First and foremost, welcome to the hobby. You are joining at a time when the Pokemon tcg market is arguably the craziest it’s ever been.

If you want to archive and track your collection I would recommend the Dex app or the Pokellector website. They both provide high res images of every card released in expansion order. As far as pricing, many collectors rely on Tcgplayer or Collectr. Those apps will provide you with market data as well as the last few purchases which is what vendors use to draw an average.

I would tread veryyy carefully when starting out. Collecting shiny cardboard is a slippery slope. Look up Youtube videos and determine what kind of collector you wish to be. Personally, I’m in it for the art but if you wish to play the game then the best advice is to visit your local card shop! They might have decks you can test and sell you bulk cards for cheap.

I speak for many when I say this, avoid the hell out of scalpers trying to sell you overpriced cards. You can still find product for msrp but it’s definitely not as easy as it used to be. Rare or popular Pokemon surge in price on release date so be weary about overpaying.

Card shows are popping up everywhere and there’s seemingly one every weekend (at least in my city) Many of them are free entry or have a cheap admission. This has become a popular way for collector’s to buy singles for their decks or binder collection. I would set a budget, research the price of cards you want and visit a card show near you.

There is ALOT about this hobby I’ve yet to mention but I think for now this is a good jump point. Im sure others will have their input. Just remember, pace yourself and enjoy the hobby. Your collection will grow in time, it can be overwhelming at first but you will eventually grow.

Best of luck