet 3
Rattata
Bulbasaur
Pidgey
Area 2 - Viridian Forest
Pikachu Caterpie Kakuna
Sheet 4
Caterpie
Metapod
Kakuna
Sheet 5
Weedle
Mr. Mime
Kakuna
Sheet 6
Weedle
Pikachu
Caterpie
Area 3 - Mt. Moon
Paras Geodude Clefairy
Sheet 7
Geodude
Clefairy
Zubat
Sheet 8
Geodude
Fossil Excavation
Paras
Sheet 9
Zubat
Moon Stone
Paras
Area 4 - Safari Zone #1
Chansey Doduo Nidoran♂
Sheet 10
Pinsir
Doduo
Nidoran♂
Sheet 11
Nidoran♀
Doduo
Lickitung
Sheet 12
Chansey
Nidoran♀
Nidoran♂
Area 5 - Cerulean Cave #1
Golbat Wigglytuff Mewtwo
Sheet 13
Rapidash
Golbat
Dodrio
Sheet 14
Parasect
Golbat
Wigglytuff
Sheet 15
Parasect
Mewtwo
Dodrio
Area 6 - Celadon City
Porygon Snorlax Eevee
Sheet 16
Snorlax
Abra
Eevee
Sheet 17
Abra
Porygon
Poliwhirl
Sheet 18
Eevee
Poliwrath
Porygon


Vending Machine cards Series 2 (Red)

Series 2 (Red)
SetSymbolVending.png
No. Image Card name Type Rarity
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Venomoth Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Grimer Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Koffing Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Tangela Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Moltres Fire Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Seel Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Dewgong Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Shellder Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Krabby Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Lapras Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Omanyte Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Articuno Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Raichu Lightning Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Magnemite Lightning Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Magneton Lightning Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Voltorb Lightning Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Electabuzz Lightning Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Zapdos Lightning Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Jynx Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Sandshrew Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Machop Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Machoke Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Graveler Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Onix Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Marowak Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Hitmonlee Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Hitmonchan Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kabuto Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Aerodactyl Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Spearow Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Fearow Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Ditto Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Flash T Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Master Ball T Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Max Revive T Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Guard Spec. T Common
 

Series 2 sheet breakdown
Area 1 - Rock Tunnel
Spearow Sandshrew Ditto
Sheet 1
Onix
Sandshrew
Spearow
Sheet 2
Spearow
Machop
Flash
Sheet 3
Sandshrew
Ditto
Machop
Area 2 - Power Plant
Zapdos Electabuzz Voltorb
Sheet 4
Magnemite
Voltorb
Magneton
Sheet 5
Electabuzz
Zapdos
Magnemite
Sheet 6
Raichu
Voltorb
Electabuzz
Area 3 - Seafoam Islands #1
Articuno Shellder Jynx
Sheet 7
Seel
Dewgong
Shellder
Sheet 8
Jynx
Shellder
Krabby
Sheet 9
Seel
Articuno
Krabby
Area 4 - Victory Road
Venomoth Moltres Marowak
Sheet 10
Graveler
Venomoth
Fearow
Sheet 11
Fearow
Marowak
Machoke
Sheet 12
Venomoth
Machoke
Moltres
Area 5 - Saffron City
Hitmonlee Hitmonchan Lapras
Sheet 13
Guard Spec.
Hitmonlee
Lapras
Sheet 14
Max Revive
Lapras
Hitmonchan
Sheet 15
Master Ball
Guard Spec.
Max Revive
Area 6 - Cinnabar Island #1
Grimer Tangela Aerodactyl
Sheet 16
Grimer
Tangela
Aerodactyl
Sheet 17
Kabuto
Grimer
Koffing
Sheet 18
Koffing
Omanyte
Tangela


Vending Machine cards Series 3 (Green)

Series 3 (Green)
SetSymbolVending.png
No. Image Card name Type Rarity
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Arbok Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Nidorina Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Nidorino Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Venonat Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Bellsprout Grass Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Weepinbell Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Weezing Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Scyther Grass Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Vulpix Fire Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Growlithe Fire Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Ponyta Fire Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Magmar Fire Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Golduck Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kingler Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Horsea Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Seadra Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Staryu Water Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Omanyte Water Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kadabra Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kadabra Psychic Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Slowbro Psychic Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Gastly Psychic Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Haunter Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Haunter Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Hypno Psychic Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Mewtwo Psychic Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Sandslash Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Machoke Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Graveler Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Cubone Fighting Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Rhydon Fighting Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pidgeotto Colorless Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Kangaskhan Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Tauros Colorless Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pokémon Retransfer T Common
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pokémon Tower T Uncommon
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png 4 Prize Battle ER
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png 20 Damage from Confusion ER
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png 3 Deck Battle ER
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png 3 vs 3 Dugtrio Team Battle ER
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Deck Exchange ER
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Ooyama's Pikachu Lightning
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Imakuni?'s PC PC
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Imakuni?'s Nasty Plot T
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Imakuni?'s Corner
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Lose?
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Pokémon Machine
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Bill's PC PC
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png The Puzzle of Pokémon Tower? DL
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Ouch! At the Pokémon Mansion DL
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Violence in the Safari Zone! DL
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png Horsea of the Seafoam Islands DL
TCG2 A01 Bulbasaur.png The Last Cave – Cerulean! DL
 

Series 3 sheet breakdown
Area 1 - Lavender Town
Haunter Weepinbell Gastly
Sheet 1
Cubone
The Puzzle of Pokémon Tower?
Pokémon Tower
Bellsprout
Sheet 2
Gastly
Ooyama's Pikachu
Weepinbell
Cubone
Sheet 3
Haunter
4 Prize Battle
Bellsprout
Gastly
Area 2 - Cinnabar Island #2
Magmar Vulpix Weezing
Sheet 4
Growlithe
Imakuni?'s Corner
Ponyta
Pidgeotto
Sheet 5
Magmar
20 Damage from Confusion
Vulpix
Ponyta
Sheet 6
Weezing
Ouch! At the Pokémon Mansion
Vulpix
Growlithe
Area 3 - Safari Zone #2
Venonat Nidorina Kangaskhan
Sheet 7
Scyther
3 Deck Battle
Kangaskhan
Tauros
Sheet 8
Venonat
Violence in the Safari Zone!
Kangaskhan
Nidorina
Sheet 9
Tauros
Imakuni?'s Nasty Plot
Nidorino
Venonat
Area 4 - Seafoam Islands #2
Slowbro Kingler Staryu
Sheet 10
Staryu
Horsea of the Seafoam Islands
Kingler
Horsea
Sheet 11
Golduck
3 vs 3 Dugtrio Team Battle
Staryu
Slowbro
Sheet 12
Horsea
Imakuni?'s PC
Slowbro
Seadra
Area 5 - Cerulean Cave #2
Hypno Sandslash Arbok
Sheet 13
Mewtwo
Deck Exchange
Arbok
Kadabra
Sheet 14
Kadabra
The Last Cave – Cerulean!
Hypno
Sandslash
Sheet 15
Sandslash
Pokémon Machine
Rhydon
Mewtwo
Area 6 - Sea Cottage
Machoke Omanyte Kadabra
Sheet 16
Pokémon Retransfer
Bill's PC
Kadabra
Machoke
Sheet 17
Graveler
Bill's PC
Omanyte
Pokémon Retransfer
Sheet 18
Graveler
Lose?
Haunter
Machoke


Languages this set is released in

The three Vending Machines Series are exclusively released in Japanese. All cards are glossy and with rarities symbols.


Project TCG logo.png This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game.


Pokémon Trading Card Game expansions and releases
Bold indicates a main expansion. Italics indicate a special set. Releases that are entirely composed of prints from other releases are small.
Original Series
Wizards Black Star Promos
Demo GameTrainer Deck ATrainer Deck B
Base Set: 2-Player Starter SetOvergrowthZap!BrushfireBlackout
Jungle: Power ReserveWater Blast
Fossil: BodyGuardLockDown
Base Set 2: 2-Player CD-ROM Starter SetGrass ChopperHot WaterLightning BugPsych Out
Team Rocket: DevastationTrouble
Gym Heroes: BrockMistyLt. SurgeErika
Thunderstorm
Pikachu World Collection 2000
Gym Challenge: SabrinaKogaBlaineGiovanni
Original Era
Unnumbered Promotional cards
Expansion Pack: Starter Deck
Pokémon Jungle
Mystery of the Fossils
Rocket Gang
Expansion Sheet 1Nivi City GymHanada City GymExpansion Sheet 2Kuchiba City GymTamamushi City Gym
Leaders' Stadium
Expansion Sheet 3Quick Starter Gift SetYamabuki City GymGuren Town Gym
Challenge from the Darkness
Southern IslandsIntro Pack