Pokémon Trading Card Squirtle 007/018 Minimum Pack 2002 Hobby Limited McDonald’s

“Did you know there was a time when you could buy Pokémon cards at McDonald’s?”
Back in 2002, a special limited pack existed—available only to Happy Set customers as an add-on purchase—and today it’s sought after worldwide as a piece of pure nostalgia.
This time, we’re featuring one of the most popular cards from that lineup: the holographic Squirtle (007/018).
The combination of Starter Pokémon × McDonald’s exclusive × Holo is powerful enough to grab your heart the moment you see it.
In this article, we’ll cover the card’s basic info, the background of the McDonald’s limited “Minimum Pack,” and related promos in a clear, beginner-friendly way.

Product Details

Card Name & Number

Card Name: Squirtle (ゼニガメ / Squirtle)
Card Number: 007/018
Set / Included In: McDonald’s Original Minimum Pack 2002 (18-card set)
Finish: Holo (Holographic)

Attacks / Performance

HP: 50 (standard durability for a Basic Pokémon at the time)
Type: Water
Evolution Line: Blastoise line (Wartortle → Blastoise)
Attack 1 “Thunder”: 20 damage with 1 Colorless Energy (a quick, electric-style strike)
Attack 2 “Water Gun”: 10 damage with 1 Water Energy (a stable Water-type attack)
Weakness: Grass (×2)
Retreat Cost: 1

Illustrator

Asuka Iwashita
The cute expression on Squirtle combined with the sparkling holo background creates an irresistible appeal—“a beginner card you still want to display.”

How to Obtain the Card

This card wasn’t distributed through standard retail booster packs. Instead, it was obtained through a limited pack sold at McDonald’s in Japan in 2002.

About McDonald’s Minimum Pack 2002

Source: Yahoo! Flea Market

How It Was Sold

McDonald’s Original Minimum Pack 2002 was a beginner-friendly special pack tied to the Pokémon Card e-series, sold exclusively at McDonald’s in Japan from January 26 to February 24, 2002.
Happy Set buyers could purchase one 6-card pack for an additional 180 yen (before tax). Each pack included:

3 Pokémon cards (including 1 holographic card)
3 Basic Energy cards (including 1 holo Energy)
Paper damage counters & a coin

In other words, it was a surprisingly “premium beginner set” for the time.

Included Cards (All 18 Types)

001/018 Bulbasaur
002/018 Oddish
003/018 Chikorita (Holo)

Source: Mercari

004/018 Charmander (Holo)

Source: Mercari

005/018 Vulpix
006/018 Cyndaquil
007/018 Squirtle (Holo)

Source: Mercari

008/018 Totodile
009/018 Marill
010/018 Pikachu (Holo)

Source: Mercari

011/018 Chinchou
012/018 Mareep
013/018 Abra
014/018 Slowpoke (Holo)

Source: Mercari

015/018 Natu
016/018 Phanpy
017/018 Sandshrew
018/018 Larvitar

McDonald’s × Pokémon Trading Card Game Collaboration

Source:X

Major Campaign List

Jan–Feb 2002: Minimum Pack (18 types, including Squirtle 007/018, etc.)

Source: Yahoo! Flea Market

May–Jun 2002: 2nd Promo Wave (9 types including Hoppip 029/P, etc.)

Source: Yahoo! Flea Market

Jan–Feb 2003: ADV-P Series Promos (5 types)

Source: Mercari

Jan–Feb 2004: 4th Promo Wave (5 types)

Source: Mercari

Jan–Feb 2005: PCG Promos (5 types)

Source: Mercari

Jul 2005: Summer Promos (10 types, split into two periods)
Feb 2006: EX Promos (10 types)

Source: Mercari

May 2007: DP Promos (7 types)

Source: Yahoo! Flea Market

Jul 2012: BW Meloetta Promo

Source: Mercari

Aug 2025: Happy Set with Pikachu promo (made headlines due to resale issues)

Source: Mercari

Major McDonald’s-Related Pokémon Cards

Pikachu 010/018 (Holo)

Source: Mercari

This is the holo Pikachu from the 2002 McDonald’s Minimum Pack, featuring a simple, beginner-friendly attack. Its rarity and “icon of the original generation” status make it extremely popular among collectors, and it often becomes a hot topic in the graded market as well. The sparkle of the holo pattern and the nostalgic design strongly highlight the “McDonald’s exclusive” appeal.

Squirtle 007/018 (Holo)

This holo Squirtle is one of the signature cards of the Minimum Pack series. While its performance is designed for beginners and focuses on clarity rather than flashiness, the real value comes from the combination of McDonald’s exclusive × Starter Pokémon × Holo. The adorable, floating-like artwork and the shimmering holo background make it deeply satisfying to own in person.

Charmander 004/018 (Holo)

Source: Mercari

A holo Charmander from the Starter trio, and a “main character” alongside Squirtle within the Minimum Pack. Its limited distribution background creates strong demand even as a single card, while many collectors also want it as part of a Starter set. The energetic, Fire-type expression and holo effect remain beloved even more than 20 years later.

Umbreon 029/P

Source: Yahoo! Flea Market

Known as a McDonald’s promo from the 2nd wave in 2002, this card is especially easy to draw attention thanks to Umbreon’s enduring popularity. Promos were available only for limited periods, so higher-condition copies tend to become scarcer over time. The moonlit atmosphere of the illustration is a major point that resonates strongly with collectors.

Pikachu 020/M-P

Source:Amazon

A more recent McDonald’s Happy Set promo from August 2025, featuring “Thunder Punch” and a cute modern-style illustration. As a modern promo, it quickly gained attention, becoming a symbol of McDonald’s-related Pikachu demand.

Illustrator: Asuka Iwashita

Asuka Iwashita also worked on Pokémon character design during the 3rd generation era (roughly 1999–2009).

Specific Achievements

Graphic Designer credits: Listed under “Pokémon Design” / “Graphic Designers” for Pokémon Gold/Silver, Crystal, Ruby/Sapphire, FireRed/LeafGreen, and Emerald

Source:Amazon

Pokémon Design: Responsible for concept designs of multiple 3rd-gen Pokémon (specific Pokémon names are often not publicly disclosed)
GameCube titles: Credited under “Pokémon Characters Designed by” for Pokémon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness

Source:Amazon

Remake titles: Also credited for Pokémon Design in HeartGold/SoulSilver

Source: YouTube

Beyond card illustrations, she contributed across the franchise—Pokémon in-game sprites and artwork, and even original character design work connected to animated films—making her a key creator who supported the Pokémon brand during the 3rd generation era.

Specific Card List

Sabrina’s Espeon

Source: Mercari

Sabrina’s ace Pokémon—an elegant Psychic-type with striking purple eyes.

Sabrina’s Xatu

Source: Mercari

A Japan-exclusive Psychic-type card from the VS series, featuring a mystical expression wrapped in Sabrina’s psychic aura.

Quilava

Source: Mercari

She also illustrated a Quilava card in a warm, gentle style, making it a charming piece you can’t help but feel soothed by just looking at it.

Sabrina-related cards in particular are prized by collectors as rare Japan-only VS series items, and they continue to be traded at high prices today.

Summary

Squirtle (007/018) from McDonald’s Minimum Pack 2002 is a true relic of an era—“a Pokémon card you could buy at McDonald’s.” With the straightforward appeal of being a holo Starter Pokémon, it’s the kind of card you’ll want to collect both as a single piece and as part of a full set. Since holo cards are heavily influenced by condition, finding a clean copy can be especially satisfying. And because it’s part of an 18-card set, it naturally fuels the collector’s urge to complete the lineup. If you have a well-preserved copy in front of you, it may be a collector-grade opportunity you won’t easily encounter again.

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Pokémon Trading Card Squirtle 007/018
Minimum Pack 2002 Hobby Limited McDonald’s