New Century Present is one of the most unusual Japanese Pokémon Fan Club promos from the early Pokémon TCG era.
New Century Present was distributed in Japan in 2000 to members of the Pokémon Card Fan Club to commemorate the beginning of the new century.
At first glance, it looks like an oversized Pokémon Trainer card. However, this is not a conventional Pokémon TCG card.
It was produced as a jumbo postcard-style promotional item, with the reverse functioning as a postcard.
The front features a distinctive illustration by Sumiyoshi Kizuki, with Celebi taking center stage alongside Snorlax and Togepi.
The card was also part of the unusual Fan Club “Special Card” series and awarded the recipient 200 GET Points automatically.
For collectors of vintage Japanese Pokémon, New Century Present is particularly interesting because it combines Fan Club history, a Japanese-exclusive promotion, a unique jumbo format, and an unusual postcard reverse.
It is also one of those releases that can easily be missed when collecting only standard-size cards and numbered promos.
New Century Present Card Information
- Card Name: New Century Present
- Japanese Name: ニューセンチュリープレゼント
- Release: Summer 2000
- Card Number: Unnumbered Promo
- Series: Pokémon Card Fan Club
- Category: Special Card / Japanese Vintage Promo
- Format: Jumbo / Postcard
- Language: Japanese
- Illustrator: Sumiyoshi Kizuki
- Distribution: Pokémon Fan Club members
- GET Point Reward: 200 Points
- English Version: Not released
- Holographic: Non-holo
What Is New Century Present?
New Century Present is an unnumbered Japanese Pokémon promotional item released through the Pokémon Card Fan Club in 2000.
The name itself refers to the new century, making the card part of the Pokémon TCG’s transition into the new millennium.
Unlike a regular expansion card, New Century Present was not included in a booster pack.
It was sent to Pokémon Fan Club members as a special promotional item.
The front is designed to resemble a large Pokémon Trainer card, but the wording at the top is “SPECIAL CARD” rather than the normal Trainer designation.
The card also has the Pokémon Fan Club logo in the position where an expansion symbol would normally appear.
These small details immediately distinguish it from conventional vintage Pokémon cards.
The Pokémon Fan Club Connection
The Pokémon Card Fan Club was an important part of the Japanese Pokémon TCG community during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Members could accumulate GET Points through the Fan Club system.
New Century Present was connected directly to that system.
The Japanese text on the card explains that the player who received the card would receive an additional 200 GET Points, with the points added automatically.
That makes the card more than just a commemorative postcard.
It was also part of the Fan Club’s point-based promotional system.
The 200-point reward is particularly notable because the Fan Club’s point system was connected to other exclusive Pokémon promotional cards and products.
For collectors researching the history of Japanese Pokémon promotions, New Century Present therefore provides an interesting look at how the Fan Club operated beyond the normal Pokémon TCG releases.
Why Was It Called New Century Present?
New Century Present was created to commemorate the beginning of the 21st century.
The card belongs to a small group of unusual Fan Club Special Cards that were sent to members around important seasonal or commemorative occasions.
Earlier in 2000, the Fan Club had distributed New Year Present.
New Year Present celebrated the beginning of the year 2000, while New Century Present commemorated the beginning of the new century.
Although the two releases can look similar at first glance because both use the unusual Special Card format, they are completely different promotional items.
New Century Present vs. New Year Present
This is an important distinction for collectors.
New Year Present and New Century Present are two separate Fan Club releases from 2000.
They were distributed at different times and feature completely different artwork.
| Feature | New Year Present | New Century Present |
|---|---|---|
| Release | January 2000 | January 2001 |
| Theme | New Year 2000 | New Century |
| Main Pokémon | Gyarados | Celebi |
| Illustrator | Tomokazu Komiya | Sumiyoshi Kizuki |
| GET Points | 200 | 200 |
The similarity in format can make these two promos easy to confuse.
For collectors building a complete Fan Club collection, however, they should be treated as separate releases.
Sumiyoshi Kizuki’s Celebi Artwork
One of the biggest attractions of New Century Present is its artwork by Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
The illustration prominently features Celebi, the Mythical Pokémon associated with time travel.
That makes Celebi an especially appropriate choice for a card commemorating the beginning of a new century.
The artwork also features Snorlax and Togepi, creating a playful scene that contrasts with the historical significance of the promotion.
For collectors who specialize in Pokémon artwork by individual artists, this makes New Century Present particularly appealing.
It is not simply a rare Fan Club item.
It is also a large-format vintage Pokémon illustration by an artist closely associated with the Japanese TCG’s early era.
Why Celebi Was the Perfect Pokémon
The choice of Celebi is one of the most interesting details about New Century Present.
Celebi is known as the Time Travel Pokémon, making it an especially fitting character for a promotion celebrating the transition into a new century.
The theme works on several levels.
The Fan Club was celebrating a major date in history, while the artwork featured a Pokémon whose identity is directly connected to time.
That gives New Century Present a much stronger thematic connection than a simple holiday promotion.
For collectors, this is one of the details that makes the card feel intentionally designed rather than simply being another Fan Club mailing.
It Is Not a Normal Jumbo Card
New Century Present is commonly categorized as a Jumbo card, but its physical format deserves some clarification.
It is significantly larger than a standard Pokémon TCG card and does not follow the normal dimensions of a playable card.
More importantly, the reverse side was designed as a postcard.
The item was mailed to Pokémon Fan Club members, which is why many collectors consider it closer to a postcard or piece of Pokémon memorabilia than a traditional jumbo card.
This distinction is important when researching the card because different databases may categorize it slightly differently.
Some collector databases call it a Jumbo promo, while others emphasize its postcard nature.
Both descriptions refer to the same unusual Fan Club release.
The Postcard Reverse
The reverse side is one of the most fascinating parts of New Century Present.
Unlike the familiar blue Pokémon TCG card back, the reverse functions as a postcard.
It includes postal information and a message associated with the Fan Club promotion.
The reverse also contained information about a raffle for an original desk calendar, adding another layer to the promotional purpose of the mailing.
This is a major reason collectors should always ask to see both sides before purchasing one.
A photograph showing only the front does not tell the complete story of the item.
Why the Postcard Format Matters for Condition
Because New Century Present was mailed to Fan Club members, its surviving condition can be very different from that of a normal Pokémon card.
A standard card could have been placed directly into a binder or card box.
New Century Present had a completely different distribution method.
It was sent through the postal system.
That means surviving examples could have experienced:
- Handling during mailing
- Surface scratches
- Corner wear
- Edge damage
- Creases
- Folds
- Indentations
- Storage damage
- Writing or markings on the postcard side
The postcard history is therefore an important factor when evaluating condition.
A copy can have a surprisingly clean front while still having significant problems on the reverse.
Addresses and Personal Information
There is another unusual consideration when buying New Century Present.
Because the item was mailed directly to Fan Club members, surviving copies can contain information associated with the original recipient.
Some copies may show an address or other personal information on the postcard side.
This is not necessarily evidence of alteration.
In many cases, it is simply part of the item’s original history as a mailed Fan Club promotion.
For collectors interested in condition, however, the reverse should be inspected carefully.
A copy with a clean or professionally obscured address area may be more desirable to some collectors than an example with extensive writing or damage.
New Century Present Price Guide
New Century Present has a very thin market compared with major vintage Japanese Pokémon cards.
Public sales are relatively infrequent, so it is difficult to establish a single reliable market price.
Recent transactions show just how widely prices can vary.
A particularly notable example sold at Heritage Auctions on March 28, 2026.
A BGS 5 New Century Present sold for $2,000.
The card received subgrades of 8.5 for centering, 8.5 for edges, 8.5 for corners, and 4 for surface, resulting in an overall BGS 5 grade.
This is an important sale because it demonstrates that collectors are willing to pay four-figure prices for this obscure Japanese Fan Club promo.
However, it should not be interpreted as a fixed price for every copy.
Other auction results have been significantly lower, while current asking prices can be substantially higher.
| Condition | Price Reference |
|---|---|
| Raw | $300-500 |
| Graded | Varies significantly by grade |
| BGS 5 | $2,000 confirmed sale |
| High Grade | Rare; compare recent sales |
Because the market is so thin, completed sales are much more useful than asking prices.
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Why Is New Century Present So Expensive?
The price of New Century Present is driven by several factors rather than a single characteristic.
First, it was never a normal mass-market Pokémon card.
It was distributed through the Pokémon Fan Club instead of being included in a widely available booster set.
Second, it was produced as an unusual postcard-style jumbo promo.
That makes it much more difficult to compare with ordinary vintage Pokémon cards.
Third, it was released more than 25 years ago.
Many copies were handled as mail rather than carefully preserved as collectibles.
Fourth, the artwork has a strong collector appeal.
Celebi is one of the most popular Mythical Pokémon, and the connection between Celebi and time makes the artwork especially appropriate for a new-century commemorative release.
Finally, there is the simple problem of supply.
New Century Present does not appear on the market with the frequency of major vintage Japanese cards.
When a desirable graded example becomes available, several specialized collectors may be competing for the same copy.
PSA Population and Graded Examples
The graded population of New Century Present is extremely small compared with mainstream Pokémon cards.
One recent Fanatics Collect listing reported a PSA population of only a handful of examples at the time of its sale history, with several copies graded higher.
This illustrates an important point about this card.
There is not enough regular market activity to create a stable price curve across every PSA grade.
For that reason, collectors should avoid assuming that a particular PSA grade automatically corresponds to a fixed dollar value.
Instead, look at:
- Recent completed sales
- Exact grading company
- Overall grade
- Subgrades when available
- Condition of the postcard reverse
- Whether personal information remains visible
- Date of the transaction
The scarcity of graded examples is one of the reasons this card is so interesting to advanced collectors.
Where to Buy New Century Present
eBay is one of the easiest international marketplaces to monitor for New Century Present.
Because this was a Japanese Pokémon Fan Club release, international collectors may not see suitable examples listed very often.
Search using both English and Japanese terms.
- New Century Present Pokemon
- Pokemon New Century Present
- New Century Present Fan Club
- Pokemon Fan Club Jumbo Celebi
- Japanese New Century Present
- ニューセンチュリープレゼント
The Japanese name is particularly useful because some Japanese sellers may not use the English collector name.
Check Sold Prices Before Buying
Rare Japanese promos can attract very high asking prices.
That makes it especially important to distinguish between asking prices and completed sales.
For example, a current seller may ask around $2,000 for an ungraded New Century Present.
That does not necessarily mean the market value is $2,000.
The March 2026 BGS 5 Heritage Auctions sale at $2,000 is a confirmed transaction, but even that result should be viewed as one data point rather than a permanent price guide.
When evaluating a copy, compare recent transactions with similar:
- Condition
- Grade
- Postcard reverse condition
- Centering
- Surface quality
- Writing or address markings
What to Check Before Buying
Because New Century Present has such an unusual format, collectors should inspect more than just the artwork.
- Confirm that the item is New Century Present, not New Year Present.
- Check that the artwork features Celebi, Snorlax, and Togepi.
- Confirm the ニューセンチュリープレゼント title.
- Check that the illustrator information corresponds to Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
- Inspect the entire front for scratches and surface damage.
- Check all corners and edges carefully.
- Look for creases, folds, and indentations.
- Ask for photographs of the entire postcard reverse.
- Check for writing or original recipient information.
- For graded copies, verify the certification information.
For raw copies, photographs of both sides should be considered essential.
New Century Present and the Fan Club Special Cards
New Century Present belongs to a particularly interesting category known as the Special Cards associated with the Japanese Pokémon Fan Club.
These cards are unusual even by vintage Pokémon standards.
They were not conventional booster cards.
They were not ordinary tournament promos.
Instead, they were special Fan Club mailings that often had unusual formats and connections to the GET Point system.
New Century Present is therefore best understood as part of the broader history of Japanese Pokémon Fan Club promotions.
For collectors who want to go beyond the normal set checklist, these cards offer an entirely different collecting path.
Other Pokémon Fan Club Special Cards
The Fan Club produced several unusual Special Cards around this period.
Collectors may encounter releases including:
- New Year Present
- New Century Present
- Tropical Present
These cards share the unusual concept of being Fan Club-related promotional mailings, but their artwork, release periods, and themes differ.
New Century Present is particularly distinctive because of its Celebi artwork and its connection to the beginning of the new century.
For collectors building a complete Fan Club collection, these postcard-style releases are an important part of the story.
Why Celebi Collectors Should Know This Card
New Century Present is also an important release for collectors specializing in Celebi.
The card features Celebi in a vintage Japanese promotional setting that is completely different from a normal expansion card.
It is also from 2000, very close to Celebi’s introduction into the Pokémon TCG era.
The combination of:
- Celebi
- Japanese exclusivity
- Fan Club distribution
- Vintage era
- Jumbo postcard format
- Sumiyoshi Kizuki artwork
makes New Century Present an especially interesting piece for serious Celebi collectors.
Is New Century Present a Real Pokémon Card?
This is one of those questions where the answer depends on how you define a Pokémon card.
New Century Present is an officially released Pokémon TCG promotional item and is cataloged among Japan’s unnumbered promotional cards.
However, it is not a standard-size Pokémon card.
It exists only in its unusual jumbo format and was not legal for tournament play.
The postcard reverse further separates it from ordinary Pokémon TCG cards.
For this reason, many collectors treat it as a combination of Pokémon card, promotional item, and Fan Club postcard.
That unusual identity is part of its appeal.
Was New Century Present Released in English?
No.
New Century Present was distributed in Japan through the Pokémon Fan Club and was never released in English.
For international collectors, this makes the original Japanese version particularly important.
There is no English equivalent that can simply be substituted into a collection.
Collectors looking for the card therefore need to specifically search for the Japanese New Century Present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New Century Present?
New Century Present is an unnumbered Japanese Pokémon Fan Club Special Card released in 2000 to commemorate the beginning of the new century.
When was New Century Present released?
It was distributed in Japan during the summer of 2000.
Who illustrated New Century Present?
The artwork was created by Sumiyoshi Kizuki.
Which Pokémon are featured?
The artwork features Celebi, Snorlax, and Togepi.
How many GET Points did New Century Present provide?
Recipients received 200 GET Points, which were automatically added to their Pokémon Fan Club account.
Is New Century Present a normal Pokémon card?
No. It is an unusual jumbo promotional item with a postcard-style reverse and was not intended for tournament play.
Why is New Century Present rare?
It was distributed only through the Japanese Pokémon Fan Club, produced in an unusual postcard format, and has been out of circulation for more than 25 years.
How much is New Century Present worth?
Prices vary substantially depending on condition and grade. A BGS 5 example sold for $2,000 at Heritage Auctions in March 2026, but this should not be treated as a fixed market value.
Is there a PSA 10 New Century Present?
High-grade examples are extremely scarce. Because the total graded population is small, collectors should check the current population report and recent sales rather than assuming a PSA 10 market price.
Is there an English version?
No. New Century Present was a Japanese-exclusive Pokémon Fan Club promotion.
Where can I buy New Century Present?
eBay is one of the easiest international marketplaces to monitor, although suitable examples may appear only occasionally.
Final Thoughts
New Century Present is one of the most unusual vintage Japanese Pokémon promos that many collectors have never seen.
It was released in the summer of 2000 by the Pokémon Card Fan Club to commemorate the beginning of the new century.
But what makes it special is not simply its age.
The combination of Celebi artwork, Sumiyoshi Kizuki, Fan Club history, 200 GET Points, an unnumbered promo classification, and a postcard-style jumbo format gives the item a unique place in vintage Pokémon collecting.
The postcard reverse is particularly important.
This was something that was actually mailed to Fan Club members, rather than simply being placed into a booster pack or sold as a conventional collectible.
That history also helps explain why finding a clean example can be difficult.
The $2,000 BGS 5 sale at Heritage Auctions in March 2026 shows that collectors are willing to pay significant amounts for this obscure release, but the market remains thin and individual sales can vary considerably.
For collectors of Celebi, Japanese-exclusive promos, Pokémon Fan Club cards, vintage jumbo cards, or unusual Pokémon memorabilia, New Century Present is absolutely worth knowing.
It is not the kind of card you will find in a normal vintage Pokémon set checklist.
And that is exactly what makes it so interesting.
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- Pokémon Card Fan Club Trainer Card Guide
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