Reddit reviews Pokemon Trading Card Game 'Playmat'

I played the TCG years ago and I'm still playing the 3DS games, but I've got a Christmas wishlist here that sparked some questions. Can someone help me?

• If a kid wants specific cards, where should I go about ordering them? I remember using eBay back in the day, but I found a bunch of other sites when I did a quick search. Is one more reputable than the others?
  
• If a kid wants to get into the game, which of the basic starter decks would be a good choice? I assume we'd stick with SuMo and not buy legacy stuff, but there's a dozen options within that. Ideally, I'd like to get two decks that don't precisely "counter" one another. Going by the VGC, I'd say Steel Sun + Bright Tide would be a good combination, but I'm not sure if the same rules apply.
  
• Is this playmat from 1999 still relevant? I haven't played the TCG in like 10+ years, but I remember the playmat being really helpful when I was learning the rules.
  
• Does the game still use coins and damage tokens? Anyone have links to some fun ones? Etsy, Pokemon Centre, whatever.