When was the Pokémon TCG Base Set released in the United States?

The Pokémon TCG Base Set was released in the United States on January 9, 1999.

Base Set was the first main English-language set of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It was produced for the U.S. market by Wizards of the Coast, the company also known for creating Magic: The Gathering. The set contains 102 cards based on Pokémon from the first generation.

The Japanese Pokémon card game had launched earlier, on October 20, 1996, with the 1st Starter & Expansion Pack. That earlier date is why references to the TCG’s beginning can differ depending on whether they mean the Japanese game or the English Base Set.

Base Set is especially associated with its Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur booster-pack artwork. It also included the famous first-generation Pokémon and the first English versions of many cards later recognized as collectible classics.