{"product_id":"master-ball-143-165-pokemon-e-series-expedition-raw","title":"Master Ball 143\/165 Pokémon E-Series Expedition Raw","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePokémon:\u003c\/strong\u003e N\/A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eSeries:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e E-Card Series\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSet:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eExpedition Base\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCard Number: \u003c\/strong\u003e143\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uncommon\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eN\/A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrade:\u003c\/strong\u003e Raw\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear: \u003c\/strong\u003e2002\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrator: \u003c\/strong\u003eKeiji Kinebuchi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eType: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eN\/A\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eThe\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eMaster Ball\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e143\/165 is an\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eUncommon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eTrainer (Item) card from the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eExpedition Base Set\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(E-Card Series), released on\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eSeptember 15, 2002\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby Wizards of the Coast and illustrated by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eKeiji Kinebuchi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e, the prolific artist who has been working on the Pokémon TCG since the original Base Set and has illustrated 188 cards across the franchise's history. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eAs one of only 30 Uncommon cards in the 165-card master set, it features a clean, functional illustration depicting the iconic red-and-white Poké Ball in its signature design, rendered in Kinebuchi's minimalist style consistent with his body of Trainer card artwork. The Expedition Base Set was the first main expansion of the E-Card Series, featuring a distinctive\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eDot Code strip\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ealong the bottom edge designed for scanning with the Pokémon-e Reader device, and this card also exists in a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eReverse Holofoil\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003evariant where the foil treatment is applied to the card's back rather than the artwork window—a production choice that elevated a common Trainer card into a genuine visual chase.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eIn terms of decks and strategy, Master Ball's effect is one of the most powerful search tools in the entire E-Card era: \"Look at 7 cards from the top of your deck. You may choose a Basic Pokémon or Evolution card from those cards, show it your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle the rest into your deck.\" In 2002-era competitive formats, this made it a critical inclusion in virtually every evolution-heavy deck, as the ability to preview seven cards and pull a specific Basic or Evolution into the hand created a precise, targeted search mechanism that could accelerate a deck's evolution line or correct a poor opening hand. The seven-card preview window was significantly larger than most search tools of its era—comparable only to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eProfessor Oak\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e-class Trainers—making Master Ball a versatile tempo tool that could find a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eSquirtle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon turn one, a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eKakuna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon turn two, or a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003ePupitar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eon turn three to set up a devastating Stage 2 by turn four. In E-Card tournament play, it found utility in any deck built around high-impact evolution lines, and its compatibility with the Delta Species mechanic—where certain Pokémon gain enhanced abilities when evolved from their Delta form—gave it a strategic edge in E-Card formats that physical-only decks could not replicate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003eCollectors love the Expedition Master Ball for its unique position as one of the most functionally important Trainer cards in the first E-Card set, a card whose seven-card search effect represented a design philosophy of precise, targeted retrieval that was remarkably efficient for an Uncommon. Keiji Kinebuchi's illustration, with its bold red-and-white Poké Ball motif and clean, iconic composition, gives the card a timeless visual identity that instantly communicates the card's purpose without any additional context. The E-Card format's distinctive Dot Code strip and the discontinued Pokémon-e Reader technology give the card a genuinely unique physical structure that no other Pokémon TCG printing shares, and the digital layer it was designed for—animated card views, bonus in-game rewards, and exclusive Pokédex content—has since been lost to time, making these cards the sole surviving artifacts of a short-lived but innovative digital platform. As an Uncommon from a 165-card set with a permanently fixed supply, it remains a key single for E-Card set completionists and nostalgic players who remember scanning cards into the Reader for bonus digital content during the early 2000s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCard Number \/ Rarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e143\/165 \/ Uncommon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCard Type \/ HP \/ Stage:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eItem \/ \/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCard Text:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLook at 7 cards from the top of your deck. You may choose a Basic Pokémon or Evolution card from those cards, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Shuffle the rest into your deck.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eStock Image(s) Shown.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAll cards are professionally rated for quality assurance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAll cards come sleeved, cards above $5 in value come toploaded. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product__item-details__description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor in hand images please reach out via contact form. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Near mint (NM)","offer_id":52821662105887,"sku":"528216621058_87DD","price":5.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Light Played (LP)","offer_id":52821662138655,"sku":"52821662105887_LightPlayed(11AC9","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Moderately Played (MP)","offer_id":52821662171423,"sku":"52821662105887_ModeratelyPl9D492","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Heavily Played (HP)","offer_id":52821662204191,"sku":"52821662105887_HeavilyPlaye6A807","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Damaged (D)","offer_id":52821662236959,"sku":"52821662105887_Damaged(D)_19880","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0873\/8006\/6591\/files\/MasterBall143_165PokemonE-SeriesExpeditionRaw.jpg?v=1787879696","url":"https:\/\/curatedcollectables.ca\/products\/master-ball-143-165-pokemon-e-series-expedition-raw","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}