Pokémon Cards Began in Japanese Vending Machines Before Global Craze

Long before becoming a global obsession, some of the earliest official Pokémon collectible cards originated in Japanese vending machines in September 1996 through Bandai's Carddass series.

Fans could purchase these early cards for just a few yen months before the trading card game exploded into an international phenomenon. The franchise eventually swept across the United States and the world, building one of the largest modern collectible markets in history. 

While Pokémon played a massive role in shaping today's booming resale culture, collectible experts note that card scalping existed in sports and pop-culture hobbies long before Pokémon's rise to fame.