2010 Pokemon Japanese Promo National Finalist Holo Master's Key #68 PSA 10 GEM

The 2010 Master’s Key trophy card was a reward for those who emerged victorious at that year's World Championship Representative Tournament. The competition was the culmination of the grueling World Champion Series of qualifying events that spanned Winter 2009 to Summer 2010 in Japan. Thousands of Pokémon players – both TCG and video game – from across the country battled for a shot to win their way to the World Championships. A lottery system was used to narrow down entrants from Japan’s 47 prefectures. Only members of officially recognized local Pokémon clubs were eligible for selection. Once the player lists were settled, tournaments were held around Japan. Each had three levels – Junior, Senior, and Master. The best of the best of those local tournaments – and players who earned their way through one of two Last Chance Qualifier events – were granted entry into the 2010 Japanese World Championship Representative Tournament. The event was held on June 20, 2010, in the Tokyo Dome City Prism Hall. The TCG competition was split into the same three levels – Junior, Senior, and Master – while the video game competition was divided into Category A and Category B age groups. In total, there were 36 winners, each of which received a copy of the Master’s Key. Along with its age, Japanese distribution, and relatively small print run, there are a few other elements that make the Master’s Key one of the best-known Pokémon promo and trophy cards amongst collectors. One is the appearance of Celebi in the background of the card. The tournament’s two mascots were Ho-Oh and Lugia – the cover stars of the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver video games that came out in 2010 and the de facto faces of the Legends Era. However, neither of those two Legendary birds are featured on the trophy card. The addition of a key – as opposed to a trophy, medal, or jewelry – also tends to appeal to collectors. To date, PSA has only graded 25 total examples of this card. This is one of 10 to earn a PSA 10 holder. Learn more about this prized trophy card in our Guide to the Holo Master's Key: https://www.fanaticscollect.com/definitive-guides/pokemon-promo-and-trophy-spotlight-2010-japanese-world-championship-tournament-masters-key The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 09/03/2024.