# Kanto Post > The top destination for all your Pokemon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About Us URL: https://www.kantopost.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T05:32:11.000Z ## **About Kanto Post** Founded in 2026 by Callum Self, **Kanto Post** is an independent publication covering the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon video games, collecting culture, and the wider Pokémon community. From breaking news and market analysis to features and guides, Kanto Post aims to deliver reporting that goes beyond headlines and explores the stories that matter to collectors and fans. ## **Founder’s Story** Hi, I’m [Callum Self](https://www.kantopost.com/author/callum-self/), founder and Editor-in-Chief of Kanto Post. I’ve worked in games journalism for more than six years, with bylines across publications including IGN, PCGamesN, Wargamer, Pocket Tactics, UploadVR, and Gfinity. During that time, I’ve written thousands of articles covering gaming, technology, virtual reality, and collecting culture. For more than a year, I specialised in Pokémon TCG coverage at Wargamer. That role allowed me to combine two things I’ve always loved: journalism and Pokémon. Whether I was analysing card market trends, reviewing products, covering industry news, or exploring collecting culture, my goal was always the same: to find the story behind the story. When my role ended in 2026 following a company restructure, I decided to build something of my own. To help fund the launch of Kanto Post, I sold part of my [personal Pokémon card collection](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/welcome-feature/) and invested the proceeds into creating an independent publication dedicated to the hobby and community I care about most. ## **Why Trust Kanto Post?** Kanto Post is led by a journalist with years of professional experience covering Pokémon, gaming, and collecting culture. Our reporting is built on: - First-hand experience as collectors and Pokémon fans. - Professional journalism standards. - Original reporting, analysis, and commentary. - Clear sourcing and fact-checking wherever possible. - A commitment to correcting factual errors when they occur. Kanto Post exists to provide thoughtful coverage of Pokémon and the communities that surround it. Whether you’re researching your next purchase, following the latest news, or simply enjoying the hobby, our aim is to create content worth returning to. ![Kanto Post logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Copy-of-Add-a-heading.png) ## Legal Disclaimer Pokémon and Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK, and The Pokémon Company. Pokémon Trading Card Game card images, video game assets, logos, promotional materials, and related intellectual property displayed on Kanto Post remain the property of their respective owners. Kanto Post is an independent fan publication created for Pokémon collectors, players, and fans. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or otherwise officially connected to Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK, The Pokémon Company, or The Pokémon Company International. All trademarks, images, and copyrights referenced on this website belong to their respective owners and are used for editorial, commentary, news reporting, and informational purposes. Last updated: June 2026 ### Whatnot Statement - 29th June, 2026 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/whatnot-statement-29th-june-2026/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T17:42:30.000Z Whatnot is a place where people come together to connect over shared passions and discover the things they love, from Pokémon and trading cards to fashion, collectibles and beyond. We want every buyer to feel good about their experience on Whatnot: the things they purchase, the people they meet, and the time and money they spend here. What we see are people who are engaged and confident in what they purchase, tuning in to sellers they follow, and connecting with others who share their interests. We're committed to building a positive, trustworthy experience where people feel confident buying and connecting. As part of that commitment, we give every user clear visibility into their total watch time and spending – information that most marketplaces don’t surface at all. Our Account Controls let users set custom reminders and limits for both watch time and spend. Once a limit is met, users can't watch or spend until the time frame they've set has passed. We built these tools because we believe transparency is good for buyers and for our business. The live format is engaging, and it's also one of our strongest protections. Sellers put their face, voice, and reputation on the line every time they go live, so buyers can see the exact item, ask questions, and request a close-up before they bid. Behind that, our trust and safety team is the largest department in the company. About 1 in 3 of our 1,000+ employees work in it, and it more than doubled in 2025\. Every seller completes ID verification before going live, our fraud models proactively ban tens of thousands of accounts a week, and buyers are covered by [Buyer Protection](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/360061194552-Whatnot-Buyer-Protection-Policy?ref=kantopost.com) and [High Value Loss Reimbursement](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/5522583677837-High-Value-Loss-Reimbursement-Policy?ref=kantopost.com) if something goes wrong with a sale. Pair that with the spend and time controls every user gets, and the goal is simple: keep it fun, and keep people confident in what they buy. Gambling isn't allowed on Whatnot, and we strictly enforce[ this policy.](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/4410443596813-Gambling-and-Purchase-Based-Prize-Policy?ref=kantopost.com) Any new pack of trading cards is a blind pack. Whether you buy it on Whatnot or off the shelf at a store, you don't know which cards are inside until you open it. That has always been part of collecting. Whatnot offers Breaks and Surprise Products, which bring a long-standing part of collecting and retail online: opening a sealed pack at a card shop, or grabbing an end-of-season box at checkout. With Surprise Products, sellers list the specific items that could be in a set before anyone buys. Whatnot is a shopping platform, and buyers receive products when they purchase. Our policies set strict requirements for selling sealed packs,[ Card Breaks](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/34107485220237-Card-Breaks-Policy?ref=kantopost.com),[ Surprise Products](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/34107510260237-Surprise-Sets-Policy?ref=kantopost.com), and [Professionally Sealed Surprise Products](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/39618879679757-Professionally-Sealed-Surprise-Products?ref=kantopost.com). Breaking these rules has consequences: billbacks so sellers don't profit, plus warnings, suspensions, loss of selling privileges, or removal depending on severity and account history. We enforce using both technology and human review. Since 2020, we've raised the bar for collectors with higher standards and stronger protections, and we keep evolving to deliver the best experience for our community. We were first in the hobby with[ High Value Loss Reimbursement](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/5522583677837-High-Value-Loss-Reimbursement-Policy?ref=kantopost.com): if a high-value card from a break isn't delivered, the buyer is reimbursed at full market value, regardless of their purchase price, and the seller is held accountable. As repacks grew more popular, we updated our requirements so buyers get clear, consistent, reliable information: Professionally Sealed Surprise Products must be on our Identified Products List and keep the manufacturer and seller separate. Whatnot also requires sellers to give buyers a clear picture of what a series contains before purchase. In some cases, we require passing a third-party audit. ### Editorial & Corrections Policy URL: https://www.kantopost.com/editorial-policy/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T13:08:53.000Z At Kanto Post, our goal is to deliver accurate, timely, and useful coverage of Pokémon games, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, merchandise, events, and wider gaming culture. We aim to balance editorial independence with transparency around monetization, sponsorships, and affiliate relationships. ## Mission & Coverage Priorities Kanto Post covers news, guides, and analysis for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, with a focus on original reporting over recycled press releases. We aim to publish a small number of substantive stories each week rather than high-volume templated news. Our coverage includes new set releases, market and pricing trends, grading and authentication, and the businesses and products built around the TCG's collecting and investing economy. We also cover Palworld's official trading card game. We do not cover every Pokémon TCG story that breaks. We prioritize stories where we can add genuine analysis, context, or original reporting beyond what's already been said elsewhere. ## Accuracy and Updates We strive to ensure all published information is accurate at the time of publication. - Articles may be updated when: - New information becomes available - Official announcements change prior reporting - Errors are identified - Product details, prices, or release dates change Where major updates are made, we may add an update note to the article. ## Editorial Independence Our editorial decisions are made independently. Affiliate partnerships, advertising relationships, or commercial agreements do not determine: - What we cover - How we review products - Our opinions or recommendations Sponsored content and advertisements will be clearly labeled. ## Review and Guide Content Some articles may include: - Hands-on impressions - Community analysis - Market observations - Opinion-based recommendations Trading card prices, pull rates, and product availability can change rapidly. ## Sources and Rumors We distinguish between: - Official announcements - Verified reporting - Community rumors or leaks - Speculative reporting based on patterns and/or beliefs consistent with editorial Rumor-based reporting will be clearly labeled where appropriate. ## Unnamed Sources We prefer named, on-the-record sources wherever possible. Anonymous sourcing is used sparingly, only when a source has a legitimate reason to remain unnamed, and the information can't reasonably be obtained on the record, and only when an editor has independently assessed the source's credibility. ## Verification & Fact-Checking Where possible, claims in our reporting are verified against official sources - Pokémon Company and Pokémon Center announcements, TCGplayer market data, and named industry experts. Pull-rate and odds figures are sourced from community pack-tracking and platforms like TCGplayer; because these are statistical estimates rather than official figures, we label them clearly as estimates and note our sources. If a figure can't be verified against a credible source, we say so rather than presenting it as confirmed. ## Actionable Feedback If you spot an error, have a correction to report, or want to raise a concern about our coverage, contact us via the [Contact page](https://www.kantopost.com/contact/). We review all correction requests and update published articles when warranted, consistent with our corrections policy above. ## How We Handle Corrections If an article contains inaccurate information, we may: - Correct spelling or formatting silently - Update outdated information - Add editor’s notes for significant factual changes Major corrections may include a note explaining what was changed. This page was updated on June 5, 2026\. If you have any questions, please contact callum@kantopost.com. ### Privacy Policy & Affiliate Disclosure URL: https://www.kantopost.com/privacy-policy-affiliate-disclosure/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T15:19:34.000Z At Kanto Post, we value transparency and user privacy. This page explains how information may be collected, how affiliate links work, and how third-party services may interact with the site. ## Information We Collect Depending on how you interact with the site, Kanto Post may collect: - Email addresses submitted through newsletters, memberships, or contact forms - Basic analytics information, such as browser type, device type, and pages visited - Cookies and usage data - Voluntarily submitted information through comments or forms We do not sell personal information to third parties. ## Cookies Kanto Post may use cookies for: - Site functionality - Analytics and traffic measurement - Remembering user preferences - Affiliate tracking - Advertising personalization Most browsers allow users to disable cookies through browser settings. ## Analytics and Third-Party Services We may use third-party tools and services, including: - Google Analytics - Advertising providers - Affiliate networks - Embedded social media content - Newsletter or membership systems These third-party services may collect information according to their own privacy policies. ## Affiliate Disclosure Some articles and pages on Kanto Post may contain affiliate links. If readers purchase products through these links, Kanto Post may earn a commission at no additional cost to the user. Affiliate commissions help support: - Website hosting - Editorial operations - Development costs - Ongoing content production Affiliate relationships do not influence editorial opinions, rankings, or recommendations. ## Sponsored Content Sponsored content, paid partnerships, or promotional collaborations will be clearly labeled where applicable. ## Data Protection We aim to use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect user data. However, no online service can guarantee complete security. ## Children’s Privacy Kanto Post is not intended for children under 13 years old, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. ## Your Rights Depending on your region, you may have rights relating to: - Accessing personal data - Correcting information - Requesting deletion - Withdrawing consent Privacy-related requests can be sent to: callum@kantopost.com ## Policy Updates This policy may be updated periodically to reflect operational, legal, or technical changes. Last updated: June 2026 The latest version will always appear on this page with the updated effective date shown above. ### Contact & Pitches URL: https://www.kantopost.com/contact/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T05:31:51.000Z Thanks for reaching out to Kanto Post. We welcome: - News tips - Press releases - Review code inquiries - Partnership requests - Corrections and feedback - Creator collaborations - Reader questions ## General Contact For general inquiries: callum@kantopost.com ## News Tips & Editorial Pitches Have a story, announcement, or tip related to: - Pokémon TCG - Pokémon games - Events and tournaments - Merchandise - Industry developments - Community trends - Other collaborations Please email callum@kantopost.com Please include: - Relevant links or images, where possible - Clear sourcing information - Embargo dates, if applicable Anonymous tips are accepted, though verification may be limited without supporting evidence. ## Press Releases & PR We allow: - Press releases - Preview opportunities - Interview requests - Event invitations - Review codes - Product information Sending content, opportunities, or review codes does not guarantee coverage, and digital content may be redeemed. Any subjects unrelated to Pokémon, Pokémon-like games, or potentially Nintendo Switch titles will be rejected. Please email callum@kantopost.com ## Affiliate & Business Partnerships For sponsorships, advertising, affiliate opportunities, or business partnerships: callum@kantopost.com Any sponsorship or advertisements *must* be related to Nintendo consoles or TCG-related content. ## Response Times Kanto Post aims to respond to most inquiries within: - 1–3 business days for editorial matters - 3–5 business days for partnership requests ## Submission Guidelines Please do not send: - AI-generated spam pitches - Unverified rumors presented as fact - Mass-distribution press emails unrelated to gaming or Pokémon We reserve the right to decline coverage requests. ## Pitches We aren't accepting any pitches at this time. However, we endeavor to keep a contact list of potential writers and freelancers for future opportunities. Please email callum@kantopost.com with your name, a sample of your previous works, and your rates for freelance work. There are currently no salary job opportunities available at this time. ### Privacy Policy URL: https://www.kantopost.com/privacy-policy/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T12:06:37.000Z Kanto Post (“we”, “our”, or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting any personal information you provide while using our website. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices available to you. **Who We Are** Kanto Post is an independent online publication covering the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon video games, collectibles, and related news, guides, features, and reviews. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at: **Email:** callum@kantopost.com ## **Information We Collect** ### **Information You Provide** You may voluntarily provide information when you: - Contact us by email - Subscribe to our newsletter - Leave comments (where available) - Submit news tips or enquiries This information may include your name, email address, and any other information you choose to provide. ### **Information Collected Automatically** When you visit Kanto Post, certain information may be collected automatically, including: - IP address - Browser type and version - Device information - Operating system - Pages visited - Time spent on pages - Referral source - General location based on IP address This information helps us understand how visitors use our website and improve our content. ### **Cookies** Kanto Post uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience. 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If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us so that we can remove it where appropriate. ### **External Links** Our website may link to external websites that are not operated by Kanto Post. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information. ### **Changes to This Privacy Policy** We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, legal requirements, or website functionality. Any updates will be published on this page with a revised effective date. ### **Contact** If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we process personal information, please contact: **Kanto Post** **Email:** callum@kantopost.com ### Topics URL: https://www.kantopost.com/topics/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:52:03.000Z _No content available._ ### actions URL: https://www.kantopost.com/actions/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:50:04.000Z _No content available._ ### Meet the Team URL: https://www.kantopost.com/team/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:50:36.000Z _No content available._ ## Posts ### As Pokémon celebrates 30 years, here’s what people who don’t care really think about it URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/pokemon-30th-anniversary-survey/ Last updated: 2026-09-13T12:09:36.000Z There are plenty of reasons to be frustrated with **Pokémon** right now. The price and availability of cards in the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) have gotten out of control, while the games are widely perceived to be worse than they used to be. The anime has moved on from Ash Ketchum, the young Pallet Town upstart who helped introduce an entire generation of fans to the franchise in the ’90s. People still love [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon/), though. 2026 marks its 30th anniversary, and in some ways, the franchise is bigger than it’s ever been. Everyone has their opinions, but, as with many things, we tend to hear most from the two extremes: people who love something and people who hate it. One of the world’s biggest pop-culture franchises is arguably in its most polarising era, but it’s hard to know what people who aren’t deeply invested in it actually think. Someone who feels lukewarm about Pokémon probably isn’t going to spend their afternoon posting about it online. That doesn’t mean their perspective isn’t worth hearing. As somebody who loves both Pokémon and data, I wanted to take the world’s temperature and find out what ordinary people actually think about Pokémon today. ![Charizard from the artwork for the original Pokémon Red game ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/Pok--mon-informal-survey-30th-anniversary-nostalgia.jpeg) This turned out to be harder than expected. I couldn’t just put out a survey about Pokémon because the people most likely to respond would probably be those with strong feelings about it. So I needed a group of random people who weren’t predisposed to caring about the amount of water in Ruby and Sapphire or that one tree in Sword and Shield. There are enough TikTok street interviewers without me contributing to that mess (and I don’t have the charisma for it anyway), so I wanted to do my polling online. Where do you find regular people you can just talk to? My first attempt was asking internet customer-service representatives from various companies. A real captive audience. The trouble is that most of them are now just AI agents, doomed to forever count how often the letter R appears in the word “strawberry”. Even when I did manage to connect with a real person, they weren’t interested in chatting unless I had an actual question about the business. Props to these model employees for not wasting company time. What ended up working were websites that randomly pair users and let them have text chats with each other, similar to once-popular platforms such as Omegle and Chatroulette (shoutout to the OGs who remember the peak, if one could call it that, of these sites). A quick Google search for “random chat” gave me a few different options that I ended up using, and with the infrastructure in place, I needed a plan. ![A comment from an anonymous user when asked about their opinion on Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/Pok--mon-informal-survey-30th-anniversary-comment.jpeg) I wanted a decent sample size without rededicating my life to this silly venture, so I decided to stop once I had responses from a tidy 100 people. These are fast-moving platforms, so I didn’t want to ask too much of random internet strangers. I settled on two questions that could be answered quickly while still giving me a decent idea of where each person stood: - “Do you watch Pokémon, play the games, or collect the cards?” - “What are your impressions of Pokémon or your opinion of it today?” As I began, I quickly noticed that the majority of users weren’t keen to participate. Most of my conversation partners moved on before I had the chance to ask my questions, or they bolted after inquiring about body parts I don’t have. I didn’t keep these stats, but I’d estimate I got a usable response from roughly one in every 10 people. Finally, like Red receiving the Old Rod, I got my first bite. And, thanks to the “ASL” (age/sex/location, not American Sign Language) nature of these platforms, I was able to collect some self-reported demographic information. For the sake of readability, I’ve edited responses from users that follow for grammar. [The 14 biggest chase cards in Pokémon 30th CelebrationHere are the must-have Pokémon 30th Celebration chase cards, from the vibrant Lapras IR to the nostalgic Shadowless Charizard reprint.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-dfdd614e-e032-4768-ba9a-e498709b347e.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-2ef55c92-f923-4e7b-b29f-18467af657c4.jpg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-chase-cards/) My first participant was a 25-year-old American man (that’s what he said, anyway). His response was simple: “Watched Pokemon as a kid. Pikachu stayed in my memory. I think it is better than today’s cartoons”. It didn’t take long for the first negative opinion to arrive. The very next person, a 21-year-old American guy, told me, “I used to do stuff like that, but now I think it’s a bit childish, you know?” A few people later, a 24-year-old American man stated simply and definitively, “F\*ck Pokémon.” The ninth overall respondent, a 45-year-old man from the UK, surprised me with an entirely different answer: “I don’t know what Pokémon is”. He was one of just two people who claimed total ignorance of the world’s biggest media franchise. These two were outliers, but not because of where they lived. I expected to mostly speak with Americans, but the final split was 52% participants from the US and 48% from elsewhere. A 67-year-old man from Malta, the oldest person I spoke to, said, “Jeepers... My wife childminds 8-year-olds and they have *Pokémon* cards. I wouldn't know the first thing about *Pokémon* except one is called Charmander, apparently. The kids tell me some cards are valuable." After looking up “childminds” (it essentially means “babysits”), I told him that Pokémon cards can sell for thousands of dollars. “Amazing,” he replied. ![A hand holding up a Pokémon card from the upcoming Pokémon TCG movie](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-tcg-biggest-year-yet-2027-movie.jpeg) One unfortunate 22-year-old American had already experienced a young Pokémon fan’s worst-case scenario. “I just started collecting. I lost all my cards in a fire as a kid and I just started again. I think it’s expensive for what it is, though." I mourned his loss and lamented how tough it must be to start over with the current state of the hobby. He responded, "Not a big deal. It sucks, but it is what it is." A 45-year-old Canadian man was more aware of the current TCG situation. "Collectors \[are\] ruining the hobby," he said. "Kids can't buy cards." I mentioned how store shelves are frequently empty. “Kinda sh\*tty,” he added. Then there was a confusing exchange with a 34-year-old man from the Philippines. He started, "They were good during their time. But I don't think the kids know them now." Either the Pokémon scene in the Philippines is very different from what I’m used to seeing, or this person was unaware of the franchise’s current scale. Regardless, he continued, "I know them, though. I could make them real in real life, I think." ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. For a brief moment, I wondered if I’d stumbled across an experimental genetic scientist on the verge of a world-changing breakthrough. He continued: "Pokémon can transform, right? They are a perfect example of a good metamorphosis. Upgrade. What do you think?" I had no idea what to think. I asked outright if he was claiming he could create a real-life Pokémon. It turned out he was speaking more figuratively, about Pokémon as an example of personal growth. "Nope, not really. I mean the upgrades are real in life if someone gives his best to be better." That took a turn from bizarre to wholesome. All of the responses I’ve mentioned so far came from men. Platforms like the ones I used don’t seem to be particularly comfortable spaces for women, which may explain their relative absence. Of the 100 people I spoke to, just four were women. One, a 24-year-old teacher from India, was my 100th and final chat. She explained that she likes the anime but hasn’t had much time to watch it recently because of her busy schedule. She said it’s exciting to watch the show and see which new Pokémon will appear and what they can do. I asked if her students like it and she reported they're more into games like PUBG: Battlegrounds and Free Fire. ![An infographic with data on what people think of Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/Pok--mon-informal-survey-30th-anniversary-charts.jpeg) And with that, after a few hours of chatting spread across three days in early July, my polling was complete. It was time to see what the data actually said. Of the 100 respondents, 93 clearly indicated whether they had ever engaged with Pokémon, whether through the games, cards or anime. Of those 93 people, 52, or about 56%, had. That means that if you picked a random person from this particular group, you’d have roughly a coin flip’s chance of finding someone who had ever got into Pokémon. Out of the people who had previously engaged with Pokémon, 50 revealed whether they still engage with it today. Just 18 of them, or 36%, said they do. In other words, most of the respondents who tried Pokémon when they were younger hadn’t stuck with it or returned for the latest generation. Overall, among the 93 people whose previous engagement with Pokémon could be determined, about 80% don’t currently play the games, collect the cards or watch the anime. Pokémon is a phenomenon, but even at its current scale, it’s possible to ignore. Finally, I analysed all of the responses to determine how many people had a positive opinion of Pokémon today. Of the 58 respondents whose opinion could be determined, 28 (48%) were positive, 21 (36%) were neutral and just nine (16%) were negative. The haters are overwhelmingly in the minority. ![A bar chart of people’s opinions on Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/Pok--mon-informal-survey-30th-anniversary-bar-charts.jpeg) I also broke the results down by age, comparing respondents aged 30 and over with those under 30 (I didn’t speak to anybody younger than 18 because a 34-year-old man anonymously chatting with kids online felt like a bad look). The 30-plus group was small, with just 22 people, making it difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions. The trends were largely similar anyway. A comparison between Americans and non-Americans made more sense given the near-even split between those groups. However, there were no significant differences in their responses. None of this is scientific data. The sample was non-random, the data collection was informal and the results lacked much of a female perspective. Any survey group will have some form of bias, and this one is no different. There’s also the possibility that people using relatively obscure random-chat websites are more likely to be interested in video games and other forms of entertainment than the general population. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Still, I found the results interesting. Most people don’t currently play, watch or collect Pokémon, but most of them don’t seem to have a major problem with it either. One response from a 32-year-old Brit might be the best encapsulation of what I found: "I don't watch Pokémon or play Pokémon now. As a kid, I did. The Game Boy games, and I enjoyed them a lot. I would happily play them again as an adult. Pokemon Red and Blue, I think they were. My opinion on it today: I don't really have one, other than I think it's crazy that people spend so much money on cards. But hey, who am I to judge anyone's hobby?" ### A full Palworld Dawn of Palpagos collection would set you more than £6,000 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-collectr-value/ Last updated: 2026-09-12T11:23:30.000Z **Palworld Dawn of Palpagos** has been out for a couple of months now. With stock shortages still prevalent and prices fluctuating, the dust has started to settle somewhat. Unsurprisingly, many of the **Palworld cards** from the debut set have ridiculously high values, but when I found out how much a master set would cost, I still almost had a heart attack. I expected the [Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/) to command higher prices, as is the case with pretty much every TCG, and the [Palworld Official Card Game](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) is no different. However, while early signs pointed towards the [Jormuntide Ignis](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/jormuntide-ignis-pre-sale/) and elusive [Cattiva gold card](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sss-cattiva-dawn-of-palpagos-card/) dominating the market, I expected things to simmer down. [Palworld TCG’s Dawn of Palpagos is selling out everywhere, but there’s finally good newsBushiroad has confirmed that more stock is on the way of Palworld TCG’s debut expansion as market price for boxes soars.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-4e357254-088d-4e85-b654-30a49b1a805a.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-second-print-f5920ed5-319b-4b53-8265-17126c3a6dac.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-second-print/) Sadly, that hasn’t been the case. While most of the higher [Palworld rarity](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) cards have dropped in value since release, Cattiva has only gone up. Recent eBay sales put it around the £2,800-£3,800 price range. Initial sales had it at similar prices right out of the gate, but it soon dropped to around £700-£900\. Now, it’s crept back up. And by crept, I mean shot up like a rocket. The Chillet and Jormuntide SSPs have settled around the £500 mark each, while Lyleen and Helzephyr sell for around £370 and £207, respectively. According to Collectr, 13 of the set’s 120 cards are worth more than £74, but they make up for it in an expensive way. According to the market-tracking app, collecting every card in the set would currently cost an eye-watering £6,080 / $8,226, making it a high four-digit behemoth for a debut expansion. Is it initial hype? TCGs being treated more as investment assets than ever before? Or perhaps it’s because Palworld is arguably the easiest translation for Pokémon TCG collectors? In all honesty, it could be all three. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Either way, if you’re looking to buy the full set, and considering that individual booster boxes go for roughly $140 / £104 (once again, according to [Collectr](https://getcollectr.com/?ref=kantopost.com)), you might want to sell your house. ### The 14 biggest chase cards in Pokémon 30th Celebration URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-chase-cards/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T17:49:35.000Z It’s almost here. After months of waiting, pre-sales flying off digital shelves, and a worldwide simultaneous release that has left us all sitting on the edge of our seats for fresh information, **Pokémon 30th Celebration** is about to land on store shelves. This is a huge milestone for the franchise, and with a massive list of cards, as well as a slightly smaller pack size, the **Pokémon 30th Celebration chase cards** feel somewhat endless. Fortunately, I’ve put together a tighter list of the ones I’m most looking forward to. With collectors like you and me waiting for our [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) to arrive, you’re probably intrigued by which [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) cards you’ll be hoping to pull. As usual, the following list is based on personal preference, with just a dash of my knowledge of all things Pokémon cards, so the actual ‘valuable’ cards might differ. However, I prefer going with attachment rather than investment, so without further ado, here are my top picks based on PokéBeach’s recent card list reveal. ![Lapras IR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-lapras.jpg) ## 14: Lapras This Illustration Rare kicks off our list with an almost childlike, vibrant style for the classic Water-type. There’s something deeply nostalgic about it. The way the sunlight hits Lapras, alongside a Psyduck looking up at it, really intrigued me. It’s an adorable pull that hopefully won’t be too hard to get considering its rarity. ![Moltres IR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-moltres.jpg) ## 13: Moltres I decided to pick only one of the Legendary birds, and I think Moltres is the right choice. All three are IRs, so it came down to aesthetics and popularity, and Moltres just came out on top. Unlike the Moltres ex found in Destined Rivals, 30th Celebration’s take is brighter and more whimsical, with vibrant orange flames swirling around it as it flies. In terms of colour, it’s easily one of my favourites in the entire expansion, with a gorgeous palette that makes Moltres pop. ![Maushold IR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-maushold.jpg) ## 12: Maushold I love Maushold, so when I saw the new Illustration Rare, I instantly fell in love. It’s fairly simple, with the entire Maushold family scattered around in front of a kaleidoscope of colours that has an almost cloud-like, patchwork effect. I don’t expect this to be a hugely expensive card, but that just means more collectors will be able to buy it. ![Fuecoco ex SIR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-fuecoco.jpg) ## 11: Fuecoco I’m going to say something controversial: Fuecoco may be one of my favourite starter designs, and it’s third after Squirtle and Piplup. That means, yes, I prefer it to Charmander. Please put down your pitchforks, because this card proves why. Advertisement It’s so freaking adorable. The little teeth as it smiles, joyfully strolling with balloons, bunting, and more around it. I love this card, and if it weren’t for some absolute bangers coming up, it would easily be one of my top three. ![Magikarp Classic Collection card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-magikarp.jpg) ## 10: Magikarp I already spoke about how [30th Celebration’s Magikarp is better than Paldea Evolved’s original](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/magikarp-30th-gold-border/). Despite being a fairly recent Pokémon set, the anniversary expansion’s golden border works better, helping this floppy fish stand out even more than before. With the original card being one of the most sought-after cards of the Scarlet & Violet era, I can see this reprint being equally popular, especially among those who missed out. I’m definitely raising my hand as I write this. ![Pikachu Base Set Classic Collection card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-base-set.jpg) ## 9: Pikachu (Base Set) There are a lot of Pikachu cards in this set, but the classic Pikachu from the Base Set is one of my favourite renditions of the Pokémon mascot. With another chance to pull it, I’m hoping I can replace the one I sold (to make matters worse, I sold it for £5). It’s a great modern way to get a card featuring the original design. Basically, who doesn’t like a chonky Pikachu? ![Darkrai and Cresselia Legend Classic Collection cards in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-darkrai-cresselia.jpg) ## 8: Darkrai and Cresselia Legend This is a card that I actually wasn’t aware of until recently, and with the split cards returning in Pokémon Delta Reign, it’s the perfect time to pull this duo. Yes, this is two cards, so in reality, you need to be lucky enough to get both of them, lest you have to buy the other half online. Advertisement Considering how sad I was that Cresselia was missing from the [Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/), I’m very happy to see the two opposites together in this gorgeous rendition. The split between both of them, as well as the moves being jumbled up, make it a must-own for my collection. So long as I pull both, of course. ![Pikachu and Zekrom GX Tag Team Classic Collection card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-zekrom.jpg) ## 7: Pikachu & Zekrom GX It’s quite surprising that Pikachu & Zekrom GX is such a cheap card - just take a look at my Pokémon 30th Celebration Classic Collection value piece. However, I think Zekrom’s recent popularity and the niche appeal of Pikachu (sarcasm, obviously) will give this classic a new lease of life. Seeing Pikachu in a mid-action pose alongside the Legendary Zekrom feels like a juxtaposition that shouldn’t work, yet it manages to capture the sense of awe that I love seeing in Pokémon card artwork. ![Pikachu ex SIR cards in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-ex-sirs.jpg) ## 6: Pikachu ex SIRs I’m being a little sly here and combining two separate cards into one section, but considering how similar they are, I think I’m allowed. The two [Pikachu ex SIRs](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-anniversary-pikachu-sir/), split into a day version and a night version, are adorable showcases of celebration. I adore how each of them has such a huge variety of Pokémon alongside them. It feels like a duo of cards that will spark friendly debate. Are you a fan of the brighter daylight variant, or does the nightlife of the Pokémon world appeal to you? That’s the question all of us collectors will face when the new set releases. There’s also no shortage of chase cards that become desirable when other little Pokémon are spotted in them (Bulbasaur from the First Partner Collection comes to mind), but there are rarely cards that feature so many Pokémon. I think that’ll make them some of the biggest chases in Pokémon 30th Celebration. ![Mewtwo and Mew ex Futuristic Rare cards in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-mew-mewtwo-futuristic-rares.jpg) ## 5: Mew ex and Mewtwo ex Futuristic Rares The [Mew ex and Mewtwo ex Futuristic Rares](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/futuristic-rares-opinion/) have been known for a while, since the expansion’s reveal back in February 2026, but because it’s a new rarity tier, all bets are off - hence the double appearance in the fifth spot. I’m not sure if I like them or not, and I think I’ll have to see them in real life rather than as digital images. Sometimes texture can play a huge role in the appeal, but considering that it’s a rarity exclusive to the set, it still deserves a high place on this list. ![Jirachi ex SIR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-jirachi-ex.jpg) ## 4: Jirachi ex SIR I knew it was coming. As soon as [Jirachi’s reveal](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/jirachi-ex-30th-celebration/) came around, I knew an SIR would appear, and here it is. Despite being fourth place, this is my chase card for the set, with a celestial display of cuteness that I want - no, need - in my binder. Advertisement The marble-like background, looking like a brighter version of space, paired with Jirachi’s whimsical smile makes this an essential chase for the expansion. If you manage to pull it and want to give it to someone, hit me up. ![Sylveon ex SIR card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-sylveon-ex-sir.jpg) ## 3: Sylveon ex SIR The Eeveelutions remain some of the most sought-after cards in modern Pokémon sets, and with Umbreon and Espeon locked away in the [30th Celebration UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/), that leaves a big ol’ Eevee-shaped hole for a different version to take the leading place. That’s Sylveon ex this time around, with a card that rivals the Prismatic Evolutions version. In fact, I’d argue this one is better. The hues of red, pinks, and darker pinks make for a beautiful foreground, with a smiling Sylveon that just looks so happy. If anything, it may actually be a decent substitute for Umbreon, because I know full well I’m not getting that [promo card any time soon](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-card-30th-deck-box/). ![Lugia Classic Collection card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-lugia.jpg) ## 2: Lugia Crystal Lugia. An underrated gem that has recently exploded in value and is now getting a gorgeous reprint that brings it up to modern standards. While the e-Reader aspect has been, unsurprisingly, toned down for the new Lugia reprint, it still has the gorgeous background that helps the Legendary Pokémon stand out. As someone who was unfortunate enough not to own the original, this is an essential for my collection. Advertisement Admittedly, I do think the gold, sparkly border actually detracts from the artwork here, unlike the Magikarp example, but it still looks stunning, and if I manage to get it in my packs, I’m not complaining. ![Shadowless Charizard Classic Collection card in Pokemon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/pokemon-30th-celebration-chase-cards-pikachu-charizard.jpg) ## 1: Charizard I’ve seen local news articles about sellers listing them (which were hilariously unresearched, may I add), and even family members with little interest in the series know about this gem despite my constant talking about Pokémon. Shadowless Charizard may be the quintessential chase of all time, and here it is, available in modern packs. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Of course, this isn’t the same as owning an actual Shadowless Charizard, but considering that it has the perfect balance of nostalgia and modern hype, this might be 30th Celebration’s biggest chase, depending on how popular the Futuristic Rares end up being. This is another card that, if I manage to get it, you won’t hear me moaning about. ### Pokémon 30th Celebration is reprinting more than £180,000 worth of classic cards URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-classic-collection-value/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T06:50:40.000Z There’s no shortage of vintage cards I desperately want but don’t have the spare change to afford. I’ve checked under my sofa cushions, and sadly, I don’t have a spare £23,500 lying around that I can put towards a Shadowless Charizard in a PSA 10\. That’s why collections of older cards being reprinted, like **Pokémon 30th Celebration**’s Classic Collection, are perfect for collectors like me. And if you were hoping to eventually inherit more than £180,000, you’re effectively saving all of that by getting the reprints. Yes, that’s four zeroes. Ahead of the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) that I’m sitting around waiting for to arrive, I decided to look into the value of the original cards included in the Classic Collection, according to [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/06/all-30-classic-collection-cards-from-30th-celebration-likely-revealed?ref=kantopost.com). For the standard ungraded vintage cards, you’re looking at a decently pricey but comparatively modest £7,510.40 figure. However, taking into account the allure of a PSA 10 copy? Well, I hope you have £183,206 sitting around in your bank account. Advertisement What’s interesting is the fact that just five cards make up 86% of the total raw value: those being the Lugia from Aquapolis (or Crystal Lugia), Shining Celebi, Gengar #94, Dark Tyranitar, and Charizard #4\. Similarly, the top five most expensive cards make up a massive 84% of the total for the PSA 10 figure, but it’s a slightly different list: Metagross from Delta Species and Scizor Ex #108 replace Shining Celebi and Dark Tyranitar. The biggest change from raw to PSA 10, surprisingly, isn’t Crystal Lugia – it’s Metagross. At just a measly £78 for the ungraded version, the PSA 10 is a huge £11,900\. That’s a 152.56x increase, or a 15,156% increase. If you happen to have a Metagross Delta Species card lying around in perfect condition, I really wouldn’t blame you for looking at the best Pokémon card grading services right after reading *that* figure. ![Magikarp and Lugia cards from the Pokémon 30th Celebration Classic collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/Pok--mon-classic-collection-value-reprints-cards.jpeg) I was pleasantly shocked by my findings, which I used data from Collectr to figure out. While there are some expensive hits getting reprinted here, the vast majority aren’t pulled out of the vintage binders and receiving modern reprints because they’re simply valuable. Instead, it’s almost an art museum of 30 years of the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/). For example, Crobat G doesn’t even have a PSA 10 sale on record with Collectr, and the Genesect EX #11 has a surprisingly low figure of £60 for a slabbed version with PSA’s award of pristine approval. When I went into the calculations, I was expecting a massive figure. Sure, it still *is,* but considering how much some classic cards from older [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) can sell for, it’s actually fairly small. That’s no more apparent than with the raw value, which gives you 30 cards for the same price as two Umbreon VMAX Alt Art cards in a PSA 10 at roughly $4300 each. Considering Moonbreon is a modern card with a higher population, that data is surprising. If anything, this data has actually made me more excited for the Pokémon 30th Celebration set. Not because it’s packed full of vintage cards that I’ll never afford, but because it’s not 30 of the most sought-after cards of the franchise. Instead, it’s a curated list of everything from cards that are cheap to buy to the mega hits that have defined collectors for decades. Excuse me for saying it in such a cheesy way, but it’s a *celebration* of the TCG, and not some ‘greatest hits’ collection of cards that every modern collector desperately wants. Considering the Pokémon 30th Celebration leaks point to some really gorgeous SIRs and new rarities, like the Futuristic Rares, I’m more hyped than ever. Hopefully, I manage to pre-order the [Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/) too – I really, really want those Umbreon and Espeon promo cards. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to join my newsletter above to get the latest articles to your inbox - it’s free! ### eBay UK’s Pokémon card price guide is a huge win for consumers URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/ebay-uk-price-guide-reveal/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T06:20:21.000Z If you’re constantly scrolling eBay or other marketplaces for **Pokémon cards**, chances are you’ve had a tab on another site checking current market prices. It’s a frustrating first-world problem that all of us **Pokémon TCG** enthusiasts eventually have, yet when different marketplaces use different data, the results can be ever so slightly off. Fortunately, eBay UK is removing the need for that tab swapping. With the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) continuing to be as popular as ever, and prices changing constantly, having a tool that tracks sales data isn’t just helpful; it’s increasingly important. I’m not a big fan of cards being treated as assets, but the reality is, apps like Collectr makes finding those ‘deals’ easier, and eBay’s new [price guide](https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/press-room/uk/ebay-launches-price-guide-for-trading-cards-in-the-uk/?ref=kantopost.com) feature cuts out the middle man. Advertisement Rolling out to accounts starting from Tuesday 1st September, eBay UK will allow both sellers and buyers to use historical sales data for TCG cards across Pokémon, One Piece, Lorcana, and more. Like many apps that allow you to scan your cards for instant valuations, eBay’s latest update helps identify up to two years of the sales data of cards, as well as an updated sales data as of the last 24 hours. It’s also helpful in another way: allowing collectors to see accepted Best Offer figures. While sold listings sometimes appear with a dashed price when bought at an offered price, this data will help users see how much buyers are generally paying for cards from a variety of [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), whether that’s the upcoming [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) expansion or older ones like Delta Species, for example. For clarity, I don’t have access yet. I’ve updated the app and haven’t been able to find the tool on existing listings or through trying to sell my own cards. However, I think anything that gives consumers more information before buying is always a good thing. ![An infographic sharing how to use the new EBay price guide for Pokémon cards ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/09/eBay-price-guide-pokemon-guide.jpeg) The fact it also takes into account two of the biggest [Pokémon card grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/), PSA and CGC, including population reports is also useful. Although, in the UK, ACE is also fairly popular - it would be helpful if that information was also included. Maybe it’s an eventual change, but one that I would certainly welcome. eBay seems to be the best option to host such a tool, and while other platforms like Cardmarket and TCGPlayer do offer price data, the breadth of eBay’s listings makes it particularly useful. For someone who *doesn’t* use TCG-specific platforms, it’s certainly a helpful tool. For example, anyone can list a card for £200, but that doesn’t mean it will sell for that figure. Using eBay’s price guide, that mistake is less likely to happen, and while demand can occasionally exceed the supply, so future sales may get more expensive, it’s still a useful way to buy and sell cards through eBay. Of course, it doesn’t tell you what you *should* pay for a Pokémon card. It just gives you useful information before making your purchase. That’s why I think it’s a clear win for collectors. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. At Kanto Post, I don’t just cover the Pokémon TCG - I also share stories like this, help you find stock at retail or below market price, and also share my hot takes. So, feel free to join my newsletter above for daily articles. It’s free! ### Pokémon TCG could be getting its biggest year yet in 2027 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/new-announcements-movie-ex-star/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T06:24:07.000Z 30 years of Pokémon is almost over. In many ways, the **Pokémon 30th Celebration** set isn’t just another massive milestone and expansion for the **Pokémon TCG**; it’s the start of the trading card game’s next five-year cycle. If anything, the hobby remains stronger than ever, and if 2027 is anything to go by, The Pokémon Company is planning an even bigger year for 2027. From the new [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) reveals to its own movie, there’s been no shortage of exciting [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) reveals at Pokémon Worlds 2026\. With [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) pre-orders almost arriving at our door, the announcements were primarily focused on 2027, meaning we’re looking beyond the big three-zero anniversary. So, the bigger three-one era. ![Pokémon TCG Mega Attack Rare cards for the MEGA x MEGA Parade expansion](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/pokemon-mega-evolution-end.jpeg) ## **New Pokémon TCG expansions and Mega Attack Rares** Everyone wants new cards. So, The Pokémon Company gave us a look at some upcoming ones, including Mega Lucario ex and a whole bunch of fresh Mega Attack Rares. If you haven’t been able to buy any Pokémon Ascended Heroes, they debuted with the expansion's release earlier this year. Mega Lucario is likely coming with ‘Aura Seeker’, Japan’s November set. If the release cycle follows the usual pattern, that will be January or February 2027 for the English version. For reference, both Ascended Heroes and Prismatic Evolutions launched in January following Japan’s November releases. Advertisement However, what may be more exciting is the MEGA x MEGA Parade set that’s due to be released in Japan in February 2027\. This is said to be a high-class set (the Japanese special sets), and with the news of a new mechanic (hint, hint), it could signal the end of the Mega Evolutions era. Especially with the Wind and Waves games set to launch next year, too, where new videogame entries typically bring in new mechanics or ties directly to the trading card game. Neither Aura Seeker nor MEGA x MEGA Parade have been officially revealed yet. This comes from previous news and information shared by [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/08/mega-x-mega-parade-high-class-pokemon-tcg-set-to-release-in-february?ref=kantopost.com), but considering the site’s reliability, we’re looking at two very exciting expansions coming up in the next few months. ![Raikou for the Pokémon TCG new ex-star mechanic](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/pokemon-tcg-biggest-year-yet-2027-ex-star.jpeg) ## **Pokémon ex★ could be the upcoming TCG mechanic** Headlined by the iconic trio Suicune, Raikou, and Entei, the Pokémon TCG is potentially getting a new mechanic in the form of ex★. This could begin following the end of the Mega Evolution era, bringing in an intriguing new gameplay element with the next generation of Pokémon. This would tie in well with a potential Wind and Waves base set, much like the introduction of Terastal Pokémon with Scarlet & Violet’s base set - and which introduced the return of the standard ex mechanic. Details are limited right now. In fact, that’s pretty much all we know. But considering how new mechanics usually bookend eras, it could be the first sign of the Pokémon TCG’s next series. ![Pokémon Wild Card capture for the Pokémon TCG animated movie](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/pokemon-tcg-biggest-year-yet-2027-movie.jpeg) ## **Forget the Yu-Gi-Oh anime, Pokémon TCG is getting a movie** Finally, the Pokémon TCG is getting an animated movie, which isn’t only the debut feature film for the card game, but is also the first animated Pokémon movie in seven years, with Secrets of the Jungle’s release in 2020\. Being released in 2027, the movie follows a Pokémon TCG player and a Mimikyu, teasing a more grounded aesthetic compared to Pokémon’s typical world-breaking threats. Considering how much I loved the Yu-Gi-Oh anime as a kid (and how I had nightmares in the graveyard scenes, thanks for that), it’s surprising that The Pokémon Company hasn’t done a TCG-led adaptation until now. Well, better late than never, and I will definitely be seated and watching when it finally releases. Being a Pokémon TCG collector in 2026 is a challenge. Cards fly off shelves at a rate that has left most of us pretty frustrated. It’s possibly the worst time to start being a collector, yet 2027 is one of promise. Not the promise of better stock allocation, sadly, but one of new cards, new mechanics, and a fresh movie - some things that fans can truly appreciate. Advertisement As someone who has spent the last 20 years of his life enjoying, the Pokémon TCG feels more special than it ever has. Every expansion feels like a focused celebration of some of the franchise’s greatest characters, and the artwork for Illustration Rares and those elusive SIRs have been the best in the TCG’s history. In shorter words, The Pokémon Company is cooking, and I’m here for it. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you’re hoping to keep up-to-date with all things in the Pokémon TCG, make sure to sign up to our newsletter above - it’s free, so there’s no reason not to. ### Upcoming Palworld Legends Awaken card might be the TCG’s best yet URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/legends-awaken-frostallion-noct-reveal/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T12:43:30.000Z With Dawn of Palpagos selling ridiculously fast and a second print run on the way, many eyes are on **Palworld TCG**’s second expansion - Legends Awaken. Launching on 30th October, 2026, just three months after debut set, Bushiroad has been revealing some of the Pals you should expect, and one piece of art has already made my ‘must own’ list. The second [Palworld set](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/), Legends Awaken, will feature 100 cards, with additional Parallels to chase. While details on the specific higher [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) to collect haven’t been announced just yet, Bushiroad has been sharing some of the Pals that will feature in the upcoming expansion. ![Frostallion Noct reveal for Palworld TCG Legends Awaken set in Japanese](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/legends-awaken-Palworld-frostallion-not-artwork.jpeg) One has already made my chase list, though. In a brief teaser announcement, Bushiroad revealed Frostallion Noct’s artwork for the [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/), and it already looks like one of the set’s standouts. Frostallion Noct’s specific card rarity hasn’t been revealed, but given the artwork and the Pal’s legendary status in game, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it as a Super Parallel when the set releases. The Pal has a black-and-red aura, depicting the sheer power behind this Dark-element rendition of Frostallion. Considering the popularity of some of the [Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/), I wouldn’t be shocked to see Frostallion Noct become one of the more popular Pals with the Legends Awaken expansion. There’s certainly some bias here, as this promotional reveal has me very excited to see what else Legends Awaken has in store. What can I say? I’m an optimist. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to join my Kanto Post newsletter above to get the latest updates for the Pokémon TCG and the Palworld card game as and when news is revealed. ### Pokémon 30th Celebration’s Magikarp is more beautiful than Paldea Evolved’s original URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/magikarp-30th-gold-border/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T06:33:24.000Z While the upcoming **Pokémon 30th Celebration** expansion has plenty of new cards to (hopefully) collect, there are also plenty of older **Pokémon cards** receiving makeovers and getting stamped with the big ol’ Pikachu head. From the classic Shadowless Charizard to Pikachu & Zekrom GX, it’s a stuffed set. Yet its new take on Paldea Evolved’s Magikarp may be the best of the bunch. It’s just weeks away from [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) finally arrive at our homes, and like any [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion, getting your hands on packs might be difficult. From unique rarities to a whole bunch of distinct Pikachu cards to collect, it’s a [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) full of bangers. The Pokémon Company isn’t just focused on the new, of course; it’s also looking at what came before. Each pack gives you a chance to collect older cards, from the Base Set chases 30 years ago to more modern examples, and one card that’s receiving a new version is **Magikarp #203**, an Illustration Rare from Paldea Evolved. Despite being an IR rather than the more elusive SIR, Magikarp has flopped its way to being the set’s most popular card, with copies worth around £280 / $400\. It doesn’t feel random to see the Water-type added to the 30th Celebration Classic Collection. If anything, it’s a beloved card that deserves its spot. ![Magikarp #203 Pokémon card reprint from the Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/Magikarp-30th-celebration-cards-gold.jpeg) As shared by [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/08/crystal-lugia-magikarp-dark-tyranitar-and-more-revealed-from-30th-celebration?ref=kantopost.com), Magikarp #203 is getting a new treatment for the 30th Celebration. Gone is the plain old grey border that once framed the Illustration Rare, replaced by a sparkly gold border. And it’s not a loss - it fits perfectly, framing Shinji Kanda’s artwork in a more elegant style. The yellow border accents Magikarp’s fin and the dreamlike illustrations of the nature surrounding the waterfall look even better because of it. Of course, I’ll need to see the reprint in person to know if it looks even more gorgeous, but digitally, it certainly wins in my eyes - and I’m not just saying that because I don’t have Paldea Evolved’s version. Advertisement PokéBeach also revealed the reprint of Lugia #149 from Aquapolis, better known as Crystal Lugia. This is easily the set’s most expensive reprint based on the value of the original - PSA 10 versions of the Aquapolis card have sold for roughly £80,000\. Now, you can own it for a fraction if you’re lucky enough to pull it. Well, a reprint of it. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’ve got plenty of news to share as 30th Celebration hype continues, so make sure to join our newsletter above for the latest updates on the Pokémon TCG. ### Vintage Rayquaza Pokémon cards are surging in price ahead of Delta Reign, with one selling for $85,000 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/rayquaza-cards-delta-reign-vintage/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T06:43:11.000Z While all eyes are on the upcoming 30th Celebration expansion, which launches next month, collectors are already thinking about the last set of the year - **Pokémon Delta Reign**. The Rayquaza-led standard set releases in November, and while it may not be as big of an event, classic Rayquaza and Kyogre cards are already soaring in value after its official reveal. Rayquaza is a classic. The Generation 3 legendary is etched into the memory of many older [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) fans, including myself. So, when a [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) celebrating the Dragon-type gets revealed for later this year, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s bound to be popular. The full card list hasn’t been revealed in English yet, but Storm Emerelda’s release in Japan gave us a great look at what’s to come. The Mega Rayquaza ex SAR, especially, is extremely stunning, and while I’m personally excited for the Kyogre IR, thankfully, it’s an ETB promo. I’m happy I can avoid the chase for my most-wanted card. Despite pre-orders for the expansion yet to be released, unsurprisingly, the market prices for older cards have surged for Rayquaza and Kyogre ahead of Delta Reign. For example, a PSA 10 version of Rayquaza 102/107 from the EX Deoxys expansion has just [sold for roughly £62,300 ($85,000)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/287507369643?ref=kantopost.com). Not only that, but the Kyogre 001 Black Star Promo from 2003 has sold for roughly £44,000 ($60,000) on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/287507369608?nordt=true&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339031685&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1&ref=kantopost.com). ![Vintage Rayquaza and Kyogre Pokémon cards in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/mega-Rayquaza-cards-spike-kyogre.jpeg) These are certainly massive outliers, which are driven by excitement for the new expansion alongside low PSA 10 populations, but both legendaries are seeing jumps in price following the set’s English reveal. The ungraded Rayquaza 102 has gone up by £300 since last week, while the Rayquaza C Lv. X 146 in a PSA 10 has risen from a baseline of £17,809 to £26,700 since Delta Reign’s reveal. The Kyogre 112 Gold Star from EX Deoxys has also gone up since last week, although it is much lower than July’s peak of £939\. The Shiny Full Art of Ancient Orgins’ Primal Kyogre EX 096 is the clear winner though, with listings rising from £489 on 20th August, but recent sales have it at £1,167\. In three months, it has gone up by 125%, but PSA 10 copies stay at a surprisingly modest £3,500\. Well, modest considering the $60k behemoth. This isn’t unusual. If anything, it’s become the new normal. As soon as an English expansion is revealed, the Pokémon closely associated with the set become retroactively expensive. Any older cards surge in value. It happened with Darkrai, it happened with 25th Celebrations cards, and it will happen again. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you’re still looking to finish those old master sets, well, you may be spending a small fortune now. Hopefully they drop in value - I don’t know if I can spend over £1,000 on an older card. My bank account would probably hate me. ### Palworld TCG’s Dawn of Palpagos is selling out everywhere, but there’s finally good news URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-second-print/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T08:48:04.000Z As the trading card game market continues to become volatile, it’s no surprise that the **Palworld TCG** has become a casualty. The survival hit-turned-card game has sold out at most retailers, and boosters packs that eventually land on shelves are quickly bought. Bushiroad, publisher of the **Palworld Official Card Game**, has released a statement that more stock is coming, and it is planning a second edition version. As someone who loves Pocketpair’s game, and as someone obsessed with collecting cards, the [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) is perfect for me. Sadly, I haven’t been able to get any. I’ve written extensively about the [Palworld Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/), yet I don’t have *any*. In fact, I even yearn for commons at this point. Much like the Pokémon TCG, Palworld’s debut expansion has been on the receiving end of massive market price spikes, with the community’s suggestions of scalpers and those keeping them sealed taking all of the stock. As someone who simply wants to rip packs, seeing the [Cattiva SSS](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sss-cattiva-dawn-of-palpagos-card/) and the [Jormuntide SSP prices](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/jormuntide-ignis-pre-sale/) makes me sad. Not because I don’t have them - although, that is true - but because I know that people are seeing the value over the excitement of collecting. > \[An Update Regarding "Dawn of Palpagos" Availability\] > > We would like to sincerely apologize for the current stock shortages and difficulty in acquiring "Dawn of Palpagos" products following our release. > > We are pleased to share that additional stock is already on the way, and we… > > — Palworld OFFICIAL CARD GAME (@PalworldOCG\_EN) [August 19, 2026](https://x.com/PalworldOCG%5FEN/status/2089880025566675341?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=kantopost.com) Fortunately, publisher Bushiroad has taken notice. Alongside ripping shrinkwrap at the point of sale, the company has released a [statement](https://x.com/palworldocg%5Fen/status/2089880025566675341?s=46&ref=kantopost.com) apologising for stock shortages and the difficulty of buying products, noting that more Dawn of Palpagos stock is incoming - as well as a 2nd Edition printing. This is a good sign, and perhaps Bushiroad didn’t realise how well the initial Palworld set will sell. However, it does make me nervous about future expansions. Two more sets are planned, and with only three months between them, that’s a lot of pressure to fulfill demand, which remains seemingly unprecedented. That being said, this gives me a lot of hope that *eventually*, I’ll be able to buy some packs. At this point, I’m not looking to collect the highest [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) \- I just want to add some to my various binders. Currently, the company has provided no timeline of when the new stock or the second edition will arrive, but it states that it will “provide further details in the near future”. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Palworld TCG news, including the latest chase cards or information on upcoming sets. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’ll be keeping you updated on all things in the Palworld TCG as news comes up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above. It’s free! ### Pokémon 30th Celebration’s new Pikachu SIRs look like they have a hidden secret; sadly, they don’t URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-anniversary-pikachu-sir/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T07:34:14.000Z The Pokémon Company has revealed not one, but *two* **Pikachu SIR cards** for the **Pokémon 30th Celebration**. It follows the day-night theme that the expansion has been following, but that means there are two gorgeous chase cards from the iconic mascot. However, there’s a huge missed opportunity here, to the point I’m sad that it didn’t happen. Like many collectors, I have my [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) ready to go - I’m just waiting until the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) finally releases. Since the expansion’s reveal back in February this year, it’s been a lengthy wait, but thankfully, details and reveals are being shared fairly regularly now. It’s a packed set, even with a lot of [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) cards yet to be seen. I’m not going to go into the whole ‘this proves the [30th Celebration leaks](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/) again - I’ve already [done that](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/meowth-30th-celebration-leak/). But, it’s pretty clear that the duo of Pikachu SIRs just [shared](https://x.com/pokemontcg/status/2088974053302304791?s=46&ref=kantopost.com) *does* continue to prove the original leak was accurate. That said, I can still hope for a Squirtle SIR even if I shouldn’t expect it. ![Pikachu 149 and Pikachu 150 Pokémon card SIRs from Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/pikachu-sir-pokemon-cards-30th-secret-chase.jpeg) However, even as someone who has some Pikachu fatigue right now, these SIRs are absolutely adorable. With seemingly endless Pokémon surrounding the yellow electric mouse in each version. It’s almost like there’s 30 in each, right? That would be a neat little easter egg to celebrate the 30th anniversary. Right? Right? *Wrong*. I counted, and as far as we can tell, there’s not 30 in each - which feels like a truly underwhelming experience. They’re still essential binder additions, where I will store all of my 30th Celebration Pokémon cards with glee. Yet, considering how many unique ‘mon they added to each card, it feels frustrating they couldn’t reach 30\. Maybe one for the 35th anniversary. Truthfully, even without the 30 Pokémon in each card, both Pikachu SIRs are already stacked with familiar faces. The day version has Espeon, Sylveon, Fuecoco, Meowth, Maushold, and more, while night offers Eevee, Umbreon, Gengar, Greninja, and Snorlax, along plenty of others. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’m going to be sharing plenty of news as the hype for the Pokémon 30th Celebration set continues - including a review of the new expansion - so make sure to sign up for our newsletter above. Also, leave a comment below if you managed to count all of the Pokémon in the cards - there are a few obstructed ones to take note of. ### Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs are over double retail price before release URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-upc-secondary-market-sales/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T06:28:00.000Z There are only 32 and a half days (at time of writing) until **Pokémon 30th Celebration** lands on store shelves. However, that’s just a small selection of the anniversary products - many are releasing after that date, including the two Ultra-Premium Collections, which you’ll need to wait until November to rip open. However, the excitement is already tangible, and people are spending over double to get a UPC in some cases. It’s not unusual to see an upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) sell for big chunks before release. In fact, that’s been the new normal for almost two years now. However, the [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) is a big, highly anticipated expansion, so this is even less unusual - it’s what every collector wants right now. The Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs turn that excitement dial to 11\. Not only do they have a treasure trove of packs that would make a Ghimmighoul jealous (29 boosters and one Classic Collection pack), they also contain two promos each. And, the Day and Night versions split [Umbreon and Espeon between them](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-espeon-promos-upcs/). Considering how expensive the Eeveelutions can be, it’s no surprise presales are selling for so much. ![The Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection boxes](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30.jpeg) According to [Collectr](https://getcollectr.com/?ref=kantopost.com), and checked via eBay listings, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night variant is going for roughly £390\. It should retail for around £160, so that’s a 144% increase. The Day version sells for a fair amount less at £330 - that’s over double as well, but it’s just a 106% increase over retail. I’m hopeful that I’ll manage to get both versions of the UPC when they are released, but I won’t buy them for the existing market price. They’re the best way to get a load of packs, as there are no booster boxes for the 30th Celebration, but £700 for 60 packs is far too expensive. A 36-pack booster box usually retails for £150, for reference. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you’re looking to get these premium boxes, you can use my [Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs pre-order](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/) guide to hopefully get some at retail. I love Pokémon - I write about it all the time - but not enough to spend almost £1,000 on two boxes. Especially when it’s going into someone else’s pocket. ### I’m getting Pikachu fatigue as two more cards are revealed for Pokémon 30th Celebration URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pikachu-fatigue-30th-celebration/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T06:54:02.000Z It should be no surprise that the Pokémon mascot and beloved yellow mouse is **Pokémon 30th Celebration**’s star. Pikachu has been one of *the* most recognisable characters for three decades, so the upcoming expansion is plastered with his face, and now, even more Pokémon cards featuring the iconic ‘mon than ever before in one set. Far too many, actually. Two new Pikachu cards have now been [revealed](https://x.com/pokemontcg/status/2086799742890070392?s=46&ref=kantopost.com) for the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) \- a day version and a night version. This mirrors the day/night split already used for the [30th Celebration UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/) and the Mew and Mewtwo ex Futuristic Rares. That brings the revealed total to *34 Pikachu cards.* That’s a colossal amount for the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/)’s anniversary expansion, made up of the 30 Pikachu cards - one in every pack - as well as the two Futuristic Rare variants (locked to \~£160 boxes) and the two ex cards just revealed. However, the [recent leaks](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/) show two further SIRs, meaning that total could be 36. [Pokémon 30th Celebration cards appear to leak, but the mystery source has vanishedA recent leak of Pokémon cards from the 30th Celebration has sent the community into a frenzy, but the original source has vanished in the aftermath.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-9681f8b0-6eba-4614-9d7e-5cb96c370b39.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-3-4f3f8eb0-e62e-4929-a528-b13ac84b3f52.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/) I don’t feel the need to explain how that’s *a lot*. 2021’s Celebrations had around 13 Pikachu cards, including the [Flying Pikachu that has recently surged](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/flying-pikachu-v-psa-10/) in price, meaning that the upcoming set has over double the amount. Fortunately, it seems the leaks suggest that the 30 Pikachu cards take up their own mini card list - if they didn’t, they’d potentially take up 23% of the total cards for 30th Celebration. Even then, it’s hard to truly enjoy Pikachu when the sheer number of cards is overwhelming. I’m not a fool - I love Pikachu as much as the next collector, and young kids, even my own, still heavily associate Pokémon with the Electric-type. > Take your pick: Pika-Pika Parade 🥁 or Zip-Zap Frenzy ⚡️ > > Here's your first official reveal of these Pikachu ex cards from [#PokemonTCG](https://x.com/hashtag/PokemonTCG?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=kantopost.com): 30th Celebration expansion, available September 16 🎉 [pic.twitter.com/6QcIzJOtZI](https://t.co/6QcIzJOtZI?ref=kantopost.com) > > — Pokémon TCG (@PokemonTCG) [August 10, 2026](https://x.com/PokemonTCG/status/2086799742890070392?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=kantopost.com) But its cute little face has been stamped on every element of the anniversary expansion. The 30th anniversary badge uses its head, multiple anniversary products have been released - like the GameBoy-style plush I still desperately want to own - and the actual booster pack art has the character front and centre. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Of course, I understand why. Pikachu is the most appealing character, but when the Pokémon franchise has countless iconic characters and over 1,000 in the Pokédex - and far too little inclusion of Squirtle and Giratina for my liking - it feels slightly disappointing. I could do with less Pikachu, The Pokémon Company. I promise we’ll all live. ### These new card reveals quietly confirm the Pokémon 30th Celebration leaks URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/meowth-30th-celebration-leak/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T09:25:05.000Z **Pokémon 30th Celebration** is just over a month away, and while we have a good indication of what the expansion will offer, the lineup of original Illustration Rares hasn’t been confirmed yet. That’s not unusual this far out - usually, a Japanese version will spoil it for us - but it’s surprising how little we truly know. However, some new card reveals may be more important than you think. As many of us hold our binders and sit by the window, waiting for our [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) to finally arrive, any - literally any - news is welcome right now. Fortunately, we’ve had two Meowth Illustration Rare cards to sustain us as the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) celebrates International Cat Day. ![Two Meowth Pokémon cards from Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/pokemon-cards-meowth-confirms-leaks-30th-artwork.jpeg) The two Meowth cards share a similar theme. Both are set in a building complex, with the standard Meowth sleeping on a railing - adorably, may I add - and the other is the Alolan Meowth, skulking around the same building at night time. They’re a sweet pair, but their implications matter more than the artwork - sorry Meowth. If you happened to be looking for Pokémon news last month, chances are you saw the [30th Celebration leaks](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/). As a small recap, a user on X (formerly Twitter) shared a few images of what is assumed to be the 30th Celebration set guide - the book included in the Elite Trainer Boxes. These images spread like wildfire in the community, and the original source even vanished after sharing them. One of my biggest points towards them being real was the fact that having the three Meowth cards linked seemed like an overconfident guess, if the leaks were fake. So, the reveal of two of them seems a good indication. [Pokémon 30th Celebration cards appear to leak, but the mystery source has vanishedA recent leak of Pokémon cards from the 30th Celebration has sent the community into a frenzy, but the original source has vanished in the aftermath.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-cf838e8e-fbfc-4e5c-9f72-501413e2f4a7.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-3-ad91567d-f10f-4909-be1f-7fe5adedb37f.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/) That doesn’t point to every card from the leak being real - it could be a very well-constructed fake. That’s a big jump, and of course, it’s unlikely to be *that,* but I don’t want to confirm something that I truly can’t put a bet on. That being said, this is a good clue to the leak being *real.* Over the next month, it will be interesting to see if more of the previous leaked cards will be shared by The Pokémon Company. Either way, we will know for sure in September whether the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) has what we’ve seen already. Thankfully, it’s not a long wait now. ### You can get this exclusive Palworld TCG card for free - but you need to be quick URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/foiled-chillet-promo/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T07:14:53.000Z If collecting multiple TCGs has taught me anything, it’s that getting promo cards is one of the most exciting feelings. Knowing a piece in your collection is limited-edition is exciting enough; getting it for free is a bonus. This **Palworld TCG Chillet promo** is being given away at select stores, so you’ll need to get it while you have the chance. While SSP cards and the SSS cards from the [Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/) remain some of the highest [Palworld TCG rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/), promos can occasionally be more elusive. They usually require participation in certain events, or else you’ll have to buy these Palworld singles on the secondary market. ![Palworld TCG Foiled Chillet Soul promo card](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/Palworld-tcg-announcements-free-card-promo.jpeg) The Demo Caravan for the [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) is currently underway at over 200 locations worldwide, allowing TCG veterans or Palworld fans new to the world of card games to learn the rules. While the first part of the event offered a free Prototype Deck and the Foiled Chillet Soul promo, the second half (starting from 30th July, 2026) offers a foldable deck case, as well as the promo, too. As shared by the Palworld TCG blog, you’ll need to download the Bushi Navi app to claim the promotional items that are available during the event. You’ll also receive an exclusive in-app ‘Ready to Splash’ event flair for participating. You can use the [website’s event locator](https://en.palworld-official-cardgame.com/news/post-becsu-26?ref=kantopost.com) to see which stores are running the campaign near you. The Foiled Chillet Soul promo is already selling for a decent chunk of change online, [sitting around the £120 mark](https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=foiled+chillet+soul+promo&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com). Personally, I’d recommend getting it from an event if you’re near one, so you don’t have to pay expensive amounts on market listings. During the recent Summer Conference, where the Demo Caravan was further highlighted, Bushiroad also confirmed the third expansion, releasing on 29th January, 2027, worldwide. There was also further information on the upcoming set, Legends Awaken, and some exclusive Parallel cards coming to the Sleeve & Card Vol. 1 product. ### Delta Reign’s most valuable Pokémon card is far too expensive URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/delta-reign-storm-emeralda-mega-rayquaza/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T05:48:22.000Z It’s common for Japanese **Pokémon cards** to be expensive before the English version releases - it happens with every expansion - [Ascended Heroes](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-ascended-heroes/), [Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/), Phantasmal, and so on. However, it’s usually a good indication of what Western collectors will want when it finally releases, and well, **Pokémon Delta Reign**’s best chase isn’t exactly shocking. Typically, we’d only wait a few months for a Japanese [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) to join our English collections - that’s not the case with [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/)’s Delta Reign expansion, which doesn’t launch until November - months behind Storm Emeralda’s Japanese release. Storm Emeralda is already available, and despite a variety of prices for its chases, the Mega Rayquaza ex SIR clearly dominates. In the UK, eBay [sales](https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=mega+rayquaza+ex+sar&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com) for the SIR (known as an SAR with Japan releases) will cost you around £450-600, while listings on the [US marketplace](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=mega+rayquaza+ex+sar&%5Ftrksid=p2334524.m4084.l1313&%5Fodkw=mega+rayquaza+ex+&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com) have sold for north of $600 - some have even sold for nearly $1,000\. For reference, the Mega Gengar ex SAR from Pokémon Ascended Heroes was selling for around $1,000 when Japan’s Mega Dream ex launched late last year. ![The Pokémon Storm Emeralda SAR / SIR Pokémon card in front of a white background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/delta-reign-Rayquaza-ex-sar-sales-card.jpeg) This isn’t surprising, really. Rayquaza is a fairly popular legendary, and it’s a vibrant, awesome take of the Generation 3 dragon. It’s also been a while since the last similar Rayquaza card was released, with a gorgeous Rayquaza VMAX that remains one of Evolving Skies’ most expensive cards (yes, the same set that gave us [Moonbreon](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/behind-the-chase-moonbreon/)). However, it’s hard not to think the delay may be having some effect on the price. The [Pokémon 30th Celebration release date](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) is happening the same day worldwide for all collectors, so English Pokémon TCG fans need to wait just under three months to get Delta Reign. That classic FOMO is making the wait feel even more stretched out than usual, which is likely playing a part in the sporadic pricing as well as the expensive sales. Personally, I’m mainly after [Pokémon Delta Reign’s Kyogre](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/delta-reign-kyogre-reveal/) \- I’m a man of simple needs. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It does leave me wondering what the pricing will be when Pokémon’s 30th anniversary set finally releases. Usually, Japan’s version gives us a good indication of what to expect. We don’t have that this time, and until it launches in September, we have no real way of knowing what will dominate the secondary market. We’ll all be guessing and watching it unfold in real time - but, admittedly, Japan will get it a few hours early due to timezone shenanigans. We’ll be covering both expansions as they release in English, so make sure to sign up to our newsletters above to be kept up-to-date. ### Get a Pokémon Destined Rivals ETB below market price while it lasts URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/destined-rivals-etb-walmart/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T09:11:07.000Z **Destined Rivals** has been one of the most elusive sets for **Pokémon TCG** collectors. It was extremely popular when it was released, and like many looking to add its excellent Pokémon cards to their collection, I’ve struggled to find many packs. That makes below market price listings worth getting, and right now, Walmart has it $40 cheaper than TCGPlayer. Destined Rivals has been one of the most challenging [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) to find at a reasonable price, and I’ve been tracking it for a year. Prices have been absolutely ridiculous - booster boxes have been north of $500 for six months, sometimes even reaching the $600 region. In May this year, a standard Elite Trainer Box of the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion would set you back $200 - four times the retail price. That’s partly because of some excellent chase cards in the eyes of most collectors. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex SIR remains the grail of the expansion, while Cynthia’s Garchomp ex and Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex are also brilliant SIRs that make the chase frustrating and fun. ![Pokémon Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/destined-rivals-elite-trainer-box-deal-etb.jpeg) It’s also a Team Rocket-led set, and considering the crime syndicate remains an iconic part of the franchise, it’s no surprise stock flew off the shelves as soon as it arrived. I remember waiting in queues and fighting with the Pokémon Center’s bot wall to get an ETB or two, but with glitches and connection frustrations, I was left without them. You win some, you lose some. If you’re like me, and you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to get some Destined Rivals products, the Elite Trainer Box is just $130.89 on [Walmart](https://howl.link/sfygt29ri7w13?ref=kantopost.com). This is a couple bucks below market price, according to [TCGPlayer](https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/624676/pokemon-sv10-destined-rivals-destined-rivals-elite-trainer-box?page=1&Language=English&ref=kantopost.com), and yet the marketplace has listings as low as $170 - so you’re still getting it well under the lowest marketplace listings. Of course, retail is better - but if you can’t wait, this is the next best option. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Skipping older sets and wanting the next big thing? Check out our [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) guide, because the special set is just over a month away now. ### Japanese Pokémon card collectors have 12 days to verify for priority access to 30th Celebration stock URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/limits-priority-access-japan/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T06:33:02.000Z On Friday, 14th August 2026, Japanese **Pokémon TCG** collectors will need to have their My Number Card linked to their Player’s Club account to get priority access when the **30th Celebration** lottery for stock begins. If you’re looking to get some stock, you have under two weeks to add your government ID. Announced today by The Pokémon Company Japan via its [official website](https://www.pokemon-card.com/info/005557.html?ref=kantopost.com), this isn’t a surprise - I covered the [original announcement](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) when it was first published. While it outlined a rough example and timeline of when the new system would begin, we’ve now got official confirmation, and [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) collectors don’t have long. Collectors will need a Player’s Club account, their My Number Card, their four-digit pin and a mobile device with NFC-compatibility running iOS 16 or Android 11 and later. The email address for your Club account and your Pokémon Center Online account need to match in order to verify your identity. You can only use a My Number Card for verification - so no other forms of ID will work. What’s interesting is that it appears to mainly affect [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/), as well as the lottery for the limited [Mega Gallade ex SIR distribution](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/mega-gallade-sir-promo/) and a Storm Emerelda event that rewards it to select players. Currently, there’s no confirmation as to whether it will be in place for the next [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) that launches in Japan. ![The Mega Gallade ex SIR from Pokémon Storm Emeralda set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/08/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia.jpeg) This isn’t a strict requirement, but it may as well be. Everyone who wants 30th Celebration cards will be added to a lottery and be randomly selected to receive products, with those who have verified their identity getting priority status. This doesn’t affect in-store requirements, as it’s just the Pokémon Center Online store. However, for collectors like me, this marks a huge change for collecting Japanese Pokémon cards. They are some of my favourite versions to get, and stricter stock enforcement means prices over in the UK and US are likely to increase. If a My Number Card restriction continues past the hype wave, Japanese cards could continue to be pricier than ever before. That being said, this is a necessary evil, so to speak. The sheer volume of stock being bought up means that harsher requirements are necessary, and it’s something I’d love to see with the Pokémon Center website here in the UK, as well as a similar solution in the US. It would make it harder for bots and scalpers, and it would make it fair for collectors, as products would be limited. Standard retailers wouldn’t be affected, of course, but because Pokémon Center-exclusive products can drive a high price with resale, it would be less frustrating for people like you or me, who may not normally get stock. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Hopefully, this makes things easier for Japanese collectors, and more people can enjoy Pokémon cards from the upcoming 30th Celebration set. ### The Palworld TCG has a huge advantage that the Pokémon TCG gave up URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/vs-pokemon-feature-launch/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T12:44:21.000Z Seven sets. That’s how many expansions the **Pokémon TCG** released last year, made up of four standard ones and three special ones. That’s roughly one every two months (slightly under, actually). On the other hand, the **Palworld TCG** has just two for 2026, and that is a sigh of relief on my side. Don’t get me wrong, I love collecting [Pokémon TCG sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). I’ve written about each and every expansion since Stellar Crown, giving insights into the various chases, potential deals, and more. It’s become a routine of mine with every expansion, but it’s sometimes hard to manage. The [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/), on the other hand, is starting fresh - and it shouldn’t make the same mistake. Admittedly, that would be bad for me. Kanto Post’s dedication to the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/), as well as constant releases and new information, is exactly why I write consistently on this website. If it wasn’t for a flurry of new expansions, content would dry up - I’m basically asking The Pokémon Company to make things harder for me. The consistent release cycle also keeps the excitement rolling. Collectors and players are never left with a dry patch between releases - it’s a constant feeling of ‘go, go, go’. Before a new set is even out, the next is announced, and discussion across the community begins anew. It’s become familiar, and safe. It’s expected, and that’s nice. But, I think it’s necessary to slow things down for the foreseeable future. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. For one, Pokémon cards have been flying off store shelves since late 2024, and with continuous sets releasing every couple of months, the demand hasn’t caught up with the stock levels. Even with billions printed every year, the sheer amount of cards in each expansion, in multiple languages, soon gets split up across various sets. By the time Pitch Black is available, all of the printing *needs* to focus on future expansions, meaning stock of that particular set dries up. Financially, constant expansions also make it hard for those with less budget to spend on sets. It becomes less of a hobby, and more of a strategy - which expansion should I buy? Am I interested in enough of these Pokémon to buy it? I skipped Chaos Rising simply because I’m not a huge fan of many of the Pokémon that the set focuses on, and I didn’t want to spend money for an expansion I wouldn’t be able to complete. If it was only one of three sets in a year, I would’ve bought it. It’s made even harder by the sheer amount of products each set has. Blisters, booster boxes, ETBs, Ultra-Premium Collections, poster collections, pin collections, and entirely separate products like the First Partner Collections. As a Pokémon-dedicated journalist, that’s content I get to write about. As a consumer, it’s exhausting. Even taking away three of those sets a year, based on last year’s amount, we’d still be left with one every quarter. That’s a pretty healthy amount, and it would allow The Pokémon Company to focus efforts on one expansion at a time, rather than moving onto the next as soon as another is released. Admittedly, the Palworld TCG is currently following that one every three months approach, with the sophomore set releasing in October this year. That gives it a healthy amount of breathing time for each expansion, and I personally think that’s the best way to be. I hope Bushiroad doesn’t get too confident and start amping up the pacing - it could lead to a similarly challenging position for the TCG. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It’s not impossible for Pokémon to reverse the tide. Simply doing three standard sets and one special set per year would take some adjusting of the schedule, but I’m not sure how far ahead the company is planning. It could be that the entirety of Mega Evolutions era is already set in stone - The Pokémon Company is so secretive, it wouldn’t surprise me. But, I think there’s a future where stock can balance with demand, and I think it requires less releases. If Bushiroad decides to amp up Palworld releases, it could have a slow, catastrophic effect. That freshness, that new-experience feel is giving it a very strong launch, but it’s easy for collectors to be worn out by endless products. Collecting [Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/), as well as Legends Awaken in three months' time, will be more fun if there’s not another expansion peeking around the corner straight away. ### The Palworld TCG has a secret all-gold card, and it initially sold for almost $4,000 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sss-cattiva-dawn-of-palpagos-card/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T12:31:06.000Z ⚡ Trainer's Notes The Palworld TCG has a well-kept secret rarity called SSS or Super Secret Special. The first all-gold Cattiva card in this rarity tier is now selling for around $1,000, after initial sales for almost $4,000\. Prices have now settled around the $700-$900 range, as well as figures around £700-900 in the UK. **Palworld TCG’s Dawn of Palpagos** expansion is finally available, marking a huge milestone for the survival hit-turned-card game. The initial set has been extremely popular – I haven’t managed to find any stock in the UK – and even though I was prepared to find the chase cards I knew about, a secret one was revealed on launch day. And it’s selling for a lot of money on eBay. For its initial outing, I was pleasantly surprised by the [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) – at least, from my virtual perspective. The [Dawn of Palpagos chase card](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/) list I wrote before launch was packed with bangers to collect, and the overall consensus seems fairly positive across the community. As a first expansion, the opening [Palworld TCG set](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/) is great, but even with detailed pre-release information, one secret was kept remarkably well. Before launch, the [Palworld TCG rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) went from Common to SSP, or Super Special Parallel. SSPs are the premium, textured cards that are Palworld’s most elusive, known chase cards – the rare pulls that anyone and everyone collecting these cards will want. However, it seems we were tricked; it's now been revealed that an even more elusive card exists: an SSS, in all its all-gold glory. I’m only a little mad that I had to update my articles. No big deal. Some collectors have found the card – an all-gold Cattiva called ‘Soul’ – in god packs. These are packs with a full selection of good pulls, and right now, the SSS card is selling for a decent chunk of change online. ![An all-gold Cattiva Palworld card or SSS card from Palworld Dawn of Palpagos set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-sss-1.jpg) Several copies have sold for around the [$1,000 mark](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=cattiva+gold+card+palworld&%5Fsacat=0&%5Ffrom=R40&rt=nc&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), while the earliest sales reached considerably higher. One even sold for almost $4,000, while another reached around $3,000\. However, it seems to have settled somewhat since those initial sales. In the UK, [prices are similar](https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=palworld+sss+soul+card+cattiva&%5Fsacat=0&%5Ffrom=R40&rt=nc&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), although without the massively high figures seen on the US version of eBay. Many copies have sold in the £700-900 range, after an initial sale for £1,069.99. While the Pokémon TCG had a gradual build-up of high-value sales as the hype wave started again in late 2024, the Palworld TCG seems to be benefiting from the current fever pitch around trading cards, seeing huge sales almost immediately. This is just a day after the [Jormuntide Ignis SSP cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/jormuntide-ignis-pre-sale/) were selling for upwards of £1,000, too. I don’t imagine the SSS Cattiva will remain consistently high unless stock scarcity continues. Getting booster boxes has actually been quite difficult, at least in the UK, and that lack of supply is likely playing a role in these early prices. Once more product makes its way into collectors’ hands, I’d expect the market to settle. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I hope that, as Bushiroad fine-tunes the packs over years of sets, the Palworld Official Card Game becomes stronger than ever, with beautiful cards and a fairly generous pull rate. However, if you don’t want to wait for more stock and just have to own this secret all-gold Cattiva right now, well, it might cost you a small fortune. Hope you’re okay with that. ### Lawsuit alleges Pokémon card grader PSA is manipulating the value of cards URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/lawsuit-psa-cards/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T05:48:07.000Z As **Pokémon cards** continue to see huge success, one part of the hobby that’s more popular than ever is getting your cards graded. TCG products are more of a financial asset than ever in some markets, and PSA-graded cards can fetch hefty sums over an ungraded single. One Baltimore man has filed a lawsuit against the grading service, alleging that PSA manipulates the market and deceives hobbyists. While the lawsuit focuses primarily on the sports card market, the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) is one of PSA’s biggest segments. PSA’s [own population report](https://www.psacard.com/pop/tcg-cards/156940?ref=kantopost.com), which covers all trading card games including Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering, lists more than 38 million items graded. GemRate’s [live dashboard](https://www.gemrate.com/?ref=kantopost.com) puts PSA’s trailing 30-day grading volume at around 1.6 million TCG cards as of 30th July. Nicholas Funk, the man who filed the lawsuit, alleges that PSA manipulates the market, stating that “\[PSA\] participates in the pricing, custody, resale, offers, lending, insurance, financing, liquidity, and marketplace pathways tied to those same cards.” The suit names two defendants: Collectors Universe, Inc. (trading as PSA) and its parent, Collectors Holdings, Inc. It also points to Collectors’ acquisitions of rival graders [SGC in 2024](https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/61240/psa-sgc-parent-acquiring-beckett?ref=kantopost.com) and Beckett, [agreed in December 2025](https://www.collectors.com/company-announcement?ref=kantopost.com), as evidence of how much of the grading market it now controls. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. According to Funk’s lawsuit, PSA is supposed to use experts to determine a card’s grade, scored between one and ten, the latter being the elusive “Gem Mint” grade. The suit leans on PSA’s own past disclosures, including a [2019 filing](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1089143/000143774919017562/clct20190630%5F10k.htm?ref=kantopost.com) in which it admitted grading experts were “in short supply” and that it relied on training young graders and outside contractors during busy periods, to argue that PSA’s workforce never matched its “expert grader” marketing, and that this was never made clear to customers paying for that expertise. The lawsuit makes a particularly serious allegation about the Gem Mint population, claiming the company manages the number of cards receiving the grade. It argues that a grading limit “is not and cannot be an objective determination. It is not even a good-faith subjective opinion. It is a commercially managed output, calculated to preserve scarcity, support pricing, and extract fees from the market that PSA created and from which Defendants themselves benefit downstream.” The complaint argues that PSA’s reported populations could influence the perceived scarcity, and therefore value, of graded cards, describing Gem Mint populations as “controlled outputs, not neutral reflections of card condition.” For Pokémon collectors, there’s a particularly interesting example in the complaint that you may already have seen doing the rounds online. In December 2025, PSA drew backlash after regrading a batch of Pokémon cards it had bought from a submitter at PSA 9 prices through an instant offer, then reselling them as Gem Mint 10s. PSA’s explanation at the time, [relayed by business partner Geoff Wilson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI5TH%5FeKNkQ&ref=kantopost.com), was that a secondary review was triggered by the submitter’s “ratio of cards submitted” without receiving a single perfect grade. Funk’s lawsuit leans hard on that explanation: if a card’s grade is meant to reflect its own condition alone, it argues, then how many other cards were in the same batch shouldn’t matter at all. There’s also a connection worth flagging here. The lawsuit notes that GameStop became an authorised PSA dealer in November 2024, and that Nat Turner, Collectors’ chief executive and chairman, sits on [GameStop’s board of directors](https://s205.q4cdn.com/272884106/files/doc%5Fdownloads/annual-meeting-docs/2025/2025-Proxy-Statement.pdf?ref=kantopost.com), something GameStop disclosed itself in a 2025 filing. PSA’s parent also runs the [PSA Vault](https://www.psacard.com/info/psa-vault?ref=kantopost.com), which lets collectors list graded cards for sale through PSA’s own eBay storefront for a fee, alongside its own price guide and [Card Ladder](https://www.cardladder.com/?ref=kantopost.com), its valuation platform. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. “Plaintiff alleges that PSA manages gem-mint populations (PSA’s highest score) by training ratio-based grading practices, heightened scrutiny of cards that feature premium players or characters, and other concealed grading practices,” the lawsuit reads. In other words, the lawsuit alleges that PSA’s highest grades aren’t simply determined by the condition of individual cards, but can be influenced by the wider population. If the allegations ultimately hold up, however, they could raise some uncomfortable questions about how collectors value PSA-graded Pokémon cards across decades of sets. As the lawsuit puts it, “small differences in condition can translate into substantial differences in value. The grade has become the market’s shorthand for value.” So, what does this mean for your existing PSA-graded collection? Right now, not a lot. This is a proposed class action, meaning nothing has actually been certified by a court, and it was only filed on Tuesday, 28th July, in the District Federal Court for Maryland. PSA and Collectors haven’t yet responded to the allegations, and none of the claims above have been proven. You can read the full 188-page filing [here](https://psacardclassaction.com/Funk-v-Collectors-Complaint.pdf?ref=kantopost.com). We’ve reached out to PSA for comment. ### My favourite Palworld TCG card has sold for over £1000 ahead of release URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/jormuntide-ignis-pre-sale/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T07:00:53.000Z With its first expansion officially launching today (Thursday, 30th July), **Palworld TCG**’s Dawn of Palpagos set is a huge moment for the card game. As TCG fever continues, pre-release cards for the latest set are already selling for high prices, including one of the game’s highest rarities reaching astronomical prices. The [Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) is still new, so market value, pull rates, and favourite cards are all up in the air right now. Collectors looking to focus on the artwork of the various Pals, players hoping to learn the game, and those looking to see potential worth of cards are all working on zero evidence. This is the first [Palworld TCG set](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/), after all. My favourite of the [Dawn of Palpagos chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/) is the Jormuntide Ignis - Savage Lava Dragon SSP (Super Special Parallel), which I put as my top chase card for the set. Not only because SSPs are the hardest of the [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) to collect, because the flaming border and overall design make it a desirable card to pull, and it seems some people are paying hundreds to avoid the chase. ![Jormuntide Ignis - Savage Lava Dragon SSP Palworld card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-Jormuntide-ignis-1.jpeg) On [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=jormuntide+ignis&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), the Jormuntide Ignis SSP sold for $700 on 29th July following a single bid, while another sold for around $500 (following a best offer) earlier that day. However, prices are a lot more chaotic than that - [in the UK](https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=jormuntide+ignis&LH%5FPrefLoc=2&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), there’s been a sold listing of £1,026, one for £260, and another at £287\. These are different marketplaces, but some listings are available worldwide, so they may appear on both versions of the eBay site. Why are the prices so scattered? It’s hard to really tell. The TCG is still fresh off the printing press, and with no previous expansions to base this one on, all bets are off. It could be a single person buying up Jormuntide Ignis cards when they become available, or it could be some buyers are expecting some similarly-priced post-launch sales. Personally, I don’t think it’ll stay this high - this is just the pre-release hype taking over some collector’s brains. It’s still absolutely absurd though. £1,000 or $1,300 for a hard pull is ridiculous money. I’ve never bought a single card above £25, and I doubt I’d ever spend too much more than that, especially on cards that are still currently in production and about to be sold in packs. This isn’t a vintage classic - it’s a card that hasn’t even begun to circulate in trading circles or be pulled from many packs, yet. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon and Palworld news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It’ll be interesting to see the market data and how the Palworld TCG lands once the dust settles. Will high rarity cards continue to demand high prices, or will a dedicated and resilient collector base outlive the beginning hype? I won’t know if I fall into the latter yet, as I’m still struggling to find a booster box to buy. ### Pokémon Delta Reign’s Kyogre IR has been revealed, and I need it URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/delta-reign-kyogre-reveal/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T19:03:27.000Z Before I fell in love with Giratina, my favourite Pokémon was Kyogre. For 17 years (and counting), my old childhood email had a computer generated picture of Kyogre as my profile image - over a decade and a half before Kanto Post was even thought of. I was going to skip **Pokémon Delta Reign**, but with a Kyogre **Pokémon card** in the list, it’s become an instant buy for me. The last [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) of the year, Delta Reign, is releasing in November 2026\. However, the Japanese equivalent - Storm Emerelda - launches this week, months before [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) even arrives. That means we’re getting our first look at Delta Reign’s Illustration Rares well ahead of the English release. That means we get to see the IRs and SIRs way before we get the expansion, which is what is happening now. Early pack openings of the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/)’s Japanese variant are being shared on social media, as posted by [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/07/storm-emeralda-secret-rares-revealed?ref=kantopost.com), and one of them is the Illustration Rare (Art Rare in Japan) of Kyogre. The first images aren’t particularly clear, but they’re more than enough to show off the artwork. ![The Kyogre Pokémon card from Pokémon Delta Reign](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/pokemon-delta-reign-kyogre-ir-card.jpeg) The Illustration Rare depicts Kyogre smashing above a large wave, a big chomping grin on its face, with its sheer scale hidden mostly by the other side of the tsunami. Compared to many previous cards based on the Legendary Pokémon, this one is sleek and simple - it’s just a neat looking card that captures the Water-type in its natural environment. Am I surprised? Not really. Groudon was revealed earlier this week, and with Rayquaza leading the set, With Groudon already revealed and Rayquaza leading the set, Kyogre always felt like a matter of when, not if. I’m somewhat disappointed it’s missing out on the premium texturing of an SIR, but at this point, I’m just happy to see the Sapphire mascot. I mostly collect my favourite Pokémon rather than chase the biggest cards, so this is an instant addition to my wishlist. It’s the same reason I ripped so many packs of Stellar Crown - just for the focus on getting that adorable Squirtle IR. I rarely buy singles because opening packs is half the fun, so I’ll happily be chasing this Kyogre once Delta Reign arrives in November. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Are you getting Pokémon Delta Reign when it launches, or this set a skip for you? Let us know in the comments below. ### At this point, China has become Pokémon TCG’s most exciting market URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/eevee-figures-feature/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T05:48:42.000Z A new line-up of Dream Figure Collections has been revealed for China, with the Eevee & Friends: Dream-Illustrating Collection releasing next month. Featuring common Eeveelution cards from **Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions** and combined with a figure matching the artwork, this is just another example of how China has some of the most exciting **Pokémon TCG** products right now. Like previous Dream Figure collections, it emulates the traditional [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) chase by having a secret option - this time it’s the sleeping Eevee promo from Prismatic’s ETB. They’re effectively premium display pieces, and it’s the same concept used for the Water and 151 collections that came before. Chinese collectors are a little behind on [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) from the English and Japanese release schedule. While we’re actively waiting for [30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) and Delta Reign, Chasing Glory Together was China’s most recent set, which combines Journey Together and Destined Rivals. However, to make up for this delay, China continues to get exclusive products that make me envious. I’m not afraid to admit I’m jealous. ![Captain Pikachu Pokémon card from Simplified Chinese sets](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/pokemon-TCG-China-Eevee-collection-cards.jpeg) China has gone from being behind on expansions to having some of the most interesting and experimental exclusives. Admittedly, they’re still behind, but a variety of unique and original cards, alongside products like the Dream Figures (which cost roughly $15) are more than enough to make up for the delay. China isn’t replacing the global releases; it’s getting those as well as entirely original products. Rather than simply reprinting existing cards, Gem Packs introduced exclusive Illustration Rares that have become some of the most sought-after modern Chinese exclusives. The Pikachu hiding from Gengar, the loving Cubone cards, and more have all shot up in value recently in the West, but these are just a couple of examples that China has that we don’t. Simplified Chinese cards have the same high quality as the Japanese ones, with an exclusive security stamp that makes counterfeits harder to produce, and best of all, they have transparency about the odds of getting an SIR equivalent. That’s something that booster packs worldwide should offer - having pull rates printed directly on booster packs would give collectors realistic expectations before they buy. English and Japanese cards still dominate resale value, but value isn’t the only thing that makes a market exciting. Between original artwork, premium presentation, transparent pull rates, and products like the Dream Figure collections, China has become the Pokémon TCG market experimenting with ideas I’d love to see adopted worldwide. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Do you own any Chinese Pokémon cards? Or perhaps the Eevee figures will be the first of many in your collection. Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to sign up to our Kanto Post newsletter above. ### Pokémon Delta Reign should add Pokémon TCG Pocket’s new system URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/delta-reign-pity-system/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T10:05:23.000Z If you’re anything like me, chances are you’ve been frustrated with a lack of getting any Special Illustration Rare **Pokémon cards** in certain packs. Some older expansions, like Evolving Skies, are absolutely brutal in terms of pull rates, and while many may seem easier, the randomness of packs is both a blessing and a curse. However, **Pokémon TCG** Pocket’s upcoming update has a mechanic that I’d prefer to have in physical packs. [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) Pocket is already fair compared to the physical [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), at least in my opinion. Sure, the output is higher and the amount of cards per pack is smaller, but unless you actively pay money, the packs are free. I’ve also got a lot more SIR equivalents in my virtual binder compared to my physical. It’s a shame I can’t have some of the Pocket cards in the real world. In a [new update](https://www.pokemon.com/us/news/pokemon-tcg-pocket-ruler-of-the-skies-expansion-coming-soon?ref=kantopost.com), after undisclosed conditions are fulfilled, the next time a booster pack is opened from the same expansion, players are guaranteed a 4-diamond card or higher. Whether it’s hugely beneficial or just a small positive is yet to be seen, as it releases alongside Ruler of the Skies on 29th July, but it *needs* to be added to the physical TCG. ![Mega Rayquaza from the Pokémon TCG Pocket Ruler of the Skies pack](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/pokemon-TCG-pocket-pity-ruler.jpeg) I’m not asking for an SIR guaranteed in every pack - I understand the thrill of the chase is something that keeps things exciting. But an SIR guaranteed in every booster box, dropping the rate down to effectively 1 in 36, would be a great step in the right direction. I know that 4-diamond cards are equivalent to a standard ex, but the difference is that the physical cards are £150 / $150 boxes. I think we deserve a guaranteed hit. With the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) underway, alongside smaller packs and a *technical* pity system (every pack guarantees a different Pikachu), it would be great to add the mechanic with Delta Reign. The Rayquaza-led physical set ties well with Ruler of the Skies, so bringing the same new mechanic would be the perfect opportunity. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Having a pity system wouldn’t just help collectors either - it could have a huge impact on the ridiculous market prices. The biggest SIRs of every expansion seem to dominate in recent pricing, leading sealed to also blast off (again) in price. That guarantee could have a significant effect on third-party listings, making future expansions easier to buy for collectors. There’s a clear case of causation - the lack of a major SIR in Perfect Order and Chaos Rising has seen [booster boxes drop closer to retail](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-cr-po-booster-box/). Hey, I can dream. ### Forget Bubble Mew, this gorgeous Mew Pokémon card is almost $900 cheaper URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/mew-gg10-opinion/ Last updated: 2026-07-25T10:07:50.000Z Mew ex #232, better known as Bubble Mew, is one of the defining **Pokémon cards** of the Scarlet & Violet era. It’s beautiful, highly sought after, and averaging around $923 ungraded. But if you simply want an incredible Mew card rather than the hottest chase, Crown Zenith’s **Mew GG10** delivers stunning artwork for around $67 - just 7% of Bubble Mew’s price. Instead of Paldean Fates, we’re going back a few [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). Before Scarlet & Violet gave us the Terastal boom, the Sword & Shield era came to a triumphant end with the brilliant Crown Zenith set. It’s an expansion with amazing pull rates, charming chases, and a fitting spectacle to conclude the era. The Galarian Gallery is a 70-card collection that is full of breathtaking chases, including a nine-card-set that creates one connected mural, and the entire GG subset seems like the blueprint for Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares introduced with Scarlet & Violet. It was an incredible set to pull, and despite the hype bubble we reside in right now, Crown Zenith cards remain decently priced - I can’t say the same for sealed products, sadly. While the market price for these cards have certainly gone up in recent years, most remain surprisingly unscathed. This isn’t a news story about all of them, though, but one in particular: Mew GG10, an adorable piece of art that sees a sleeping take on the mythical Pokémon, as it’s surrounded by wild ‘mon in a small wooded area. ![Artwork for Mew GG10 and Mew #183 Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/mew-gg10-cheap-bubble-mew-cards.jpeg) While Bubble Mew delivers on a cutesy design that makes Mew the focal point, Mew GG10 puts the focus on the world. It tells a story, one that sees the peace and tranquility of Mew radiating out, allowing other Pokémon to gather around it in complete peace. Your bank account will also feel peace, as this card will only set you back around $67 - compared to Bubble Mew’s $923, that seems cheap. It’s not an Applin to Cherubi comparison, admittedly. Crown Zenith was heavily printed, and the pull rates for Galarian Gallery cards were seriously generous. Bubble Mew is a lot harder to pull, due to its SIR nature and the fact it was released just months prior to the hype wave, meaning it got caught up in the recent popularity. While it’s not an extremely rare card, it is hard to get a PSA 10 copy if you’re looking to use [grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) on your own raw copy - which is why PSA 10 prices jump up considerably. Due to the flat, textureless nature of Mew GG10, minor surface issues can appear more often. According to Collectr, PSA 10 copies sell for around £428, with a total population of 7,505\. Compared to the 14,000 copies in a PSA 9 highlights how difficult receiving a Gem Mint grade can be. It’s better to go for a raw card, if price is a factor. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Bubble Mew deserves its reputation, and there’s no denying it’s one of the best Pokémon cards of the Scarlet & Violet era. But if your goal is simply to own a stunning Mew card without spending almost $1,000, Crown Zenith’s Mew GG10 is one of the best-value singles the Pokémon TCG has to offer. The Japanese version of the card is even better - it replaces the distracting yellow card borders with a more subtle silver-like edge, meaning it blends with the artwork a lot better. So, you have a new decision to make. ### This interactive Pokédex reveals a 30-year trend hidden in Pokémon’s stats URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/interactive-pokedex-sheet/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T11:27:46.000Z The image above looks like a series of seemingly random squares. Multiple colours are scattered across a dark background in what appears to be utter chaos. It isn’t random - it’s every one of the 1,025 **Pokémon** currently in the **Pokédex**, reduced to tiny coloured squares that together create an interactive visualisation of the franchise. As each new entry joins the franchise, a new slew of [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon/) get added to the official Pokédex - what started as the initial 151 is now over 1,000\. Displaying all 1,025 Pokémon at once would normally be demanding on both your browser and your device, but Akash’s approach keeps everything smooth and responsive. Each square is selectable, delivering a picture of the selected ‘mon, highlighting their type and respective stats. It also shows which generation it belongs to. However, things only get more interesting as you scroll along the page, as the data flies around to fit and showcase different patterns - ones you likely never expected to see. “I wanted to see the whole dex as one picture instead of a list you scroll forever,” creator Akash told Kanto Post. He said it took two weeks to develop, but most of it was collecting the data as opposed to developing the code, using PokéAPI and checking it against Bulbapedia. ![The different types of Pokémon scattered across the website](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/IMG_2512.jpeg) Water type is most common - Squirtle fans rise up! Arguably, the best element of the site is seeing the little squares move around, smoothly adjusting to meet different patterns - but it was also the most difficult part to develop. “Animating that many at once without it turning to mush took the most fiddling,” Akash told me. Fortunately, it’s built to grow, so when the Pokémon Wind and Waves release date rolls around, the new selection of creatures can be added. But the most interesting thing is the fact that this unique take on the Pokédex serves as measurable evidence that “power creep is real”. Based on the data provided, the first three generations had an average base stat of 405, but every generation since has been higher, climbing to 457 for the Scarlet & Violet games. “Sort the whole dex by generation and the newer Pokémon quietly ride higher up the chart,” Akash continued, “The games have been handing out slightly bigger numbers for 25 years.” It’s a really interesting piece of evidence that the latest Pokémon have been, on average, stronger than earlier entries. And, this was all told by a huge selection of little blocks just on one screen. I asked Akash what was the proudest part of making the project, and their answer was simple: “Honestly just that it's all of them, in one place, hand-built, and it loads and works.” You can check out the website [here](https://sheets.works/data-viz/pokemon-sorted?ref=kantopost.com). It’s a lovely project that highlights the creativity of the fandom. I hope that Akash makes one that includes every [Pokémon TCG set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) \- that would be fun to view, although, likely massive. ### The 9 biggest chase cards of Palworld Dawn of Palpagos URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-chase-cards/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T06:34:21.000Z The **Palworld card game**’s first expansion isn’t just full of beautiful looking cards - it’s also a huge test for what works with its debut set. Nothing can prove a set is good like its most desirable cards, and if you’re looking to discover the **Palworld Dawn of Palpagos chase cards**, we’ve got the best of the best here. Admittedly, we’re going a little blind here. Since the [Palworld Official Card Game](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) is fresh off the printing press with the Dawn of Palpagos expansion, whether cards are chases for artwork or gameplay reasons is a bit up in the air. I’m going to do what I do best for this [Palworld TCG set](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/), and focus on artwork and rarity over gameplay mechanics. ![Mounted Machine Gun SP card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-lamball.jpeg) ## 9\. Mounted Machine Gun (SP) It’s a group of adorable Lamballs operating mounted machine guns. That contrast perfectly sums up Palworld’s identity, mixing cute creature collecting with complete chaos. It’s one of the funniest cards in the set and an easy collector favourite. ![Relaxaurus Hungry Gunner SP card from Palworld card game ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-relaxaurus.jpeg) ## 8\. Relaxaurus - Hungry Gunner (SP) Imagine a dinosaur holding two missile launchers with an explosive backdrop. That’s exactly what you get with Relaxarus - Hungry Gunner. Unlike the highest [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/) of the set, which feel like they emulate the best chases across TCGs like Palworld, Relaxaurus’ debut SP showcases exactly why Palworld works as a memorable experience. Advertisement It’s bombastic in nature, ridiculous at its core, and exactly what I wanted from the initial set. While it’s not the main chase of the set, I really hope the next few expansions deliver SSPs that really hone in on what makes the survival game so utterly bizarre, yet incredible all the same. Rather than trying to look elegant, this card embraces everything ridiculous about Palworld. ![Shadowbeak Seeds of Despair Palworld card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-shadowbeak.jpeg) ## 7\. Shadowbeak - Seed of Despair (SP) Standing proud in front of the moon, head held high atop a mountain, Shadowbeak - Seed of Despair’s artwork is an instant classic. Both Shadowbeak and the background pair exceptionally well, with the Pal staring directly at the viewer with an intimidating presence. It’s mesmerising and dangerous, all at once. Shadowbeak is one of my favourite Pals, both in-game and for the TCG, thanks to its mysterious lore that ties into whether it’s even a Pal or not. It’s a Dark element griffin-inspired creature, so thematically and design wise, it looks incredible. And it works so well in this form. ![Suzaku Hellfire Wings Palworld card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-suzaku.jpeg) ## 6\. Suzaku - Hellfire Wings (SP) This fiery bird delivers an overwhelming sea of red as it ignites the border of the card, with a background of purple lightning and destruction that only highlights Suzaku’s ability to survive. It pairs extremely well with the next card on our list, but Suzaku - Hellfire Wings easily earns its place among the set’s best SP cards. ![Helzephyr - Wings of the Moonless Night Palworld card from Palworld card game](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-helzephyr.jpeg) ## 5\. Helzephyr - Wings of the Moonless Night (SSP) My first SSP on this list, and kicking off the remainder of the rest of the highest Palworld TCG rarities, Helzephyr - Wings of the Moonless Night delivers a fury of purple lightning, capturing the awe of the Dark-element Pal, and delivering bolts of electricity from the depths of Hell. Advertisement Its hostility in the game is truly caught in this SSP’s artwork, as the dread of a crackling sphere of lightning is sent your way. The overwhelming purple is broken by streaks of bright blue, making it a memorable chase card. ![Lyleen - Blessing of the Goddess SSP Palworld card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-lyleen.jpeg) ## 4\. Lyleen - Blessing of the Goddess (SSP) Lyleen - Blessing of the Goddess exists as a testament to Palpagos’ nature, with the SSP card highlighting the Grass Pal under the shade of a large tree. What the artwork truly showcases is the sunlight cutting through the branches above, landing on Lyleen with a soft golden light. While the background is filled with green hues that would typically keep the subject swallowed by the design, the beams of light act like a spotlight. Even if it’s not *the* chase card of the set, it’s certainly my favourite, and one I hope I get when I buy some booster boxes. ![Chillet Dragon Whisperer Palworld card from Palworld card game](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-chillet.jpeg) ## 3\. Chillet - Dragon Whisperer (SSP) While raw power can be a big reason collectors want certain chase cards, cosy vibes are equally important. Chillet - Dragon Whisperer, much like Lyleen, recognises the beauty of Palpagos by having the Ice and Dragon Pal relaxing in the sun, basking in the sunlight with a beaming smile. Advertisement It’s beautifully simple, highlighting the fact that many of Palworld’s creatures are parts of the world, not simply made for fighting or working. Relaxing is just as important, and this captures an element of the world that the game itself can’t deliver as well. ![A SSS Cattiva Palworld card from Palworld TCG Dawn of Palpagos set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-sss.jpg) ## 2\. Soul (Gold Cattiva) (SSS) When I made this initial list of chase cards, the Dawn of Palpagos set seemed to be set in stone; however, I have been bamboozled. As revealed by Bushiroad on the day of the set's release, a new rarity has been confirmed - the Super Secret Special (SSS) tier of cards delivers an all-gold foil, and they're the rarest cards in any expansion of Palworld. It still doesn't take top spot, mainly because I'm not a big fan of all-gold cards (cough cough, Pokémon TCG). Yet, because it's an extremely rare card to pull, it deserves a spot on this list. ![Jormuntide Ignis - Savage Lava Dragon Palworld card from Palworld TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Palworld-Dawn-of-Palpagos-Chase-card-Jormuntide-ignis.jpeg) ## 1\. Jormuntide Ignis - Savage Lava Dragon (SSP) If the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) has taught me anything, it’s that dragons made of literal fire are a hot commodity. Imagine if the base set Charizard had awesome artwork? It would probably look like Jormuntide Ignis - Savage Lava Dragon, which I believe to be Dawn of Palpagos’ biggest chase card. With a fiery border that shows Jormuntide’s effortless power in action, it captures the very spirit of what an SSP should be - gorgeous, raw artwork. The simple background allows Jormuntide to remain the focal point of the card, and for that reason, it captures anyone’s interest. This is the card you hope to find in your packs. Advertisement Dawn of Palpagos sets a high standard for the Palworld TCG’s artwork. Whether you’re collecting every SSP or simply hoping to pull one standout card from your first booster box, these eight cards look set to become the expansion’s biggest collector favourites. As more players open packs and the market develops, the chase card hierarchy may change, but these are the cards that I think currently define the set. ### After months of collecting madness, three Pokemon Mega Evolutions booster boxes are dropping in price URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-cr-po-booster-box/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T06:45:16.000Z When standard **Pokémon booster boxes** are selling for $100 or more above retail, something has gone wrong. That’s been the case for almost two years now, but as the 30th Celebration approaches, three recent expansions full of (in my eyes) essential **Pokémon cards** have dropped in price, and my hopes of normality are no longer distant dreams. According to TCGPlayer, the market price for the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) Pitch Black, Chaos Rising, and Perfect Order booster boxes are all trending down. While the latest expansion is just above the $200 mark, both of the other sets are now below it, with Perfect Order almost reaching the retail price. I expected the latest set to hold its value for longer. It’s the newest expansion and includes several desirable [Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/), yet prices have fallen sharply since release. Pre-release listings for the [Mega Darkrai ex SIR reached around $600](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-mega-darkrai-sales-japan/), but the card now sells closer to $300, and that’s for the English version. It’s still the main hit of the expansion, alongside the Mega Hyper Rare version in second place, but then it’s the sealed products like booster boxes and the Pokémon Center ETB. TCGPlayer’s market data tells the story, as all three consecutive Mega Evolutions sets have dropped in price, according to booster box sales figures on TCGPlayer. Pitch Black has dropped by around 28%, falling from roughly $300 to just above $200\. Chaos Rising peaked at around $270 before falling steadily to roughly $193\. Perfect Order saw a recent high of $225-$230 since release, but is now sitting around $173. ![Three price charts for Pokémon Pitch Black, Pokémon Chaos Rising, and Pokémon Perfect Order booster boxes](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/IMG_2480.jpeg) Why are these dropping in price suddenly? Well, I don’t think the bubble has popped - recent queues for Pokémon Center prove the excitement is still there. One possible explanation is that collectors are holding back spending ahead of [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/). The major chases aren’t the defining Pokémon cards, either. Darkrai and Greninja are fairly popular, but they’re not Charizard, Pikachu or Umbreon. Even with an adorable Meowth SIR, Perfect Order is still dropping, and personally, I think that's excellent. The closer they get to retail price, the happier I am. I don’t believe things will get easier over night, but I think the 30th Celebration release could *potentially* be a turning point. Based on the Pokémon Center drop for the upcoming set, it could be printed heavily, meaning that the products could get into more hands for collectors, which could lead less to rely on resellers and scalpers. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the next [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) after that, once Delta Reign releases in November. Admittedly, it is a Rayquaza-led expansion - one of the most popular legendary Pokémon - but if a similar drop in value occurs, we could be seeing a promising future. It’s too early to say the sealed market has fully recovered, but three consecutive Mega Evolutions sets moving closer to retail price is one of the clearest signs yet that supply may finally be catching up with demand. After almost two years of inflated prices, that’s encouraging for collectors. ### Where to buy Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/dawn-of-palpagos-booster-box/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T08:53:31.000Z The **Palworld TCG** is almost here, months after its initial reveal, and as the debut expansion is almost out in the wild, it has the huge job of setting up the future of the card game. If you’re intrigued by the new trading card game, grabbing a **Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box** is certainly worth it, and here’s where to buy it. The [Palworld Official Card Game](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) officially begins later this month, with Dawn of Palpagos (the first [Palworld TCG set](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/)) launching on 30th July, 2026\. The product lineup is fairly simple, with just a booster box and four Trial Decks to buy. ## Where to pre-order Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box The Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box retails for roughly £45.60 / $50\. You can pre-order it from the following retailers right now: - [Unicorn Cards](https://unicorncards.co.uk/palworld-official-card-game-dawn-of-palpagos-booster-display-box-12-count-pre-order-july-30-2026?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - [Total Cards](https://totalcards.net/collections/palworld-official-card-game-dawn-of-palpagos?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/bushiroad-palworld-tcg-dawn-of-palpagos-booster-box?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - notify when available system - [Zatu Games](https://zatu.com/products/palworld-official-card-game-dawn-of-palpagos-booster-box?srsltid=AfmBOoqEg4wWbAWpCyH0dTb4riDZQcl4p2rLIVgg-Ltf%5FuANVdKs7tvN&ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - [Game Nerdz](https://www.gamenerdz.com/palworld-official-card-game-dawn-of-palpagos-booster-box-preorder?ref=kantopost.com) (US) - [50cards](https://50cards.shop/collections/palworld-ocg?srsltid=AfmBOoosfjPFeULwO0P-CgTTP3O3Aw6BAIv0LBPv0eJ2HRdmwl9Oitey&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=palworld+dawn+of+palpagos+booster+box&%5Ftrksid=m5467.l1311&%5Fodkw=palworld+dawn+of+palpagos+booster+bix&ref=kantopost.com) (US) Unlike major TCGs, Palworld is currently fairly niche, meaning that stock is mostly available in hobbyist shops and smaller retailers. It’s worth checking around yourself, including at any local card shops, for the best deals. At time of publication, Zatu Games and Game Nerdz have it at the cheapest price for the UK and US, respectively, but stock and pricing could change around launch. ![A Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-12.jpeg) ## Is it worth buying a Palworld Dawn of Palpagos booster box? As it has yet to release, and we have no previous Palworld sets to base it on, buying a booster box of this new TCG is exciting. Every booster box comes with 12 packs, each filled with seven cards. Like many other TCGs, if you’re looking to chase the highest [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/), buying a booster box is the best option. It gives you plenty of packs to rip open and collect cards, giving you opportunities to potentially get the Super Special Parallel cards - Dawn of Palpagos’ top-tier chases. Alternatively, if you’re simply looking to play the game, buying the various Trial Decks may be a better option. Like many other collectors, we’re going in blind for this first set. The Palworld TCG is currently untested waters, but the look at the SSP and SP cards gives me hope it can land well. I’m excited to get the Jormuntide Ignis SSP, if I’m lucky enough. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It’s also fairly cheap compared to other booster boxes in the TCG market. While it does come with fewer packs, the barrier of entry is a lot lower - Lorcana and Pokémon TCG boxes are around £120 and £150, respectively. If you don’t like the Palworld TCG, at least you’re only \~£50 down compared to almost triple that. However, the smaller box size means collectors chasing a complete set may still need multiple boxes or singles. ### All Palworld TCG sets in release order as of 2026 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/sets-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T06:42:34.000Z The **Palworld Official Card Game** brings PocketPair’s monster-collecting survival game to tabletops with booster packs, preconstructed decks, and collectible chase cards. As new expansions are announced, we’ll keep this guide updated with every **Palworld TCG set** in release order. Bushiroad has confirmed two booster expansions for the game’s first year, each introducing new cards across multiple [Palworld rarities](https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/).Future [Palworld card game](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/palworld-official-card-game/) sets are expected to continue expanding the available Pals, Trainers and strategies. ## All Palworld card game sets - Dawn of Palpagos - 30th July, 2026 - Legends Awaken - 30th October, 2026 There are currently two announced Palworld Official Card Game booster sets: Dawn of Palpagos and Legends Awaken. As more expansions are revealed, we’ll update this guide with every new release in chronological order. ![Key art and promotional material for Palworld Dawn of Palpagos](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-9.jpeg) ### Palworld Dawn of Palpagos Palworld Dawn of Palpagos is the first expansion for the Palworld TCG. The set contains 100 standard cards and 61 parallel variants, bringing the total collection to 161 cards. The Dawn of Palpagos release also includes four Trial Decks, giving new players a ready-to-play deck straight out of the box. Booster packs contain seven cards, while booster boxes include 12 packs. ![A placeholder marketing image for Palworld Legends Awaken set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-10.jpeg) ### Palworld Legends Awaken Legends Awaken is the second Palworld TCG booster expansion and launches on 30 October 2026\. Bushiroad has confirmed it will contain 100 standard cards plus parallel variants, although the total card count hasn’t yet been announced. ## FAQs ### When is the Palworld TCG release date? The Palworld Official Card Game starts on Thursday, 30th July, 2026\. This is when the first expansion, Dawn of Palpagos, releases, and the (hopefully) long list of expansions finally begins. ### How many Palworld TCG sets are there? There are currently two announced Palworld Official Card Game booster sets: Dawn of Palpagos and Legends Awaken. Both are scheduled to release in 2026. ### What is the latest Palworld TCG set? The latest Palworld card game set is Dawn of Palpagos, the TCG’s first expansion. It releases on Thursday, July 30, 2026 and brings 161 cards, and offers a variety of products including a booster box and four different Trial Decks to try. ### What are the Palworld card game rarities? URL: https://www.kantopost.com/palworld-official-card-game/rarities/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T08:59:53.000Z Whenever a new trading card game launches, it usually brings its own rarity system. With unfamiliar abbreviations and special finishes, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the most common cards and the biggest chase pulls. Here’s every **Palworld card game** rarity explained. Like other trading card games, the [Palworld Official Card Game](https://www.kantopost.com/404/) features a range of card rarities, including booster-exclusive chase cards, promotional releases, and trial deck exclusives. ## All Palworld TCG rarities **Here are the 13 different Palworld TCG rarities to collect:** - **Common - C** - **Uncommon - U** - **Rare - R** - **Double Rare - RR** - **Super Rare - SR** - **Super Parallel - SP** - **Super Special Parallel - SSP** - **Super Secret Special - SSS** - **Official Shop Rare - OSR (promo)** - **Trial Deck - TD (equivalent to common)** - **Trial Deck Super Parallel - TSP (promo)** - **Trial Deck Super Rare - TSR (promo)** - **Promo - PR** The first seven rarities, from Common through Super Special Parallel (SSP), appear in standard booster packs. The remaining rarities are exclusive to promotional events, official stores, or Trial Deck products. SPONSORED Check out the Sony INZONE H6 Air and score an excellent gaming headset for just $198 [Check It Out ](https://howl.link/hbhjsmcldx3is?ref=kantopost.com) Super Special Parallel (SSP) cards are generally the headline chase cards of each expansion, featuring premium finishes and full-art illustrations. Super Parallel (SP) cards also feature alternate artwork, but are typically more common than SSPs. At the launch of the Dawn of Palpagos set, a new tier was revealed: SSS. These are the biggest chase of any set, although the all-gold look may dissuade some collectors. Super Secret Specials are the most elusive card to collect of any Palworld set, making them a hard-to-pull addition to any collection. For Pokémon TCG players, you can think of SSPs as serving a similar role to Special Illustration Rares, while SP cards fall into a similar category as Illustration Rares. SSS cards fall into the same category as the recent Mega Hyper Rare cards that started with Pokémon's Mega Evolutions era. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. OSRs are some of the rarest non-booster cards you can get, as they’re exclusive to tournament events or Bushiroad’s official retail stores, making them some of the most elusive cards to collect. Rather than featuring exclusive artwork, OSR cards are premium parallel versions of existing cards with a special foil finish. Trial Deck Super Parallel (TSP) and Trial Deck Super Rare (TSR) cards are premium parallel versions of standard Trial Deck cards. Each Trial Deck contains a fixed card list, but some cards can be replaced with these upgraded foil versions at random. Meanwhile, Trial Deck (TD) cards are the standard, non-foil versions included in every deck. As the Palworld TCG expands, it’s possible that additional rarity tiers will be introduced in future sets, much like other long-running trading card games. We’ll update this guide whenever new rarities are revealed. ## FAQs ### What is the highest rarity in the Palworld TCG? The rarest Palworld card type is Super Secret Special (SSS) cards. These cards are the hardest to pull in any Palworld set, with an all-gold design. For promos, the highest rarity you can get are the OSR promos, which are only available at select tournament events or official Bushiroad retail stores. ### These adorable Pokémon pet accessories make your dog look like a real Trainer’s partner URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/pet-accessories-review/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:01:49.000Z I’ve spent years writing about Pokémon games and the **Pokémon TCG**, but pet accessories are a new one for me. I couldn’t tell you what makes an award-winning harness, but I do know Pokémon, and these officially licensed accessories are packed with the kind of personality that’s hard for a franchise fanatic like me to say no to. The latest [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/other-pokemon/) pet collection includes everything from harnesses and leads to blankets, beds, bowls, collars, and toys. I was sent the blue Pokémon harness, matching lead, and two can covers, and after putting them to use with my Cockapoo, Leia, it’s hard not to wish every pet product looked this good. The only issue is, it looks so fantastic, I want some matching attire myself. The biggest highlight is the artwork. Featuring illustrations by James Turner, the accessories are covered in colourful Pokémon designs that feel playful, packed with plenty of fan-favourites like Pikachu snuggling on a Snorlax bed or Yamper playing with a ball. It’s the sort of artwork that instantly stands out, with a vibrant iconography that brings that childlike whimsy of the franchise to life. ![A set of Pokémon pet accessories, including a harness, a leash, and can covers on a marble countertop](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-4.jpeg) I’ll start with the can covers, which feature Skitty and Munchlax. They simply press onto the top of opened food cans and peel away just as easily when it’s time for another meal. I’ve mostly been using the Munchlax version, as it somehow feels like the perfect mascot for dog food, while the Skitty design would probably be right at home in a cat owner’s kitchen. Each cover has multiple inner ridges to fit different can sizes, making them genuinely practical. They’ll probably fit plenty of ordinary food tins too, although I’ll leave that experiment for someone else. The matching harness and lead are where the collection really comes together. Both feature the same repeating Pokémon pattern, giving them a coordinated look without feeling too busy. The materials feel durable, the stitching is solid, and they feel easy to clip on. I appreciated the little Poké Ball on the buckle, which felt like a solid way to round it off. Most importantly, Leia seemed perfectly comfortable wearing the harness. It was easy to adjust, stayed secure throughout our walks, and, perhaps most importantly - made her look every bit like a Pokémon Trainer’s partner. ![A Munchlax can cover on a tin of dog food ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-5.jpeg) I wasn’t expecting to have strong opinions about dog accessories, but this collection won me over. They’re well made, and filled with enough Pokémon charm to make daily walks that little bit more fun. Sure, maybe my dog is now a walking billboard for Pokémon marketing, but in the same breath, she looks so cute. Now I just need an excuse to buy the enormous Snorlax bed. Although if one ends up in my house, there’s every chance I’ll be fighting the dog for it. *Disclosure: These products were sent for free by The Pokémon Company. This does not affect our unique views on the products.* ### “Just plain illegal, unlicensed gambling”: Expert says Pokémon TCG mystery slabs and repacks may breach gambling and consumer laws URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/power-packs-feature/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T11:50:39.000Z Over the last few years, **Pokémon card** collecting has evolved beyond simply opening packs and completing sets. Rare cards have increasingly been treated as investments by parts of the collecting community, sealed products have been stored away, and the excitement of finding valuable cards has become part of a growing marketplace built around chance. Products like GameStop’s Power Packs have accelerated that shift, pushing the hobby further from collecting towards the pursuit of value. [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) repacks aren’t a new concept. The idea of sealing random bulk alongside valuable cards has been done for years, and they’re even sold in retail stores. As the TCG’s value has skyrocketed, single packs of product from just a few years ago can cost an arm and a leg, and repacks have extended past single cards to more valuable packs or graded cards, going from simple mystery packs into expensive products marketed around the possibility of finding significant value. GameStop’s Power Packs, [Poke Queen](https://www.pokequeen.co.uk/pages/repacks?ref=kantopost.com)’s [repacks](https://www.whatnot.com/clip/9a2ca93e-e335-4ac0-94aa-e65b7c8ba8a6?app=ios&sender%5Fid=64813636&sharing%5Fchannel=copyLink&ref=kantopost.com), Total Cards’ [Graded Masters](https://totalcards.net/products/pokemon-graded-masters-mystery-box?%5Fpos=3&%5Fsid=c1d4be5e1&%5Fss=r&ref=kantopost.com), and Ripit’s platform all share a similar mechanic: consumers pay money for a randomised outcome, with the possibility of receiving something worth more, less, or roughly equal to their purchase price. My initial question going into this investigation was simple: “Is this gambling?” Much like my [Whatnot investigation](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/whatnot-card-collecting-investigation/), I expected a debate filled with grey areas and conflicting opinions. Instead, the more I examined these products, the bigger question became: when does a product like these become something that requires regulation? ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. While regular packs from any of the [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) have the chance of getting increasingly rare cards, it’s not an equivalent. From a production perspective, a Mew ex #232 and a Jacinthe #122 are both simply printed cards from the same rarity. To collectors, however, they exist in completely different worlds. One can sell for hundreds or even thousands of pounds, while the other may be worth only a fraction of that. The secondary market creates the financial gap between cards, turning some pulls into highly valuable prizes. Repacks have always held that philosophy, but in a uniquely different way. Repackaged bulk cards mixed with high value cards may sound similar, but it’s in the marketing where things are different. Booster packs are plastered with artwork highlighting the Pokémon of each set, while repacks showcase the most sought-after cards. That’s a small difference that can make a huge difference in desirability. Boosters sell that “catch ‘em all” philosophy, but repacks sell the chance of “winning”. ![Two screenshots of GameStop Power Packs in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design.jpeg) When these are simply placed in supermarket shelves and go for around or under £10/$10, they’re a low-cost novelty purchase that could end in smiles or disappointment. As the price of cards has risen, so too have the potential outcomes, and therefore, the “buy in” cost. Take Power Packs, for example. It’s not a simple side project - one look at the official website, and the banner for Power Packs remains front and centre. Offering both digital and physical solutions to a problem you never wanted or needed, Power Packs start at a measly $25, but five tiers later, reach the colossal $2500\. That’s the equivalent of almost 17 booster boxes or 612 packs of cards. This isn’t a neat extra, but a major part of GameStop’s modern strategy. In the company’s Q1 2026 [financial report](https://investor.gamestop.com/news-releases/news-details/2026/GameStop-Discloses-First-Quarter-2026-Results/default.aspx?ref=kantopost.com), collectibles made up 41.8% of GameStop’s revenue, beating both hardware and software. Every card carries an assigned value, and buyers can choose to sell qualifying pulls back to GameStop for cash or credit. That creates a different relationship between consumer and product: the card is no longer simply something to collect, but something increasingly framed around financial value. The equivalent is paying $5 for a Pokémon pack, and The Pokémon Company asking if you would sell that Mega Charizard X SIR back to them, so they can put it back into the pool of potential wins. > “It’s definitely gambling in the sense of a dopamine rush of not knowing what you’re going to get.” > > —u/wildwestinitative “I wanted to start a collection while also getting cards I like and in good quality,” collector and Reddit user u/wildwestinitative said to me. “I knew the odds weren’t very likely but I accepted the risk for building my collection.” Like many other companies offering the same as Power Packs, whether Total Cards or Poke Queen, The odds often aren’t shared. Instead, consumers are shown potential values or examples of possible pulls. One response from u/wildwestinitative stood out to me, though. “It’s definitely gambling in the sense of a dopamine rush of not knowing what you’re going to get,” the collector said. This felt like a similar response to what my Whatnot piece uncovered, but I had a decent amount of pushback from experts and companies. So, I spoke to Dr. Leon Xiao once again, expecting a similarly nuanced response. His experience as Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong, as well as research into videogame loot boxes, trading cards, and consumer protection, would work well for an expert opinion. ![A photo of Dr. Leon Xiao in front of a blue Kanto Post background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-15.jpeg) “The specific products you have identified are just plain illegal, unlicensed gambling,” Dr. Xiao stated. That verdict wasn’t limited to GameStop; Dr. Xiao said the same reasoning would apply to similar products where consumers pay for a randomised outcome and can receive cards with materially different values. I then asked Dr. Xiao specifically whether physical repacks sold in the UK would breach UK gambling law: “Physical mystery slab products sold by UK retailers would breach gambling law.” Dr. Xiao’s interpretation represents one legal analysis, rather than a formal ruling from a regulator or court. I contacted the Gambling Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority for their assessment of these products. Neither had provided a response by the time of publication. Dr. Xiao’s argument centres on the fact that consumers pay for a random outcome, with the reward being a Pokémon card that can readily be sold for cash. In his view, “the consumer is playing a game of chance for a prize (defined as "money or money's worth," which these cards would be as they can be easily converted into cash),” which means they could be breaching gambling law. > “The specific products you have identified are just plain illegal, unlicensed gambling.” > > — Dr. Leon Xiao, Assistant Professor, City University of Hong Kong When asked about highlighting particularly valuable cards as potential rewards, Dr. Xiao said “It would be misleading and in breach of consumer law if the pack is advertised as if the particularly valuable card could be won more often than what is factually true.” He then further discussed that probability “disclosures are almost certainly required under US, UK, and EU consumer law. But many original packs do not provide sufficient probability disclosure information for players to figure out their exact probabilities for obtaining a specific card.” ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Dr. Xiao shared a [research paper](https://osf.io/preprints/lawarchive/ndq4a%5Fv1?ref=kantopost.com) awaiting peer review and revisions that found that 80% of analysed trading card products did not provide probability information, and while the remaining 20% did, they were often incomplete, hard to locate, or misleading. However, the paper doesn’t focus on how these breach gambling law, but rather, how they affect consumer law in the UK, US, Hong Kong, and the EU, suggesting that consumers require material information to make an informed decision. While Dr. Xiao noted that some retailers do provide possibility disclosures, GameStop notably doesn’t. And, when compared to typical booster packs, Dr. Xiao noted that “the risk is higher because a lot more money is being spent and risked: the purchase price is a lot higher, and the range of monetary values that the content could represent is also wider.” Dr. Xiao also suggested that psychological mechanisms studied in gambling, such as the near-miss effect, may warrant further research in relation to Pokémon mystery products. In gambling research, the near-miss effect refers to situations where an outcome feels close to success despite being a loss, potentially encouraging continued engagement. Dr. Xiao said further research would be needed to understand whether similar effects apply to Pokémon mystery products. While Power Packs is simply one of the many modern takes on repacks, it’s the biggest, both in valuable prizes and [community](https://www.reddit.com/r/PSAPowerPacks/s/TiXhwmfmCZ?ref=kantopost.com). Like many communities built around chance-based purchases, discussions around GameStop’s repacks often focus on successful pulls, which can make the potential upside more visible than the unsuccessful purchases. GameStop’s partnership with PSA makes this a lucrative deal for both the retailer and the [Pokémon grading service](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/), which the former happily advertises as a major feature on the official website. GameStop isn’t alone in these repack issues, though, Total Cards’ Graded Masters ranges from £29.95 to £349.95, and while the company suggests you’ll receive a graded card valued on either side of the price you pay, there’s also no indication of your odds of winning a more valuable prize. Surprisingly, the new ‘Ripit’ platform does offer odds, although they are unproven at time of publication. A Master Pack, which will set collectors back $1,000, offers a 0.015% chance (roughly 1 in 6,667 packs) of getting a Rank 1 card, like the 1999 Pikachu in a PSA 10, which is valued at $25,000\. You’re more likely to win a Rank 3 ‘Heat’ card at 25% chance, many of which are worth half of the master pack’s initial price. Ripit’s disclosure highlights the contrast between platforms. While one company provides probability information, others market high-value outcomes without publishing equivalent odds. ![Various screenshots of Ripit, including the process of buying a Pokémon card mystery pack and the valuable cards](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-1.jpeg) This isn’t exclusive to Pokémon, however. Dr. Xiao also highlighted Magic: The Gathering’s collector boosters as another example of higher-priced products built around rare potential outcomes. The 001/001 serialised One Ring is one of a kind, and was bought by Austin Post, better known as Post Malone, for [an estimated $2 million](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66399865?ref=kantopost.com). The difference is that MTG’s One Ring was a manufacturer-created rarity within a traditional booster product, rather than a third-party product specifically built around exchanging money for a random chance at financial value. As Pokémon cards become more valuable than ever before, Dr. Leon Xiao’s thoughts remain that the emergence of such products follows the trend that “some stakeholders in the industry (including but not limited to the card game manufacturers, grading companies, and resellers) are trying to \[legitimise\] trading cards as ‘investments’ or ‘financial products.’” Dr. Xiao also shares that “more research asking people about their motivations would be needed,” but suggests that “I don’t think these very expensive repack products are going to be attractive to all consumers because of the high price tag, but I do not see any age restrictions attached to them, so even children could potentially buy them.” The issue remains that these products don’t incentivise the adventure of building a Pokémon TCG collection, but rather, the chance of winning a major chase. That randomised element is a major part of any booster pack, but when a huge monetary figure is placed on it, alongside the potential of losing money, the water is muddied. I’ve reached out to the various retailers mentioned in this article. I’ve also reached out for comment from The Pokémon Company, and will update this article if any provide statements. The Pokémon TCG has always been built around the excitement of the unknown: pulling a favourite Pokémon, completing a set, or discovering a card you never expected. But as collecting becomes increasingly tied to financial value, the biggest chase may no longer be the card itself - it may be the chance of finding something worth more. ### Pokémon Center’s 30th Celebration ETB drop was somehow its smoothest yet URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/center-30th-celebration-etb-drop/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T08:45:35.000Z When I saw the Reddit post that **Pokémon Center** queues had gone live, I was already 40 minutes late - and I expected the worst. A six-hour queue timer popped up, and it kept jumping up and down, with little concern for my nervous anticipation. However, just an hour and a half later, my purchase of two **Pokémon 30th Celebration** Elite Trainer Boxes was secured - and surprisingly, it was the smoothest of any recent drops. If you could see my drafts in my writing folder, you’d see it full of [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) hot takes. But, I was also working on a piece accepting the fact I wouldn’t get any products from the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). I had fully dealt with and understood my chances were slim, yet I walked away last night beaming from ear to ear, stunned I managed to pre-order against all odds. That article has, unsurprisingly, been ceremoniously deleted in my excitement. I’m not going to pretend my story is a unique one, nor am I going to pretend it was easy for everyone. Several collectors joined the queues later than me and scored their pre-orders (unlike England in the final 15 minutes of the semi-finals), while some got Error 17d in expected yet still frustrating fashion. Even then, it seems like The Pokémon Company has finally *mostly* nailed drops. At least something is coming home, and it's a trophy full of cards and chases (hopefully). [Pokémon 30th Celebration cards appear to leak, but the mystery source has vanishedA recent leak of Pokémon cards from the 30th Celebration has sent the community into a frenzy, but the original source has vanished in the aftermath.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-90462ebe-1c7a-4ef0-a9e2-5f7e433e2e76.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-3-47a2cf62-bed7-4663-ade3-9d89e0dd99dc.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/) Even eBay tells the story of last night. Initially, ETBs sold for upwards of $750 for the pre-sale (which is against eBay [terms of service](https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/listing-policies/presale-listings-policy?id=4252&ref=kantopost.com), may I add), and yet, now there are sold listings for around the $220 mark. That’s still a big increase over the retail price, but comparatively, it shows many managed to get stock as the queues continued to dwindle. So, how did something like this go better than before, with expansions that were less in-demand? Well, firstly, while not confirmed, it’s likely The Pokémon Company is printing *a lot* of this set, and the extended pre-order window gives them more time to manage the existing orders. The smaller packs will also help deal with demand, with five-card packs instead of ten-card boosters. Having all of the products ready on the home page, available to add to your cart with a quick press of a button simplifies the entire process. Every page click is a risk of getting kicked out, so removing that from the experience solved a lot of issues and errors I had with the Perfect Order, Chaos Rising, and Pitch Black drops - all of which I didn’t manage to get. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’m not expecting perfection. Any system that has potentially millions of people accessing it at once is going to stumble and fail sometimes. No matter how random the drops get, the instant someone sees it and notifies social media, the frenzy will begin. The Pokémon Company nailed this drop compared to previous ones, thanks to a variety of features and systems, and while it came a little later than expected, it’s better late than never. Do I think all issues are solved? No. There are still plenty of collectors who lost out on [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/), seeing 200% increases on eBay and are forced to pay resale prices or lose out, and that’s really frustrating. But, in the same breath, more collectors have got their hands on an ETB than I’ve seen in years, and that’s something to be happy about. Thank you, The Pokémon Company. You did good this time. ### Pokémon Center’s invite system is alive - but it’s still not good enough URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/center-invite-first-uk/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T07:01:38.000Z The **Pokémon Center’s early access system** has finally been used in the UK, but its first real test suggests it hasn’t solved the problem it was designed to fix. Select collectors received invites for a Special Delivery Box full of **Pokémon cards** and accessories, yet the limited-access system still struggled to meet demand. The [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) is in a time of unprecedented demand, and The Pokémon Company has the difficult situation of managing the continued hype and demand, alongside the printing of new [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). Much like Japan’s recent move [towards identity verification](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) for high-demand Pokémon products, the early access system appeared to be another attempt to put products into the hands of collectors rather than resellers. On Tuesday, 14th July, emails went out to select newsletter subscribers offering a special delivery box, which comes with a bundle of goodies including a deck box, two plushies, a plush keychain, a pin, and an Elite Trainer Box (some come with two additional booster packs). At £52.99, that’s an excellent deal that many would buy instantly - a Pokémon Center ETB retails for £54.99 alone. Personally, I didn’t receive an email, which wasn’t unexpected. With an unknown selection criteria and potentially millions of newsletter subscribers, the odds were always going to be unclear. However, even with an unknown eligibility, many collectors lost the opportunity to buy the product, even though it has an expiry date of 20th July. ![An email sent to Pokémon card collectors for the Pokémon Center Early Access system](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled-design-2.jpeg) According to users in the [r/pokemoncardcollectors](https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemoncardcollectors/s/wjl4SmN4J7?ref=kantopost.com) subreddit, several who received an invite didn’t get to buy it. Some users suggest it was sold out by the time they checked their emails, within 20-30 minutes of clicking the link. Others are more drastic at just five minutes after the emails were received. No matter how long it was between the product going live and then subsequently selling out, the fact it was sent through an exclusive invite will only lead to more frustration. Early Access should change the buying experience. Instead of competing against thousands of collectors and potential resellers at launch, invited customers should have confidence that they have a reasonable window to purchase. Otherwise, the system simply moves the queue from a product page to an inbox. This is a big flaw for a major system, and while The Pokémon Company has not confirmed its plans, this first Early Access drop could be viewed as a test ahead of future high-demand releases, including [30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/). In that case, I think there’s a lot of fixes that need to be made before that expansion is released. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Invites should only meet the exact stock number, perhaps a little less, and if the invites expire to those who didn’t buy it, send out a few more emails to those who missed out on the first wave. Amazon does it, and buyers get 72 hours to make a decision. Chaos Cards did it, and while it’s moved to a new Product Drop system, the old invites gave collectors plenty of time to buy it. Pokémon Center should be able to do it, and make the collectors who got invited happy. The Pokémon Company has solved one problem: fewer people are refreshing the product page. But it hasn’t solved the bigger one. Moving the queue from website refreshes to inbox refreshes doesn’t give collectors the confidence that an invite system is supposed to provide. ### Best card sleeves for Pokémon cards in 2026 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-card-sleeves/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T19:49:27.000Z ## Trainer's Notes For my own collection, I use KMC Perfect Fit sleeves for cards going into binders or semi-rigid holders, and pair them with Dragon Shield Outer Sleeves for my most valuable cards. You don’t need to double sleeve everything, but protecting your favourite pulls with the right combination of sleeves can make a huge difference over time. The **best card sleeves for Pokémon cards** are an inexpensive way to protect your chases, adding an additional layer to stop surface damage, edge wear, and more. If you’re looking to add some to your collection, I’ve got the top choices for you. Card sleeves aren’t just helpful for [storing Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/how-to-store-pokemon-cards/), although they are great for that, but they also protect your cards if you’re playing matches of the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/). It makes shuffling cards easier beyond the protective features, and you have no reason not to own some. Here are the best card sleeves for Pokémon cards right now: ![A pack of KMC Perfect Fit card sleeves ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-4.jpeg) ## KMC Perfect Fit - the gold standard Pros: - High quality material - Fits snugly around cards - Grading-ready - Very affordable Cons: - Not great for shuffling Sometimes simplicity is best, and KMC Perfect Fit sleeves prove exactly why. Their snug fit, crystal-clear finish, and consistent quality have made them a favourite among Pokémon collectors for years. The fact that they’re clear also makes them a good option for the [best Pokémon grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/). As many require a clear penny sleeve, these remain a solution for all parts of the collecting and playing experience. In the UK, they’re only £2.99 from Japan2UK, making them excellent value compared to other options from competitors. As for the US, you can grab them on Amazon or the official KMC website for varying prices, but still within the $5-10 range, making them affordable and of great quality. ![A box of Dragon Shield Matte Pokémon card sleeves](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-5.jpeg) ## Dragon Shield Matte Sleeves - best for competitive players Pros: - High quality material with excellent protection - Matte finish that’s perfect for shuffling Cons: - Expensive For those looking to play rather than display, the best solution is the Dragon Shield Matte Sleeves. The textured matte finish makes shuffling smooth while helping reduce glare under bright lights, making them a great choice for competitive Pokémon TCG players. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. The only issue with Dragon Shield is that they’re fairly expensive. They’re worth the money, offering some of the most premium Pokémon card accessories on the market, but if you’re looking for a simple solution, you’ll be paying more than you would for budget sleeves. ![A box of Dragon Shield Clear Outer sleeves for Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-6.jpeg) ## Dragon Shield Outer Sleeves - best for double protection Pros: - Great for additional protection - Easy to apply while maintaining a snug fit Cons: - Expensive While not necessary, many collectors (including me) recommend double sleeving for extra protection, especially on those valuable chases. Dragon Shield Outer Sleeves are the best for this, allowing you to add another sleeve to your Pokémon cards, and paired with the KMC Perfect Fit, they work wonderfully. There are clear options as well as those with designs, making it great for those collecting or playing. Admittedly, standard binders may be a bit tight of a fit with double sleeves, so it’s worth using side-loading ones. But, if you used our storing cards guide, chances are you had one of those. Dragon Shield products usually fall on the more expensive side, but the price is well worth it, considering the fact that they’re some of the most premium sleeves on the market. ![Three of the Ultra Pro Pokémon card sleeves with different Energy Types](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-7.jpeg) ## Ultra Pro Energy Type Sleeves - most stylish choice Pros: - Sleek, yet stylish - Vibrant design Cons: - A little more expensive than standard Ultra Pro sleeves - Can’t be used for grading Ultra Pro’s standard clear penny sleeves are absolutely solid choices, ones that I’ve used for years and have plenty of them protecting my cards in my binders. However, for style, the Energy Type collection is arguably one of my favourite choices. Sometimes, less is more, and having sleeves designed with your energy type preference looks seriously stylish. They’re not great for grading or display, sure, but they’re a fun choice for casual players who want to add a bit of personality to their deck without sacrificing protection. ![Two Pokémon card sleeves with Porygon and Abra on it](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-8.jpeg) ## Pokémon Elite Trainer Box sleeves - the ‘free’ solution Pros: - Gorgeous designs - Comes in every ETB Cons: - Need to buy another ETB or from eBay for additional sleeves in same design - Not as premium quality as other options While not as premium as other options, and unsuitable for grading submissions, the sleeves included with Pokémon Elite Trainer Boxes are perfectly serviceable for everyday collecting and casual play. Designs vary per box, and the materials aren’t the best, but they’re still okay to use. Unsurprisingly, Pokémon cards fit extremely well in these sleeves - which you would have probably guessed. Alternatively, if you like the Pokémon-focused look but don’t want to buy an ETB, the Pokémon Center regularly sells different versions, including some that are related to anniversary events - like the ‘Opening Scene’ card sleeves. ## FAQs ### Does it matter what card sleeve you use? While many card sleeves offer the same protective qualities, there are some better suited for different things. For example, you’ll need clear ones for grading and some competitive rules. There’s also the finish with glossy or matte, which can offer different benefits depending on the collector. If you’re putting your cards into binders or as bulk for playing, any card sleeve will be okay. ### Should I choose matte or glossy card sleeves? Glossy and matte card sleeves for Pokémon work for different circumstances. Matte sleeves are best for play, allowing you to shuffle easily with a smooth surface, as well as offering less glare. However, glossy sleeves have a silky smooth texture that’s best for artwork visibility, which makes them best for display purposes. I’d recommend getting matte ones if you’re a frequent Pokémon TCG player, while those who prefer collecting should get the glossy sleeves. ### What sleeve does PSA prefer? PSA recommends submitting cards in a clear penny sleeve inside a semi-rigid holder, rather than in deck sleeves or top loaders. You cannot send it in one with designs, like some Dragon Shield options and the ones sold by the Pokémon Center. You’ll also need semi-rigid card holders, like the Vault X Semi-Rigid Card Holders. This is what I personally use when sending my cards for grading, and I haven’t had any issues yet. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Is it worth sleeving every card? No, it’s not worth sleeving every card. You’ll have plenty of bulk and duplicate cards that you can store in bulk boxes like your ETBs, but sleeving every card isn’t necessary. I typically sleeve cards that I use for play or ones that are valuable, whether they’re in binders or in semi-rigid card holders. It’s also worth noting that you should never, ever put a card inside a toploader or a semi-rigid card holder *without* putting it in a sleeve first. Putting a Pokémon card into these without a sleeve makes it much more likely to receive scratches or edge wear. ### Should I double sleeve Pokémon cards? If you want to further protect your cards, absolutely. Double sleeving keeps your Pokémon cards snug tightly inside two layers of sleeves, ensuring they’re protected from any edge wear or surface scratches. However, it’s not necessary for every Pokémon card, just those that are valuable or ones that you use a lot in matches. Double sleeving bulk and duplicate cards would become tedious and expensive, so only do it for those you really want to keep safe. ### What size sleeves fit Pokémon cards? Pokémon cards measure 63 x 88mm (2.5 x 3.5 inches). Most card sleeve companies will mention the size or ‘standard’ as what it fits. However, all of the options above have been tested and work well with Pokémon cards. ### Can you sleeve Pokémon cards before putting them in a binder? Yes. In fact, you should sleeve cards before putting them in a binder to avoid having your Pokémon cards get damaged. I’ve always sleeved my collection before storing them in binders, and I would recommend you do the same for safe storage. ### Do sleeves damage Pokémon cards? No. High-quality sleeves are designed to protect cards rather than damage them. Problems usually occur when dirt gets trapped inside a sleeve, when sleeves are too small, or when cards are forced into rigid holders without first being sleeved. Replacing worn sleeves every so often helps keep your collection in the best condition. ### Pokémon 30th Celebration cards appear to leak, but the mystery source has vanished URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/30th-celebration-leak-etb/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T09:28:03.000Z With **Pokémon 30th Celebration** excitement reaching fever pitch, any glimpse at unrevealed cards was always going to spread quickly. When images claiming to show Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rare **Pokémon cards** from the set appeared online, collectors wasted no time sharing them, but the person who may have originally posted them has since disappeared. We’ve had a few reveals ahead of the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) going live. The [Umbreon and Espeon ex promos](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-espeon-promos-upcs/) with the UPCs, as well as the [recent reveal of Jirachi](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/jirachi-ex-30th-celebration/), both of which were official. That’s not including the classic cards coming to the upcoming [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion, nor the Futuristic Rares revealed during the initial trailer. So, when what appeared to be photos of the Illustration Rare and higher rarity pages from a Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB began circulating online, the community shared them quickly. Instagram, X, Reddit and YouTube were flooded with the leaks, but as accounts share and the story gets further away from the original source, “who shared it?” becomes less of a question, and more of a requirement. [Where to buy Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium CollectionsThe upcoming 30th anniversary expansion comes with two boxes full of packs, and here’s where to try and buy the Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-e4108911-a4a8-4a09-81f2-3fb8628890fb.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-4-bd0f8800-1f57-464f-87f3-c3251250215b.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/) Based on my own research for Kanto Post, the earliest posts I could trace appear to come from a regular X user. The account has since deleted the posts, and has untagged themselves from those who do source them, but some hints of their posts remain. In replies to some of the shared leaks, statements like “everything I got”, “don’t think \[my\] friend is at the event anymore”, and answering some collectors questions paint a bit more of a picture. It’s not confirmation they were the original leaker, but the times associated with the remaining posts line up to being earlier than the accounts. The person who may have shared these leaks seems to be distancing themselves, so I won’t be sharing their name nor handle. I did attempt to reach out, but I’ve received no reply. I’ll update this article if I receive a response. Instead, when taking a deeper look at the photos, some very telling details point towards authentic over fake, though nothing is real until The Pokémon Company does an official reveal. The ETB checklist is consistent with previous ones, and the design of the pages matches the official iconography and white-and-yellow scheme of the recent product reveals. ![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---12-July-2026-at-11.04.52-2.jpeg) The Alolan Exeggutor Illustration Rare starts at #129, which matches previous English card reveals that the standard set ends with #128, while Mew, Mewtwo, and Pikachu SIRs match the day-and-night designs we’ve seen recently. That’s public knowledge, and has been for some time based on the Futuristic Rares and the UPC promos, so it’s easier to fake, but some other details stand out. For example, Jirachi was just revealed on Tuesday 7th July. Yet, it’s an SIR in this checklist (and it’s stunning as well). For a fake, incorporating a newly revealed Pokémon into a complete-looking checklist within days would require either unusually quick work or access to information beyond what was publicly available. Fuecoco seems like an odd inclusion for an SIR, and the triple Meowth IR group that is not only split with other cards between them, but is just a weird idea for a fake. The images do not immediately show obvious signs often associated with AI-generated Pokémon cards, such as inconsistent typography, malformed symbols, or repeated artwork errors. However, the absence of these issues does not prove the images are genuine. The rarity symbols seem consistent, especially with the introduction of the ‘C-Star’ for classic card reprints. The Futuristic Rare symbol for Mewtwo ex doesn’t match the purple star on the card, but it does match Mew ex’s green star. However, you should remain cautious. With the original source’s disappearance, no images independently verified, and a lack of comment from TPC or distributors, this makes it hard to trust it fully. If it’s a selection of [fake Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/fake-pokemon-cards/) next to existing reveals, it’s a fairly consistent one at that. But in a world where leaks can spread fairly easily, we can’t be certain that it’s real. At this stage, Kanto Post cannot independently authenticate these images, not until the leaker or “their friend” shares more information again - if you are the person behind these, feel free to contact us at [callum@kantopost.com](mailto:callum@kantopost.com). ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If these cards are genuine, Pokémon 30th Celebration is shaping up to be a modern classic. It’s not massive, like Pokémon Ascended Heroes, but the cards look amazing and there are plenty of chases to love. It does make me nervous about getting any packs, but with the hope of a massive printing cycle, alongside smaller packs, makes me excited for the set. For now, these remain unverified images circulating online. The evidence suggests this could be one of the more convincing Pokémon leaks in recent memory, but until The Pokémon Company confirms the cards or the original source provides more context, collectors should treat them as possible - not confirmed. ### This jumbo Pikachu Pokémon card just sold for $2,800 in a PSA 10 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pikachu-at-the-museum-psa-10/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T05:28:55.000Z Exclusive promo cards and value are intricately woven together when it comes to the **Pokémon TCG**. The Chinese Mew ex, the Van Gogh Pikachu, and more are limited in print, so they typically become valuable **Pokémon cards** for those reasons alone. However, jumbo cards are usually left out from that equation, and yet, here’s a Pikachu at the Museum card selling for almost $3,000. While I love a good jumbo card, the consensus in the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) community is that they’re great display pieces, but they’re unruly. You can’t fit them in typical binders, they’re not legal for competitive play, and for those focused on value, well, the aforementioned issues can cause problems. Thankfully, they’re usually limited to collection products, and not official releases in [Pokémon sets.](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) So, I definitely had Pikachu’s shocked face (not the meme, the [scream promo](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pikachu%5F%28SM-P%5FPromo%5F288%29?ref=kantopost.com)) when I saw that this promo sold for a small fortune. In a recent eBay [sale](https://www.ebay.com/itm/307035691748?%5Fskw=pikachu+at+the+museum+psa+10&itmmeta=01KX56BW1CHPHRDKR3T9TEM6E1&hash=item477cc0dae4%3Ag%3At3MAAeSwAMtqRI4D&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA4GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xCaBxSZMIoHQi32hkuxXgQ%2FsArlfcI1rg2sv1vOVPx8OB6BplgfyaV0BWGyJxQK0a%2BOZss20LOBOpSzxbTFTGeaZDTUe9ublTTT%2FdCarRrquG0GojARwZW9px%2FmEnB1UVLHVsxyudPM6kAHQ%2FzqmqVWGS1uCL6SyuybGsOD1M1iEq4kZkvbRNkcK5ZMsrJvb%2Bk6n6pFIWRiuqcT2dC4VUAfFOgDObgah3tGEKkjrMmcmMm6TX50YTNm%2FmVF0xtE58B%2FMQ1sUlKM%2B9OtZFKovkh7%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-zAr6bpZw&keyword=pikachu+at+the+museum+psa+10&sacat=0&relatedSearch=true&ref=kantopost.com), Pikachu at the Museum sold for $2,850 (£2,122) in a PSA 10, which appears to be the first publicly recorded sale. It’s only one of 18 in that grade, and there’s only 153 graded copies in general. ![The Pikachu at the Museum Pokémon card promo from the Natural History Museum collaboration](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-14.jpeg) Why has it sold for that much? Well, it’s easy to point at the current hype market and blame it, but it’s also the fact that jumbo Pokémon cards are ridiculously hard to grade. They’re vulnerable to edge wear, scratches, bending, surface damage, and other print issues that affect their chances at getting a Gem Mint. A jumbo card getting a high grade from one of the [best Pokémon grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) isn’t a small feat. I don’t expect jumbo cards to start soaring in value suddenly, thankfully. This seems to be a fairly rare case combining a limited Pikachu promo, with a hard-to-get grade and the generally overvalued Pokémon market. Of course, I could be wrong, and maybe we will see jumbo cards tripling in value overnight. Although, I really doubt it - Pikachu at the Museum is currently around £11, according to Collectr, and that’s a huge drop from the £100+ it initially had at release. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. It seems that having a PSA 10 of this jumbo card is valuable, but what’s more valuable is having a great Pokémon website that sends you news. Luckily, that’s free, and you can subscribe to our newsletter above to get TCG news sent straight to your inbox. Lucky you! ### Where to buy Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box ahead of release URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-elite-trainer-box/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T07:07:39.000Z An Elite Trainer Box is an excellent way to score some accessories with your boosters full of Pokémon cards, and for special sets, it’s one of the main ways to get multiple packs. With the anticipated release of the **Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB** coming up, I’m here to help you get your hands on the upcoming box. During my time as one of Wargamer’s resident [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) experts, I helped plenty of collectors like you get your hands on the recent [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). It’s not easy, and there’s no guarantee, but there are ways to get the latest products without paying above retail price. So, as you make your [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/), here’s where to get the ETB. ## Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB release date and pre-orders The Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box releases on Friday 16th September 2026, the official launch day of the expansion. It retails for around £44.99 / $49.99, with the Pokémon Center exclusive version selling for £54.99 / $54.99\. Here’s the list of retailers to bookmark on the run up to release: - [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/en-gb?srsltid=AfmBOoqlNXStRhTDVWSbaLdMkgvSm6XXjSt4hYPHFRI1xV-MaVhG9SPh&ref=kantopost.com) (global): the Pokémon Center is guaranteed to get stock, but queues and demand will be high - you can only get the Pokémon Center exclusive ETB here - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/shop/card-games/pokemon?ref=kantopost.com) (UK): as a reputable retailer, Chaos Cards’ new Product Drop system means everyone has a fair chance of getting the new set - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK): one of the biggest UK hobby retailers, but usually does “first-come, first-served” drops - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=pok%C3%A9mon+30th+celebration&crid=8LJPUBFUT344&sprefix=Pok%C3%A9mon+30%252Caps%252C485&ref=nb%5Fsb%5Fss%5Fmvt-t11-ranker%5F5%5F10) (UK): has an invite system but invites are limited and unreliable, but worth signing up to - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon%252030th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): one of the biggest retailers for Pokémon cards in the US. However, you’ll often need Walmart+ for drops - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=Pok%C3%A9mon%252030th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): similar to Walmart, except with a Best Buy subscription. Also, it often requires the mobile app and notifies customers a few days before a drop - [Sam’s Club](https://www.samsclub.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon+30th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): often has great deals and allows for two-per-person limits, but often requires a subscription ![The Nidorina Pokémon card promo from the Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-13.jpeg) ## How to improve your chances of getting the 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box With retailer allocations expected to be limited, getting a Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB at retail price won’t be a walk in the Poképark. Here’s some tips to help score one for launch day: - Make accounts now: don’t wait until stock pops up - make your accounts and set up payment details for the retailers above now, so you’re prepared - Disable VPNs, ad-blockers and other extensions: some browser extensions or applications can cause issues with virtual queues and anti-bot measures - you can turn them back on after! - Sign up for stock alerts: some retailers give you an option to sign up for stock notifications. Admittedly, these can come later and you may be behind other collectors, but it’s worth doing anyway ## Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box contents Every Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB includes nine booster packs of the new expansion, a promo Pokémon card featuring Nidorina, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, and other accessories like sleeves and dividers. The Pokémon Center version has the same, but with the addition of an exclusive stamped version of Nidorina and more packs - usually 11 packs. You can see an image of the contents below: ![The contents of the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-11.jpeg) ## Is it worth buying the Pokémon 30th Celebration ETB? Yes. While it’s not as full of packs as the 30th Celebration UPCs, it does offer plenty of packs and a neat promo - one that’s even more exclusive, if you manage to score the Pokémon Center version. I also use ETB boxes for keeping bulk cards and storing Pokémon cards in toploaders, so I’d happily keep the 30th Celebration box on my shelf long after opening it. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If I were choosing just one product, I’d still lean towards one of the Ultra-Premium Collections because of the extra packs and exclusive promos. That said, the Elite Trainer Box is likely to be the easiest premium product to find at retail, making it the best choice for collectors who simply want to open plenty of 30th Celebration packs without spending close to £180. ### A new Jirachi Pokémon card is coming with 30th Celebration, but I’m still wishing for an SIR URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/jirachi-ex-30th-celebration/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T09:19:13.000Z Revealed during Japan’s Tanabata festival on Tuesday, 7th July, the Wish Pokémon Jirachi is receiving a fresh **Pokémon card** in the anniversary expansion. It’s a lovely addition, but I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that an SIR, or even an Illustration Rare, is waiting elsewhere in the set. As [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) start to become the only thing on my mind, I’ve also been wondering about the full card list for the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion. With the Classic Collection cards currently locked behind the [30th Celebration UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/), there’s still plenty of room for surprises in the standard booster packs. If there’s one thing I’m hopeful for, it’s the idea of a **Jirachi ex SIR** (or IR, I’m not fussy TPCi). Considering the reveal of the ex card arriving in the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), my hopes aren’t completely unfounded - although there’s still nothing confirming an SIR is actually on the way. Revealing an Illustration Rare alongside the standard ex would’ve been a perfect fit. Tanabata centres around wishes written on colourful paper and tied to bamboo branches, making it an almost perfect theme for the Wish Pokémon. Perhaps The Pokémon Company is keeping its cards close to its chest - excuse the pun. ![A Jirachi ex Pokémon card from Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-9.jpeg) You can see the English version of the card above. It’s an [adorable piece of artwork ](https://x.com/pokemontcg/status/2074404300197970099?s=46&ref=kantopost.com)illustrated by 5ban Graphics, and it’s also great because Jirachi seems to be one of the most underrated mythical Pokémon in the franchise. Snubbed like Cresselia, which as Darkrai’s opposite, really should’ve had a new SIR in the [Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/). The last time we got a Full Art Jirachi was as a Sword & Shield promo, and even then, the Pokémon has only had two cards through the entire S&V era, both of which are common. It’s about time the Gen 3 Pokémon got some more modern love. And a Jirachi ex SIR would have a good shot of becoming one of my favourite Mega Evolutions era cards. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Even if an SIR never arrives, it’s still nice to see Jirachi return in one of Pokémon’s biggest anniversary sets. But until the full card list is revealed, I’ll keep hoping there’s one more wish waiting to come true. ### My favourite Scarlet & Violet Pokémon card somehow hasn’t joined the price boom URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/gardevoir-ex-245-opinion/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T06:16:58.000Z Most chase **Pokémon cards** have drifted well beyond my budget. The likes of Moonbreon and Bubble Mew are out of reach, and even newer cards like Mega Greninja from Chaos Rising cost more than I’m willing to spend. Yet one of the best Special Illustration Rares from the Scarlet & Violet era has somehow escaped the current price surge. With new [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) arriving every couple of months, I haven’t been able to buy packs right now - both budget restraints and stock issues play parts here. Instead, I’ve found myself looking back through my collection, and one card always stands out: **Gardevoir ex #245**. This Special Illustration Rare from the Base Set of the S&V era is absolutely stunning, showing Gardevoir helping an old couple in their home. It’s the final chapter in a three-card story, following the matching Ralts and Kirlia Illustration Rares as the family grows older together. It’s heartwarming, and it’s even more gorgeous in real life. ![Gardevoir ex #245 Pokémon card from Pokémon scarlet and violet](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-7.jpeg) It was the first card that made me look into [Pokémon grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/). I wanted to preserve it as safely as I could, so I could display it today and hopefully pass it on to my kids one day - much like the elderly couple at the end of the artwork. Despite being one of Pokémon’s most beautiful and ‘cosy vibes” cards, Gardevoir ex #245 remains shockingly affordable. According to Collectr, it’s around $71\. In the last 12 months, it’s only gone up around $30, and while most chases spike in value, Gardevoir is sitting comfortably. Scarlet & Violet Base Set launched before Pokémon’s current collecting boom reached its peak. Products were widely available for months, far more packs were opened, and many copies of Gardevoir ex entered circulation. Unlike today’s limited releases, there was never a prolonged shortage of supply, helping to keep prices relatively grounded despite the card’s popularity. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. As excitement builds towards Pokémon 30th Celebration, I’m just happy this card has avoided the price spiral affecting so many modern chase cards. Hopefully it stays that way, because more collectors deserve the chance to own one of the most beautiful illustrations Pokémon has ever printed. ### Where to buy Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-30th-celebration-ultra-premium-collections/ Last updated: 2026-07-04T10:26:52.000Z While most special **Pokémon TCG** expansions have one UPC for collectors, the Pokémon 30th Celebration line up is giving you two Ultra-Premium Collections - the Day and Night variants. With a huge selection of packs and some gorgeous promos, these are likely to be among the most sought-after products in the entire set. So, here’s where to buy the **30th Celebration UPCs**. For special [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) like Ascended Heroes or 30th Celebration, Ultra-Premium Collections are the best way to get multiple packs of the latest [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion. These sets don’t come with traditional booster boxes or individually sold packs, so they’re perfect for big ripping sessions ## Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra Premium Collection release date and pre-orders **The Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections release on Monday, 2nd November, 2026, and has a retail price of £179.99 / $180, based on recent reports.** That’s a little later than most [Pokémon 30th Celebration products](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/), but it’s not a long wait from the set’s initial September release. If you’re looking to buy it though, here’s the retailers I’d bookmark: - [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/en-gb?srsltid=AfmBOoqlNXStRhTDVWSbaLdMkgvSm6XXjSt4hYPHFRI1xV-MaVhG9SPh&ref=kantopost.com) (global): the Pokémon Center is guaranteed to get stock, but queues and demand will be high - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/shop/card-games/pokemon?ref=kantopost.com) (UK): as a reputable retailer, Chaos Cards’ new Product Drop system means everyone has a fair chance of getting the new set - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK): one of the biggest UK hobby retailers, but usually does “first-come, first-served” drops - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=pok%C3%A9mon+30th+celebration&crid=8LJPUBFUT344&sprefix=Pok%C3%A9mon+30%252Caps%252C485&ref=nb%5Fsb%5Fss%5Fmvt-t11-ranker%5F5%5F10) (UK): has an invite system but invites are limited and unreliable, but worth signing up to - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon%252030th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): one of the biggest retailers for Pokémon cards in the US. However, you’ll often need Walmart+ for drops - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=Pok%C3%A9mon%252030th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): similar to Walmart, except with a Best Buy subscription. Also, it often requires the mobile app and notifies customers a few days before a drop - [Sam’s Club](https://www.samsclub.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon+30th&ref=kantopost.com) (US): often has great deals and allows for two-per-person limits, but often requires a subscription I would avoid GameStop and Amazon (US), at least initially. GameStop regularly sells new Pokémon products at market price or high above retail, meaning you’ll pay extra even as a pre-order. Amazon in the US also has high reports of returned stock being sent to customers, based on community sentiment and reviews. ![The Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day and Night UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-14.jpeg) ## Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection contents If you do manage to get your hands on the new 30th Celebration UPCs, you’ll get some premium accessories. Each Ultra-Premium Collection comes with two promos, a playmat, card sleeves, a deck box, a metal coin, damage-counter die, and of course, 30 packs - 29 Pokémon 30th Celebration, and one ‘Classic Collection’ pack. The Day and Night variants come with different promos and playmats, depending on which you buy. The Day one comes with a Futuristic Rare version of Pikachu ex and an Espeon ex promo, while the Night version has a fittingly darker Pikachu ex and an Umbreon ex. You can see the promos below. ![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26-6.jpeg) ## Is it worth buying the Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections? Yes, both the Day and Night UPCs are worth buying. While it doesn’t quite match the amount of packs or the price of a standard booster box, it’s the most Pokémon 30th Celebration packs you can get in one product. Both sets of promos are just an added bonus, alongside all of the goodies - and [they’re gorgeous promos, too](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-card-30th-deck-box/). The price is the only hard selling point. £180 / $180 for a Pokémon UPC is £60 / $60 more than the typical Ultra-Premium Collection RRP. But, it’s got more packs, so it works out roughly the same on a per-pack price. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you can only pick up one of the UPCs, I’d pick the Night one. Moonbreon proves the community loves Umbreon, and I imagine it’ll be the more popular of the two. getting either at retail price will be a success given the expected demand. I’d make this the must-have purchase of the product lineup. ### One Pokémon retailer had 25 times more buyers than stock ahead of 30th Celebration URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chaos-cards-product-drop-interview/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T10:18:34.000Z ## Trainer's Notes Chaos Cards says some recent Pokémon TCG product drops attracted 25 times more sign-ups than available stock, showing just how difficult stock allocation has become ahead of Pokémon 30th Celebration. To give more collectors a fair chance, the retailer has replaced its invite system with a random lottery-style draw, joining a growing effort to reduce queue races and discourage scalpers. The **Pokémon 30th Celebration** is just a few months away, and as retailers prepare for an influx of orders, many are introducing new ways of selling stock to manage demand. Emulating the lottery-style system in Japanese **Pokémon cards**, UK retailer Chaos Cards is trying to prepare for the upcoming expansion, yet allocations still can’t meet demand. [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) told Kanto Post that “for some of the product drops we’ve run we’ve had 25x the amount of sign ups compared to the amount of stock we have received,” highlighting the scale of [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) demand retailers continue to face.Just last week, Unicorn Cards also told Kanto Post about the challenges of managing demand after [introducing market-price listings](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/unicorn-cards-statement/) for some Pokémon products. “We’ve been working with our customers to learn the best way to get Pokémon out to as many people as possible without everyone having to race to try and buy,” Chaos Cards told us, before speaking more about its latest measures to meet demand. However, Chaos Cards is opting to use a new draw-style system for upcoming [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), making it one of the first retailers to do so. Chaos Cards’ Product Drops system replaces the retailer’s previous invite system, which regularly attracted [thousands of sign-ups](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/blog/product-drops-the-fairer-way-to-play?ref=kantopost.com). Customers have their payment cards pre-authorised before winners are selected at random. If they aren’t chosen, the authorisation simply expires and they aren’t charged. “The winners of the drops are selected at random to help keep things fair,” Chaos Cards continues in its statement. “We want to make sure that new players and those who have been playing since 1996 have an equal chance of getting their hands on packs.” Of course, even with the lottery system, bots and other attempts at manipulating the system are still a worry. “The system itself also checks entrants' details to make sure it isn’t one person trying with lots of different details,” Chaos Cards told Kanto Post. The retailer says the issue extends beyond a single store. Chaos Cards says that it is sure distributors are doing their best to make sure as many stores can sell Pokémon cards as possible. However, with the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) inbound, it’s hard for collectors not to feel anxious about not getting stock. “We want to celebrate Pokémon 30th Celebration with everyone,” Chaos Cards continued. “We are making plans for how we can sell the set at our physical shop without the scramble as well as making sure our online customers can get their hands on what is going to be a very limited set.” Between online queues and in-store launches, demand for Pokémon 30th Celebration is expected to be enormous. The Pokémon Company has also introduced ID verification for some [purchases and events in Japan](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) as part of wider efforts to combat reselling and improve access for genuine customers. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. **“**The 30th Celebrations products are releasing over a few months which will help but each product will definitely have a lot of people interested in them,” Chaos Cards concludes. While the official launch worldwide lands on Friday, 16th September, many products like the two Ultra-Premium Collections, Figure Collections, and even Booster Bundles will release in October and November. Whether retailers use lotteries, invite systems, or traditional first-come, first-served launches, Chaos Cards’ figures suggest the biggest challenge remains the same: demand continues to far exceed the amount of Pokémon stock retailers receive. ### Nintendo is working with The Pokémon Company to tackle Pokémon card speculation URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/nintendo-shareholder-june/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T17:39:34.000Z The **Pokémon TCG** has become one of the franchise’s biggest success stories, with packs selling out almost as soon as they hit store shelves. However, it has got to such a boiling point that a shareholder asked Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa about the issue during the company’s annual general meeting, where he outlined several measures The Pokémon Company is taking to tackle speculation. While most of the meeting was about Nintendo’s own products and games - like the upcoming release of Spatoon Raiders, Switch 2 hardware, and more, one shareholder had questions regarding how the company is working with TPC to “create an environment where customers can purchase and enjoy the products with peace of mind?”, citing issues regarding [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) speculative bulk buying. The following comments are based on a translation of the Japanese [meeting notes](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2026/qa2606.pdf?ref=kantopost.com). Furukawa’s response notes that “there are cases where cards produced in limited quantities are bought up for speculative purposes.**”** The Japanese wording refers specifically to buying limited-quantity cards with the intention of profiting from future value, rather than collecting or playing them. The Nintendo President says the company also communicates with The Pokémon Company as necessary and discusses ways to ensure products are delivered appropriately to customers, adding that Nintendo understands The Pokémon Company will continue advancing those measures. Furukawa also mentions these measures, one of which is the recent My Number Card [verification system](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) imposed on events and the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/). He also discusses other measures the company is taking, including “made-to-order sales and agreements with marketplace operators.” It’s not completely clear what those measures mean, but we can speculate (excuse the pun). Rather than rushing out stock for the initial launch, ‘made-to-order’, where customers place an order during a set window before products are manufactured or allocated to fulfil those orders. That reduces the chance for those buying for profit to make money from shortages, and lets customers buy with a potential guarantee. Nintendo doesn’t elaborate on what these agreements involve, but they could include working to delist fraudulent sales pages, fake Pokémon cards, or enforcing existing policies on marketplaces more strictly. What’s interesting is that this question was raised by a shareholder, not a journalist or collector. The issue has become so prevalent that even Nintendo is being asked about it. It’s worth noting that these answers are edited for clarity by Nintendo itself, so it may not be a verbatim transcript. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. While Nintendo doesn’t manage the Pokémon TCG directly, the comments show the company is actively discussing the issue with The Pokémon Company rather than distancing itself from it. The Pokémon Company in the West has yet to introduce strict measures like the My Number Card in Japan. The closest example we have is the vague ‘early access’ system, which as of Pitch Black’s pre-order window, [has yet to be used](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/center-early-access-pitch-black/). ### Pokémon 30th Celebration’s two best promos will set you back £360 in Ultra Premium Collections URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-espeon-promos-upcs/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T10:49:15.000Z 💡 5th July: The original story claimed the UPCs were £120 each, making the promos £240 together. Recent reports suggest each UPC will be £180\. I’ve updated the article to reflect. The Eeveelutions have been in the spotlight for years, becoming the most sought-after **Pokémon cards** for collectors. All you need to do is check the Evolving Skies and Prismatic Evolutions prices to see that they become instantly unaffordable for most as soon as they leave a wrapper. Now, **Pokémon 30th Celebration** is bringing new Umbreon and Espeon promos to English collectors. They’re guaranteed rather than pack pulls, but getting both won’t come cheap. While the [Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) have yet to begin, I know that any box containing Umbreon will be an instant purchase for many. Like moths to a flame, or cultists to a moon, [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) collectors are drawn to the Dark-type Eeveelution. The promos, which I [wrote about last month](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-card-30th-deck-box/), were first revealed for the Japanese Pokémon 30th Celebration Premium Deck, with both Umbreon and Espeon as promos. This collection retails for 6,200 yen, which is roughly £29 / $38. ![Espeon and Umbreon ex Pokémon cards from Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra Premium Collections](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-14.25.26.jpeg) In the West, we don’t have both promos neatly tucked away inside one little collection. Instead, you’ll need to buy TWO Ultra Premium Collections to own both Umbreon and Espeon. For UK collectors, that’s a 727% increase over the Japanese box - which to put it lightly, is absurd. Admittedly, you also get 30 packs in each, so 60 packs in total. That alone makes the price worth it. But compared to how cheap the promos are in Japan, it’s still a massive difference. Perosnally, I was hopeful it would be in the Deck Boxes, so I didn’t have to pay a small fortune. I was hoping I could get both promos in some fairly cheap collection boxes. Spending £360 is a big ask for some collectors, especially when it runs out of stock and goes high in market price. You’ll have to up your budget for this set, to say the least. Of course, it’s not an apples to oranges comparison. The Day and Night UPCs also have the Futuristic Rare Pikachu cards, one of each, per box. Those are both 27,500 yen in one box in Japan, which is around £127 / $169\. Even taking that into account, we’re still paying more than Japanese collectors, and with [limits imposed](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) on the upcoming products in Japan, well, the English [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) is our best bet. Good luck. The decks from Japan are also available in the English line up, with two separate Deck Boxes focused on Umbreon and Espeon, respectively. However, the promos included with these are Zeraora and Victini, weirdly. Could’ve at least put the Eeveelutions in those, The Pokémon Company. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Either way, it’s nice to know it’s not going to be a chase card, making it hard to get in packs that will inevitably go out of stock. However, I’m here to help you get stock, so make sure to sign up to our newsletter to get notified on new drops. ### Where to buy Pokémon Ascended Heroes Focused Fighters Collection URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/ascended-heroes-focused-fighters/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T14:50:56.000Z ⚡ Trainer's Notes The Pokémon Ascended Heroes Focused Fighters Collection is exclusive to Sam's Club in the US, and retails for $54.98\. It will be available in-store and online. There is no UK retailer yet. I don’t need to tell you how difficult it has been to get **Pokémon Ascended Heroes** products. You’re here, which likely means you’re looking for a chance to get some - any - packs at all. As someone who only managed to get a couple of ETBs myself, I know the feeling. Thankfully, the **Focused Fighters Collection** offers another chance to pick up 14 packs, and here’s where you can buy it. While the [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) has been difficult to find since launch, products like this still offer one of the best chances to pick up packs. The [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) expansion is a special set, so no individual packs on shelves, meaning you’ll need to rely on ETBs or other collection boxes (like this one) to get stock. Sadly, the Pokémon Ascended Heroes Focused Fighters Collection is a Sam’s Club exclusive, meaning you’ll need to have a membership to get it. It can’t be a trial version, if previous Pokémon drops match the upcoming one - you’ll need to have a [full subscription](https://www.samsclub.com/join?ref=kantopost.com). If you already have one, well, that’s great - you can buy it [here](https://www.samsclub.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon+Focused+Fighters&ref=kantopost.com) when it drops for $54.98 (with a limit of two per membership). However, if you don’t have one, I’d recommend getting the Plus membership, which will set you back an additional $50 for the first year. Alongside 14 Ascended Heroes booster packs, the collection includes five promo cards: jumbo and standard-sized Mega Hawlucha ex, N’s Zekrom, N’s Reshiram, and Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex. These are reprints of existing cards rather than new illustration rares or exclusive promotional cards. As for the UK, there’s currently no official reveal as to where you can buy it. I’ll be sure to update this article with the retailer (or retailers) that have it for sale. ## Is it worth buying the Pokémon Ascended Heroes Focused Fighters Collection? Absolutely. Not because of the promos - they’re quite basic, and jumbo cards are unpopular with most collectors - but because it’s 14 packs for $55\. For reference, a standard Elite Trainer Box retails for $49.99 and only has nine packs, making this a great deal. Collections like these are the closest collectors like us can get to opening a booster box with a special set. Without traditional 36-pack booster boxes, they’re one of the best-value ways to rip a large number of packs in one go. The only challenge is being lucky enough to secure one before they sell out. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to subscribe to our free newsletter above to be kept up-to-date on all things in the Pokémon TCG - including getting stock at retail price. ### “It felt more like a casino”: How livestream shopping is reshaping Pokémon card collecting URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/whatnot-card-collecting-investigation/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T14:02:21.000Z PattyG had spent more than $15,000 in a week and a half on Whatnot, chasing **Pokémon cards** and paying for blind auctions and mystery packs. “I don’t like how it changed my relationship with collecting,” the collector told Kanto Post. “It felt more like a casino where I constantly p\*ss money away, and less like a real experience of opening packs.” As livestream platforms like Whatnot and eBay Live, services that allow streamers to sell items in live auctions, change how consumers buy products across a range of categories, [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) sellers make up its biggest audience. What started as a question about gambling-like mechanics quickly became a bigger one. If buying Pokémon cards increasingly revolves around livestreams, auctions and entertainment, has Pokémon collecting itself started to change? Whatnot and eBay Live aren’t simply made up of Pokémon card sellers. The best way to describe them is the energy of a bidding war at the end of an eBay auction, but with the seller actively participating in the experience. A hybrid of Twitch and a selling contest, wrapped up into one. It’s the QVC shopping channel, but with live auctions, social interaction and chance-based mechanics layered on top of sealed products. Whatnot’s meteoric rise - and its [current $11.5 billion valuation](https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/ecommerce-unicorn-whatnot-raises-seriesf/?ref=kantopost.com) \- is thanks to the company’s ability to mix social entertainment with commercial intent, turning auctions into interactive experiences. It’s not just Pokémon that played a big part in this global rise - it’s sneakers, collectibles, and women’s fashion. > It felt more like a casino where I constantly p\*ss money away, and less like a real experience of opening packs. > > — PattyG Pokémon remains the biggest category on the platform by viewer count. On a random Sunday at 7am, there were 13,000 viewers on TCG content, with 11,000 of them buying packs from Pokémon sets and chatting about the latest developments in the card game. The second highest category was women’s fashion, with 8.9k viewers across various subcategories. As more sellers join these platforms, standing out has become increasingly important. Over time, streamers have introduced concepts to layer additional chance-based mechanics on top of the randomness already present in Pokémon booster packs. These include blind packs, giveaways, respins, and break spots, where buyers pay for a randomly assigned portion of a pack-opening session rather than knowing exactly what they’ll receive. “I first started getting into blind packs because I liked the extra thrill of gambling.” PattyG told Kanto Post. “In my experience it absolutely does have a different feel than opening booster packs.” After spending $15,000, which Kanto Post verified privately, PattyG had some regret. “I don't regret it financially because (thankfully) I can afford it, but I don't like how it changed my relationship with collecting.” PattyG then went on to say that they “ended up spending more than I had originally planned, mostly because they set it up in such a way to make it seem like a casino.” When asked if any collector who hasn’t used the platform should try it, PattyG said they would tell them to “run the opposite direction,” before adding “I would tell them to look at how statistically unlikely it is to pull one big card out of thousands of mystery packs. Just buy the card you want instead.” What makes services like Whatnot so distinct from random auctions on marketplaces like eBay, or even luxury services like Goldins, is the community aspect. Based on our own experience, streamers will remember returning users, chat about their days, reference current events like the World Cup, and become social with one another. ![Various screenshots of Whatnot Pokémon card streams](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-2.jpeg) That’s not unusual for livestreaming platforms. Twitch and YouTube streams offer the same experience, but when the service is focusing on selling products, that social aspect can feel distinctly different; it’s no longer about community, but the eventual purchase of products in a commercial setting. The best salespeople will try to make potential buyers feel comfortable, but typically, they’re one-on-one sessions. During Kanto Post’s reporting, many of the largest Pokémon streams regularly attracted more than 100 viewers, with one exceeding 300 shortly after going live. That is heightened by feeling welcomed into a tight crowd of like-minded people. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; Kanto Post has seen people cheer each other on when they win big or small, and users remember each other - it’s not just the streamer and the individual. To better understand that dynamic, Kanto Post spoke with Dr. Leon Xiao, Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong, whose research focuses on gambling-like mechanics in video games, trading cards and consumer protection. When asked about the community aspect, Dr. Xiao said “It would not be unreasonable to suggest that people may be more willing to spend money and trust the streamer they know well.” However, he did bring in the potential positives, adding “In fact, community members and even \[the\] streamer may remind users who are spending quite a lot of money to reconsider or to “buy singles,” thus serving as a protective factor.” While Dr. Xiao did say that “opening packs are gambling-like psychologically and structurally”, providing a peer-reviewed study co-authored by himself that linked [card packs to problem gambling](https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001082?ref=kantopost.com) (although, less impactful than loot boxes), he does note that “We have not done much if any proper academic research yet.” Whatnot and similar services are a relatively new concept, one that hasn’t had the research put into it. ![Dr. Leon Xiao headshot photo in front of a Kanto Post background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-1.jpeg) Dr. Leon Xiao, Assistant Professor at the City University of Hong Kong “I’d say, based on my observation, that it’s arguably riskier with livestreams because of various factors,” Dr Xiao goes on to say, “including that the streamer can open packs more quickly in bulk than normal players can, so more money can be lost more quickly.” Unlike many regulated gambling products, Pokémon doesn’t publish official pull rates. While collectors have developed estimates through thousands of recorded openings, every new pack still carries uncertainty. On livestream platforms, the randomness of opening Pokémon packs doesn’t disappear. Instead, it’s layered with countdowns, public auctions, community interaction and additional chance-based mechanics. When asked about these additional mechanics, Dr. Xiao says that “These are risk factors, but we need to do more research to be sure. They might make the products more potentially harmful by increasing spending, and certainly are not there to make the products less harmful.” ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. He also mentions the fact that platforms like Whatnot offer introductory offers or discounts to consumers in order to get them to make their first purchase. This isn’t bad on its own, but it becomes more complicated with what individual streamers can offer. However, these aren’t mechanics that individual streamers have developed, but built-in tools for sellers from Whatnot. Dr. Xiao makes it clear that more research needs to be conducted in this area. However, he does believe that more can be done to protect consumers, including optional spending reminders, pop-ups reminding users about spending and risks, stronger streamer verification, and deposits for streamers to improve consumer redress. The only true way to understand how widely used these mechanics are is to get involved in the community. So, over a week and with 20 hours spent, Kanto Post watched 25 streams, using the top three Pokémon streamers at random days and times as reference. While mystery pack openings weren’t as common as we expected (although, there were a couple), the use of marketing tactics was plentiful, even in basic auctions. Over half of the streams contained giveaways, many of which required the community to meet certain goals like spending a certain amount or buying enough products. Five had “break spots” with messaging like “rip until you hit big”, and buried further in the show’s notes were “bid responsibly” notices. Multiple streams had five-second or lower auction times, making auctions more intense and pressuring than typical purchases. However, out of those, three streams didn’t use any marketing tactics or loud personalities - one in particular stood out to us, as a Japanese man sold valuable graded cards sent from Japan. There were no quick-paced auctions, just expensive cards to an engaged community. Across the 25 streams observed by Kanto Post, many of the engagement mechanics described by PattyG and discussed by Dr. Xiao appeared repeatedly.These were by far the most popular shows on the platform at the times we had watched, and many of them were above 100 viewers at any one time - one even had 300 watchers when it started. Even those that had “buy what you see” auctions used the same techniques as other streamers did, including giveaways with high requirements and AI-generated photos that promote free products and low-prices. > It’s arguably riskier with livestreams because the streamer can open packs more quickly in bulk than normal players can, so more money can be lost more quickly. > > — Dr. Leon Xiao During one stream, one person had spent £30 on three White Flare packs, a 500% increase over the typical retail price of a booster. After being ripped open on stream, the buyer then said “Are they any good? It’s the first time I’ve ripped White Flare.” After speaking with Dr. Xiao and watching Whatnot streams, Kanto Post reached out to the company with questions relating to the investigation. “Our trust and safety team is the largest department in the company. About 1 in 3 of our 1,000+ employees work in it, and it more than doubled in 2025,” a Whatnot spokesperson said. Whatnot rejected comparisons between its marketplace and gambling, stating that “Gambling isn't allowed on Whatnot, and we strictly enforce[ ](https://help.whatnot.com/hc/articles/4410443596813-Gambling-and-Purchase-Based-Prize-Policy?ref=kantopost.com)this policy.” The platform also has existing policies on card breaks, surprise products, and professionally sealed surprise products. Streamers who break the rules could receive consequences including “billbacks so sellers don't profit, plus warnings, suspensions, loss of selling privileges, or removal depending on severity and account history.” ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. The Whatnot spokesperson also added that “any new pack of trading cards is a blind pack\[,\] whether you buy it on Whatnot or off a store shelf.” The platform has already introduced safety measures that Dr. Xiao had suggested, including watch and spending limits, as well as ID verification for sellers. Kanto Post verified that these controls are available through the platform’s Account Controls but must be enabled by users rather than being active by default. As for the community aspect, the spokesperson said that the platform is “a place where people come together to connect over shared passions and discover the things they love, from Pokémon and trading cards to fashion, collectibles and beyond.” To help with this, the platform bans “tens of thousands of accounts a week” with its fraud models, enforcing its rules with a mix of human and technology reviews. That part about the social element of Whatnot is one that Dr. Xiao also brought up. He said “I don’t think this is necessarily always a bad thing because the community does provide opportunities for people to socialise and share their hobbies.” Before adding “In fact, community members and even streamers may remind users who are spending quite a lot of money to reconsider or to “buy singles,” thus serving as a protective factor.” > Whatnot is a place where people come together to connect over shared passions and discover the things they love. > > — Whatnot spokesperson However, even if services like Whatnot need further research to uncover whether the mechanics are gambling, our reporting suggests it has reshaped how some collectors treat the hobby. Every “hit” stream, where buyers only receive valuable cards while bulk is discarded or redistributed, changes the purpose of opening packs. Rather than experiencing an entire booster, collectors increasingly pay for only the chance of hitting something expensive. Regardless of whether Whatnot’s various mechanics count as gambling or not, the resulting feeling of losing out feels the same. PattyG said “I could’ve purchased a Black Label Umbreon VMAX Alt Art at the time for around that price. Or I could’ve purchased a \[tonne\] of vintage boxes.” Most collectors would talk with other players or Pokémon TCG fans prior to buying a new set. They’d look into the card guide, finding out which chases they like before pressing the buy button. That personal research is lost with Whatnot. Much like the buyer who spent a huge amount over retail for White Flare, they didn’t ask before whether what they had was good - they asked after they’d already hit the buy button. Whether future research points to Whatnot using gambling mechanics or not, we’ve reached a point where the very opening of Pokémon packs becomes entertainment. For collectors who enjoy opening packs themselves, livestream buying changes the experience. The excitement of shuffling through bulk, discovering unexpected cards and opening packs in your own hands is replaced by watching somebody else do it live. For some collectors, opening packs of Pokémon cards is no longer simply about the cards themselves; it’s about participating in the show. We reached out to the UK’s Gambling Commission and the National Council on Problem Gambling in the United States with a request for comment prior to publication. We will update this story if they respond. *Editor's Note: Whatnot provided Kanto Post with a detailed written statement addressing community, consumer protection, Trust & Safety, and platform policies. Relevant excerpts have been quoted throughout this article. You can read the full statement from Whatnot* [*here*](https://www.kantopost.com/whatnot-statement-29th-june-2026/)*.* ### This promo Pikachu Pokémon card now sells for $20,000, but the box it came in is worth twice as much URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/poncho-pikachu-charizard-y-box/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T11:18:28.000Z If there’s one thing Pokémon collectors love, it’s Pikachu. If there are two things they love, it’s Pikachu dressed as Charizard. The 2016 Poncho Pikachu Charizard Y **Pokémon card** has quietly become one of the hobby’s biggest grails, with PSA 10 copies now changing hands for around $20,000\. Yet somehow, the sealed box it originally came in has become even more valuable, recently selling for an astonishing $40,000. Like most [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) cards that remain exclusives, its value remains intertwined with the fact that sealed supply has slowly dwindled as the decade has passed. Out of 2,963 total cards graded by the [Pokémon grading service](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/), PSA 10 makes up a massive 81% of the population. Despite an impressive gem rate, there are still only around 2,400 Gem Mint copies in existence, making high-grade examples surprisingly scarce for one of Pokémon’s most desirable promos. Being a 2016 card (it’s an X-Y promo, to give you a sense of the age), most people pulled them out of the box and displayed them or popped them in binders. Even then, it’s a crossover of two iconic ‘mon from the franchise, and the limited supply gives it a bump up in value. That value has only grown with the recent hype and massive demand. Even in March 2023, the card went for $750 ungraded, seven years after it was first released. And, it is an adorable card that deserves the recognition it currently has. But it’s now $4200 ungraded, and according to recent sales, that translates to roughly $20,000 for a PSA 10 copy. ![A Poncho Pikachu Charizard Y Pokémon card next to the Mega Charizard Y Pikachu box](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-14.jpeg) Yet the card isn’t the most expensive part of the collection. Two recent eBay sales put the sealed Mega Charizard Y Poncho Box at $40,000, worth roughly double the value of a PSA 10 copy inside it. Two recent sales put the Mega Charizard Y Ponch box at $40,000 for the sealed collection. Why? Well, back in 2016, almost nobody imagined these boxes would become museum pieces. Collectors bought them to open, pull out the promos and enjoy the rest of the contents. Ten years later, that means untouched examples are dramatically rarer than the cards themselves. What’s even more interesting is that, in November last year, it was only sold for $11,700\. That means by the next time it was listed on the eBay marketplace, it had over tripled in value. If you’ve somehow kept one sealed for the last decade, you’re now holding one of the rarest modern Pokémon products on the market. Just don’t leave it in the attic: heat and humidity aren’t kind to cardboard (you can use our [storing Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/how-to-store-pokemon-cards/) guide to find the best spot for it). ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. While the rest of the poncho Pikachu cards don’t reach the same high values, they’re still beloved grails for the community. In reality, I’d be happy to have any of them, even if it was beaten up and lived in a back pocket for five years. *Source:* [*Collectr*](https://getcollectr.com/?ref=kantopost.com) ### One of 2026’s most beautiful Pokémon cards will also be its hardest to get URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/mega-gallade-sir-promo/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T06:56:48.000Z If there’s anything that causes me feel deep pain, it’s exclusive cards that I know I’ll never get my hands on. Whether that’s vintage classics way out of my price range, or promotional **Pokémon cards** locked by time or region, these cards only exist to cause me great pain - and leave a void in my binder. Mega Gallade ex might be one of the most breathtaking SIRs I’ll never, ever get. The [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) is full of cards that most collectors will never realistically own. Some become too expensive. Others are locked behind regional promotions. Mega Gallade ex falls firmly into the second category. The stunning SIR, which features in Japan as a [promotional version](https://www.pokemon-card.com/info/005507.html?ref=kantopost.com) of the card from Storm Emeralda / Delta Reign [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), is being distributed through events alongside a separate 2,000-copy My Number Card lottery. That wouldn’t be too bad, normally. I’d still take the chance on signing up and being one of the lucky trainers to get it. However, it’s even more limited than you may expect. Not only do you have to sign up to battle other players, forming decks of Delta Reign cards you open on the spot, but you need a My Number Card to sign up for a *chance* to be involved. That means being a Japanese citizen or having permanent residence. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that. It means that collectors like you or I will have to either not get one, or buy it on the secondary market for a likely premium. It’s similar to the 1,510 copies of the Chinese exclusive Mew ex card, which now costs a hefty sum if you want to buy it. It’s not *as* limited, and it’s not featuring an iconic Pokémon, but I imagine it’ll still cost a decent chunk of money. ![Mega Gallade ex SIR promo from Pokémon Japan](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-11.jpeg) However, if you’re lucky enough to be one of 2,000 people, or you want to buy it later, you get a truly spectacular card. Illustrated by AKIRA EGAWA, the artist behind the gorgeous Mega Darkrai SIR from the [Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/), as well as the two Terastal Charizard cards from Paldean Fates and Obsidian Flames, this Mega Gallade SIR captures the same hand-drawn aesthetic, showcasing the Pokémon’s prowess mid-attack. In case you can’t tell, I desperately want it. Winners of the My Number Card lottery and eligible event participants are expected to receive their cards in December 2026\. The lottery and government ID requirement is similar to the limits imposed on the [Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) that The Pokémon Company Japan [announced earlier](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) this month. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you want to find out about more reveals ahead of Delta Reign, or hear about those exclusive cards most of us will never get, make sure to sign up for our newsletter above. ### How did this Pokémon card suddenly become worth $700? URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/dedenne-gx-sales/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T14:01:34.000Z I’ve seen **Pokémon cards** hit $700 before. Charizard? Sure. Umbreon? Makes sense. A Dedenne promo from a Trainer’s Toolkit? That’s where you lose me.Somehow, this Dedenne GX promo card has joined the former side, and in reality, I have no idea why. Who’s buying this? Seriously? Well, I had to find out. I’m not being rhetorical. I’ve covered [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) prices for years, so when I see something like the Dedenne GX promo suddenly selling for hundreds of dollars, it catches my attention. According to Collectr, the card is currently sitting around the $30 mark for an ungraded version. However, the PSA 10 has been steadily rising over the last six months, before landing on around $270 last week. Since reaching the $300 point, it has shot up to $520 - but the app is somewhat behind on data. While some listings are available for around the $550-600 mark, and some receiving bids above that on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=dedenne+gx+195a+PSA+10&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), there’s also been some $700 sales. Why? Well, I almost admitted defeat; but then I looked into it a little more. At first, I assumed this was another case of an impossibly low PSA 10 population. It isn’t. PSA has graded 6,356 copies, with 3,135 earning Gem Mint 10\. That’s healthy by modern standards, so scarcity alone doesn’t explain a $700 price tag. It also helps that Unbroken Bonds has become one of the defining Sun & Moon [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), meaning plenty of newer collectors never had the chance to open it or play decks from that era. ![A Dedenne GX 195a Pokémon card in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-7.jpeg) However, what makes this a perfect storm is that, not only is this card an exclusive promo to the 2020 Trainer’s Toolkit, but it’s also a powerful card for the game itself. At the time, it was a staple of competitive decks, so the community has love for it, too. That means people played with it. It wasn’t sitting in binders or slabs waiting for the eventual day it’ll be sold. Players actively used this card, opening the Trainer’s Toolkit to use it in their decks, and add some flair to their playstyle with a Full Art card. While those who decided to [store Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/how-to-store-pokemon-cards/) away ultimately benefited, it’s nice to see a card grow valuable over time. Do I think it’s worth $700? Probably not. Do I think that Dedenne will become a popular character like Umbreon, Pikachu, or Charizard? No, I don’t think so. This is a fan-favourite card that has simply shot up due to being exclusive, part of a beloved era, and some level of competitive nostalgia for the Sun & Moon / Sword & Shield era. Electric-type in a bottle, so to speak. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above to keep up-to-date on all things Pokémon, especially the TCG! ### All Pokémon sets since the start and the upcoming release schedule URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T09:02:33.000Z 💡 (31 July, 2026) I've updated this article to add Pitch Black to the official release list, now that the expansion is available. There’s a new **Pokémon TCG** set every couple of months, so it can certainly become overwhelming. By the time you’ve made a dent in collecting all of the Pokémon cards for the latest set, chances are, there’s already been another one (or even a few) launched in that time span. So, if you need to catch up, here are **all Pokémon sets** in order of release. I’m going in order from the very first [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) set to the latest, and, unsurprisingly, there have been quite a few since the TCG’s release in 1997\. This is quite a lengthy list, which I’ve broken up into eras to make things a little easier. ## New to Pokémon TCG? If you‘re not sure where to start, here’s some advice: - Latest set: Chaos Rising - Best modern expansion: [Ascended Heroes](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-ascended-heroes/) - Best vintage set: EX Delta Species - Best chase cards: Evolving Skies ![Pokemon Base Set logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-base-set.jpg) ## Base Era - Base Set (BS) - January 9, 1999 - Jungle (JU) - June 16, 1999 - Fossil (FO) - October 10, 1999 - Base Set 2 (B2) - February 24, 2000 - Team Rocket (TR) - April 24, 2000 ## Gym Heroes - Gym Heroes (G1) - August 14, 2000 - Gym Challenge (G2) - October 16, 2000 ![Pokemon Neo Genesis set logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-neo-series.jpg) ## Neo Series - Neo Genesis (N1) - December 16, 2000 - Neo Discovery (N2) - June 1, 2001 - Neo Revelation (N3) - September 21, 2001 - Neo Destiny (N4) - February 28, 2002 ## Legendary Collection - Legendary Collection (LC) - May 24, 2002 ## E-Card - Expedition Base Set (EX) - September 15, 2002 - Aquapolis (AQ) - January 15, 2003 - Skyridge (SK) - May 12, 2003 ![The logo for the Pokemon Ex Ruby & Sapphire era ](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-ex-ruby-sapphire.jpg) ## EX Ruby & Sapphire - EX Ruby & Sapphire (RS) - June 18, 2003 - EX Sandstorm (SS) - September 18, 2003 - EX Dragon (DR) - November 24, 2003 - EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua (MA) - March 15, 2004 - EX Hidden Legends (HL) - June 14, 2004 - EX FireRed & LeafGreen (FL) - August 30, 2004 - EX Team Rocket Returns (TRR) - November 8, 2004 - EX Deoxys (DX) - February 14, 2005 - EX Emerald (EM) - May 9, 2005 - EX Unseen Forces (UF) - August 22, 2005 - EX Delta Species (DS) - October 31, 2005 - EX Legend Maker (LM) - February 13, 2006 - EX Holon Phantoms (HP) - May 3, 2006 - EX Crystal Guardians (CG) - August 30, 2006 - EX Dragon Frontiers (DF) - November 8, 2006 - EX Power Keepers (PK) - February 14, 2007 ![Pokemon Diamond and Pearl set logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-diamond-and-pearl.jpg) ## Diamond & Pearl - Diamond & Pearl (DP) - May 23, 2007 - Mysterious Treasures (MT) - August 22, 2007 - Secret Wonders (SW) - November 7, 2007 - Great Encounters (GE) - February 13, 2008 - Majestic Dawn (MD) - May 21, 2008 - Legends Awakened (LA) - August 20, 2008 - Stormfront (SF) - November 5, 2008 ## Platinum - Platinum (PL) - February 11, 2009 - Rising Rivals (RR) - May 16, 2009 - Supreme Victors (SV) - August 19, 2009 - Arceus (AR) - November 4, 2009 ![Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver set logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-heartgold-soulsilver.jpg) ## HeartGold SoulSilver - HeartGold & SoulSilver (HS) - February 10, 2010 - Unleashed (UL) - May 12, 2010 - Undaunted (UD) - August 18, 2010 - Triumphant (TM) - November 3, 2010 ## Call of Legends - Call of Legends (CL) - February 9, 2011 ![Pokemon set Black and White logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-black-and-white.jpg) ## Black and White - Black & White (BLW) - April 25, 2011 - Emerging Powers (EPO) - August 31, 2011 - Noble Victories (NVI) - November 16, 2011 - Next Destinies (NXD) - February 8, 2012 - Dark Explorers (DEX) - May 9, 2012 - Dragon Vault (DRV) - October 5, 2012\* - Boundaries Crossed (BCR) - November 7, 2012 - Plasma Storm (PLS) - February 6, 2013 - Plasma Freeze (PLF) - May 8, 2013 - Plasma Blast (PLB) - August 14, 2013 - Legendary Treasures (LTR) - November 6, 2013 ![Pokemon Set X & Y logo](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-x-y.jpg) ## XY - Kalos Starter Set (KSS) - November 8, 2013 - XY (XY) - February 5, 2014 - Flashfire (FLF) - May 7, 2014 - Furious Fists (FFI) - August 13, 2014 - Phantom Forces (PHF) - November 5, 2014 - Primal Clash (PRC) - February 4, 2015 - Double Crisis (DCR) - March 25, 2015\* - Roaring Skies (ROS) - May 6, 2015 - Ancient Origins (AOR) - August 12, 2015 - BREAKthrough (BKT) - November 4, 2015 - BREAKpoint (BKP) - February 2, 2016 - Generations (GEN) - February 22, 2016\* - Fates Collide (FCO) - May 2, 2016 - Steam Siege (STS) - August 3, 2016 - Evolutions (EVO) - November 2, 2016 ![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-sun-moon.jpg) A logo for the Pokemon Set 'Sun & Moon' ## Sun & Moon - Sun & Moon (SUM) - February 3, 2017 - Guardians Rising (GRI) - May 5, 2017 - Burning Shadows (BUS) - August 4, 2017 - Shining Legends (SLF) - October 6, 2017 - Crimson Invasion (CIN) - November 3, 2017 - Ultra Prism (UPR) - February 2, 2018 - Forbidden Light (FLI) - May 4, 2018 - Celestial Storm (CES) - August 3, 2018 - Dragon Majesty (DRM) - September 7, 2018 - Lost Thunder (LOT) - November 2, 2018 - Team Up (TEU) - February 1, 2019 - Unbroken Bonds (UNB) - May 3, 2019 - Detective Pikachu (DET) - March 29, 2019 - Unified Minds (UNM) - August 2, 2019 - Hidden Fates (HIF) - August 23, 2019 - Cosmic Eclipse (CEC) - November 1, 2019 ![A logo for the Pokemon Set 'Sword & Shield'](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-sword-and-shield.jpg) ## Sword & Shield - Sword & Shield (SSH) - February 7, 2020 - Rebel Clash (RCL) - May 1, 2020 - Darkness Ablaze (DAA) - August 14, 2020 - Pokémon Futsal (FUT) - September 11, 2020 - Champion's Path (CPA) - September 25, 2020 - Vivid Voltage (VIV) - November 13, 2020 - Shining Fates (SHF) - February 19, 2021 - Battle Styles (BST) - March 19, 2021 - Chilling Reign (CRE) - June 18, 2021 - Evolving Skies (EVS) - August 27, 2021 - Celebrations (CEL) - October 8, 2021 - Fusion Strike (FST) - November 12, 2021 - Brilliant Stars (BRS) - February 25, 2022 - Astral Radiance (ASR) - May 27, 2022 - Pokémon GO (PGO) - July 1, 2022 - Lost Origin (LOR) - September 9, 2022 - Silver Tempest (SIT) - November 11, 2022 - Crown Zenith (CRZ) - January 20, 2023 ![A logo for the Pokemon TCG set Scarlet and Violet](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-scarlet-and-violet.jpg) ## Scarlet & Violet - Scarlet & Violet (SVI) - March 31, 2023 - Paldea Evolved (PAL) - June 9, 2023 - Obsidian Flames (OBF) - August 11, 2023 - 151 (MEW) - September 22, 2023 - Paradox Rift (PAR) - November 3, 2023 - Paldean Fates (PAF) - January 26, 2024 - Temporal Forces (TEF) - March 22, 2024 - Twilight Masquerade (TWM) - May 24, 2024 - Shrouded Fable (SFA) - August 2, 2024 - Stellar Crown (SCR) - September 13, 2024 - Surging Sparks (SSP) - November 8, 2024 - Prismatic Evolutions (PRE) - January 17, 2025 - Journey Together (JTG) - March 28, 2025 - Destined Rivals (DRI) - May 30, 2025 - Black Bolt (BLK) - July 18, 2025 - White Flare (WHT) - July 18, 2025 ![The logo for the Pokemon TCG set Mega Evolution](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-mega-evolutions.jpg) ## Mega Evolution - Mega Evolution (MEG) - 26 September, 2025 - Phantasmal Flames (PFL) - 14 November, 2025 - Ascended Heroes (ASC) - 30 January, 2026 - Perfect Order (POR) - 27 March, 2026 - Chaos Rising (CRI) - 22 May, 2026 - Pitch Black (PBL) - 17 July, 2026 ## Upcoming Pokémon sets - 30th Celebration - 16 September, 2026 - Delta Reign - 6 November, 2026 ![Futuristic Rare Pokémon cards from the Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-9.jpeg) ### 30th Celebration - September 16, 2026 The 30th Celebration expansion will celebrate three decades of our favorite franchise, including classic chases coming back with fresh reprints and some new cards, including the Futuristic Rarity. Each pack only contains five play cards, but there are 30 Pikachu cards to hunt for - and there's one in every pack. Iconic chases, including Pikachu & Zekrom Tag Team and Shadowless Charizard, are returning. If you didn't manage to get your hands on these essential cards years ago, this is the perfect opportunity, as long as you can find stock. You can use our [Pokémon 30th Celebration guide](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) to help secure your pre-orders. ![Mega Rayquaza ex Pokémon card from Delta Reign](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-10.jpeg) ### **Delta Reign - 6 November, 2026** After months of leaks and rumours, Pokémon Delta Reign has been revealed. The Mega Rayquaza-led expansion is due to launch in November 2026, bringing the year to a flying end. As we’re still waiting for two announced sets to release, details are sparse on the Delta Reign set. However, we will be sure to share more information as and when news comes up. ![A selection of Pokemon card packs from various expansions, including Ascended Heroes](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/all-pokemon-sets-1.jpg) ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ### How many Pokémon sets are there? There are 130 Pokémon TCG sets available in English as of May 2026, including the latest release of Chaos Rising. This doesn’t include the small, mini-sets such as the McDonald’s Collections or the Black Star Promos for each era of the TCG. In recent years, the pace has certainly picked up, which has also (according to speculation) added to the stress of the printing, therefore affecting stock in the recent wave of hype. Based on the recent Mega Evolutions expansions, it seems English sets are closer to Japanese variants, offering smaller, bite-sized collections in order to make printing more manageable. Previously, multiple Japanese sets would culminate into one bigger English expansion. ### What are the different Pokémon sets? There are two types of Pokémon TCG sets, those being standard expansions and ‘special sets’, also known as ‘High Class sets’ in Japan: - **Standard sets**: These are your basic expansions, with each one being a twist on the existing meta. Usually, one Pokémon and certain types take the focus of each set (Greninja for Chaos Rising, Lucario and Gardevoir for Mega Evolutions), and they’re typically printed for a couple of years with a wide range of products. - **Special sets**: These are the more ‘exclusive’ sets, limited to ETBs and collection products - that means no individual booster packs or booster boxes are available. These typically have a theme, release only a couple of times a year, and are highly sought after, like Pokémon 151, Prismatic Evolutions, or Ascended Heroes. ### How many Pokémon sets are released each year? There are usually between five and seven Pokémon TCG sets released each year, made up of roughly four standard sets and two or three special sets. 2025 had seven in English, with Black Bolt and White Flare releasing at the same time, similar to how the videogames would split into two copies. Based on 2024, the typical number of expansions released in a year is six. So far in 2026, we’ve had four expansions released, with at least two coming up - so, it seems like this year could be a record-breaking schedule for The Pokémon Company. ### Where can I buy the latest Pokémon sets? The best way to buy new Pokémon sets is to look to local retailers, including major brands like Tesco and other supermarkets in the UK, or stores like Walmart and Best Buy in the US. You can also find local card shops near you by using Google to search 'Pokemon card stores near me' and checking their stock. Alternatively, your best bet for online orders is to regularly check the following retailers or sign up for stock reminders if the stores have them: - [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/?ref=kantopost.com) (global) - big demand for Pokémon Center products, so stock may be short. The queue system can also take some time to get through - [Magic Madhouse ](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/pokemon?ref=kantopost.com)(UK) - a big TCG and hobby retailer in the UK, but stock releases randomly. No invite system - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - a smaller retailer than Magic Madhouse, but it offers an invite system for a better chance at getting products - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=pokemon+tcg&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - one of the biggest Pokémon TCG retailers in the US, and it has secondary sellers if you're willing to pay extra - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=pokemon%20tcg&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - similar to Walmart, but also offers an invite system on select new expansions as and when stock is available ### What’s the best Pokémon TCG set to buy? The best set to buy is the one with your favorite Pokémon in it, whether you like Evolving Skies’ Umbreon chase or prefer the Zygarde from Perfect Order. Of course, older, more vintage sets like the original Base Set are more valuable from a collector’s perspective, but in reality, what's best is very subjective, to say the least. Personally, I’m a big fan of the more niche Pokémon. While Pokémon like Charizard see regular chases, options like Zygarde, Darkrai, Zekrom, and Reshiram are far less prevalent, which makes me more excited when they come around again. If you love collecting Pokémon cards, picking favorites is like choosing a starter every single day - and that’s a blessing as much as it is a curse. In reality, I’d recommend checking the card list for each expansion and deciding which ones you like the most. Older expansions from early Scarlet & Violet / Sword & Shield will be less available, and sets older than that are even harder to find. In those cases, I’d recommend buying singles rather than sealed products. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to subscribe to Kanto Post for the latest reveals and those must-grab set pre-orders as they become available. ### “We received just 12 units”: retailer defends 300% Pokémon First Partner price increase URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/unicorn-cards-statement/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T14:00:37.000Z UK retailer Unicorn Cards has defended its decision to sell the **Pokémon TCG First Partner Collection Series 2** for £59.90, claiming allocations on some Pokémon products are as low as six to twelve units, making retail pricing commercially unviable. As [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) TCG demand continues to heavily outweigh supply, frustration in the community is constantly bubbling up. Retail price stocks fly off shelves at a breakneck pace, so when a retailer sells new products over retail, the community can get rightfully outraged. However, according to one retailer, it’s a problem created by scalpers, investors, and the high cost of running a business. While it’s far from the only example, retailer Unicorn Cards was caught in the firing line on the weekend, with Pokémon TCG collectors upset that the company was selling the First Partner Series 2 box for £59.90\. That’s an almost 300% increase over the retail price of £14.99, and matching the market price from secondary sellers. The backlash was almost immediate. After being shared on the [r/PokémonTCG\_UK](https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonTCG%5FUK/s/q5qKh7fQik?ref=kantopost.com) subreddit, there’s been plenty of 1-Star [reviews shared](https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/unicorncards.co.uk?ref=kantopost.com) on the TrustPilot platform for the retailer. At time of writing, the listing for the First Partner Series 2 box has been removed from Unicorn Cards’ site. “Our pricing approach has always been market-based. In 99.99% of cases, that means products are priced at or below RRP, and often well below RRP,” Slava Gavrilov from Unicorn Cards said in a statement to Kanto Post, “Demand is no longer driven only by people who want to open, collect or play with the cards.” Gavrilov blames investors, social media hype, grading culture, and the expectation that sealed products or chase cards may increase in value as other reasons for the existing demand. However, one major issue the retailer faced is a lack of allocation, not only on recent [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), but the First Partner collection itself. “For recent Pokémon products, allocations are as low as 6–12 units,” Gavrilov said, arguing that at those levels “no pricing model realistically covers the cost of running a business.” He added that Unicorn Cards’ operating costs run into the tens of thousands of pounds each month and that receiving only twelve units of the First Partner Collection Series 2 made market pricing seem reasonable at the time. “That was one product out of roughly 30,000 that we stock, but clearly it was one too many for parts of the Pokémon community,” Gavrilov adds. Although the retaliation from the community was quick, they do say that with foresight, “we would almost certainly have approached it differently.” Unicorn Cards is far from the only retailer listing Pokémon products above RRP. GameStop is a big example of a larger seller having above retail price listings, and just one brief search on Google showed multiple selling the First Partner Series 2 box for above RRP, including Meeples Corner and Shop4Ducks, as well as multiple eBay listings. ![The Pokémon First Partner Series 2 product in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-13.jpeg) “Based on the feedback we received, we will make sure to list upcoming comparable Pokémon products at RRP, even though that does not create a commercially meaningful result for us” Gavrilov shares in regret. “Our aim is still to support the hobby and the community as much as we can. But the current Pokémon supply situation is extremely challenging.” You can read Unicorn Cards’ full statement below, at the end of this article. The response highlights the difficult position some retailers say they face as Pokémon demand continues to outpace supply. Unicorn Cards did not respond when asked whether alternatives such as lottery systems, invite-only sales, or customer purchase limits were considered before pricing the product at market value. For collectors, however, the frustration remains unchanged. When newly released products are difficult to find at retail price, seeing them listed above RRP by retailers can feel no different from encountering inflated secondary market prices. With [Pokémon’s 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) approaching, supply and pricing are likely to remain major talking points within the community. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you’d like to get some retail-priced stock or keep up-to-date on all things Pokémon, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above. You can find the unedited statement in full below. --- *Hi Callum,* *Thank you for getting in touch and for giving us the opportunity to comment.* *We completely understand why Pokémon collectors are frustrated. Unfortunately, in this case, we seem to have unwillingly become an easy target for that frustration. Pokémon has become incredibly difficult to buy at fair price, and in many cases difficult to buy at all. Demand has increased dramatically, not only from collectors and players, but also from people treating Pokémon products as an investment.* *It may be hard to believe now for people who joined Pokémon collecting more recently, but for most of the last 20 years this was not the case. We have been trading Pokémon products for around 18 years, and for the vast majority of that time Pokémon sealed products were regularly selling below RRP, often significantly below it. Elite Trainer Boxes, for example, were commonly sold by us in the £32.90–£39.90 range (they are still listed on our website). Those were normal market prices at the time, and nobody would have described selling below RRP (market ptice at the time) as unfair.* *Our pricing approach has always been market-based. In 99.99% of cases, that means products are priced at or below RRP, and often well below RRP. That same principle still applies across most other trading card games where supply is adequate and demand is driven mainly by players and collectors. Even hugely popular games such as Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Digimon and Riftbound are generally available at competitive prices, often below RRP. In those markets, everyone is broadly happy: retailers have products to sell, and players and collectors can buy them at sensible prices.* *Unfortunately, the dynamics around Pokémon have changed dramatically. Demand is no longer driven only by people who want to open, collect or play with the cards. It is also heavily influenced by investment demand, social media hype, grading culture and the expectation that sealed products or chase cards may increase in value very quickly. That creates a very different market from the one Pokémon had for most of its history.* *As a retailer, we are equally affected by this scarcity, if not more so. A few years ago, we were receiving hundreds of units of Pokémon collector boxes, blisters and promo products, and we were able to sell them well below RRP. That is simply not the market we are in now. For recent Pokémon products, allocations are as low as 6–12 units. At that level, no pricing model realistically covers the cost of running a business: rent, salaries, VAT, utilities, postage, payment fees and all the other costs that run into tens of thousands of pounds per month.* *So, coming back to your question, the First Partner Illustration Collection Series 2 was indeed listed at current market price, which in this case happened to be well above RRP. That was one product out of roughly 30,000 that we stock, but clearly it was one too many for parts of the Pokémon community.* *Our total allocation was only twelve units, so it was treated in the same way as many other small-quantity products: the team checked the prevailing online market price and listed it accordingly. At the time, it did not seem like a decision that would cause such a strong reaction. Had we realised how strongly Pokémon collectors would feel about it, we would almost certainly have approached it differently.* *Ultimately, the underlying issue is that Pokémon demand massively exceeds supply, and there are nowhere near enough products available for everyone who wants them. Based on the feedback we received, we will make sure to list upcoming comparable Pokémon products at RRP, even though that does not create a commercially meaningful result for us, nor does it solve the underlying problem for collectors and players. With such small allocations, those products will simply be bought by the first few lucky customers, or potentially by people using bots or multiple accounts. Everyone else will, unfortunately, still be disappointed.* *More broadly, Pokémon has become a very difficult category for everyone involved. What used to be an enjoyable and accessible hobby has, in many cases, become a source of upset and frustration for collectors, players and retailers alike.* *Our aim is still to support the hobby and the community as much as we can. But the current Pokémon supply situation is extremely challenging, and we think it is important that the wider conversation reflects the commercial reality for retailers as well as the understandable disappointment felt by collectors.* *Kind regards,* *Slava Gavrilov* *Unicorn Cards* ### “Your love for Pokémon and making profitable trades aren’t mutually exclusive”: Inside Pokémon TCG’s collector-investor divide URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/investor-feature-piece/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T10:43:31.000Z Unless you’ve been living under a Roggenrola for the last few years, you’ll know about the **Pokémon TCG**’s stock issues. Supply hasn’t been able to [keep up with demand](https://support.pokemon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360056644571-Update-on-Pok%C3%A9mon-Trading-Card-Game-Product-Availability?ref=kantopost.com), and as frustrations have grown, so has the blame. Scalpers are usually first in the firing line, but investors aren’t far behind. “[Investors are worse than scalpers](https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemoncardcollectors/s/bI6bjBi0PS?ref=kantopost.com).” “[The PokeInvesting sub is disgusting](https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonTCG/s/axkOPCyCb1?ref=kantopost.com).” Spend enough time on Reddit, Discord, Facebook, or X and you’ll find no shortage of criticism aimed at people who buy Pokémon cards with future value in mind. I’ll admit that I used to see things in fairly black and white terms, too. Collectors collected Pokémon cards. Investors bought them for profit. The two groups sat on opposite sides of the hobby. At least, that’s what I thought. After speaking with Pokémon investors, collectors, and those who consider themselves somewhere in between, a different picture started to emerge. The people often blamed for the hobby’s problems didn’t describe themselves as opportunists looking to make a quick buck. In many cases, they sounded a lot like collectors. I spoke to a group of investors on the [Elite Fourum](https://www.elitefourum.com/?ref=kantopost.com), as well as those on social media, and asked about misconceptions that most collectors will have on investors. “That they don’t like Pokémon,” one fan who goes by the nickname ‘swoleking’ said. “Maybe some people only care about returns, but your love for Pokemon and making profitable trades aren’t mutually exclusive.” ![A close up of the artwork from Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex Pokémon card](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-10.jpeg) The “some people” mentioned by swoleking is referenced by another user. When asked if they think investors are welcome in the community, user ‘CardboardInsanity’ said “Investor culture, as in people who buy & sell to fund their hobby? Yes.”, but they then go on to say that those who came from crypto, sneakers, GME (a reference to the GameStop stock surge from 2021), and those that exploit Pokémon “can go to hell”. Unsurprisingly, like general collectors, the investor community is split into smaller groups. Elite Fourum’s users resoundingly said they were a crossover between investor and collector, while some leaned towards the latter. Interestingly, the Reddit responses I received were noticeably different, often reflecting the more profit-focused attitudes that several forum users criticised. “I originally got into Pokémon again three years ago just ripping packs for fun,” a user who wishes to remain anonymous said. “I realised how drastically cheaper it was just to buy singles \[…\] it became a fun game to see how much I could finesse to maximise value.” Based on the anonymous user’s words, the outcome was tripling their value. After putting in “just under $500,000” in total, they claim they have made a collection worth nearly $1.5 million. They’ve since sold $500,000, which they plan to split between “realised profit and into new raws to grade.” I also asked a Pokémon Discord community, and the Discord collectors and Elite Fourum users shared a common enemy. However, the overwhelming sense was negativity towards all investors. “The only real difference between an investor and a scalper is time.” one user wrote. In fact, another user suggested those who buy and use grading services or those who sell singles are also “scalpers”. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. However, the Elite Fourum overwhelmingly say they treat Pokémon cards as collectibles over investments. These aren’t separate, of course, as swoleking puts it: “With investments, people part with their money expecting a future return. With collectibles, people tend to buy the things they like” and as things get more popular, “they start to expect a return.” This focus on collectibles and investments being intertwined is an interesting aspect - and I don’t mean that in the financial sense. Many speculative investments from the last decade, from NFTs to various cryptocurrency projects, have struggled to maintain the same long-term mainstream interest. Pokémon cards currently exist in a huge boom market. Even outside of the largest franchise, this isn’t exclusive to it, as Stranger Things Funko Pops also sold for extremely high prices in the run up to the series finale. The rise of apps like Collectr and Rare Candy only proves the idea that a lot of the modern investor community is focused on gains. According to the team behind Collectr, there are 10 million app opens every day, and with over nine million users, it surged alongside the recent hype period. Yet Collectr also demonstrates how difficult it has become to separate collecting from investing. Every card has a chart, every set has a total value, and your collection isn’t a digital binder - it’s a portfolio not too dissimilar to a stock investor’s one. Every element is built around value, and it’s not like a [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/)’s checklist you get in every ETB. ![A screenshot of a social media post from the Pokémon card tracking Collectr app](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-11.jpeg) This is completely intentional. Even without taking into account the market-focused approach, the very slogan is “Collect. Track. Profit.” And rather than open up on a list of TCGs or with the latest news, it opens on a line graph with a green or red number below your portfolio’s value - are you making returns, or are you losing money? But this market and collecting hybrid only exists as further proof of what the investors I spoke to believe in - these are collectibles and investments together. “There is more risk associated with Pokémon, but my interest and nostalgia for the Pokemon IP adds an entire dimension of fun and tangibility. \[…\] I feel more connected to what I’m putting my money into.” user ‘Josh’ added to the discussion. Even without the hope of financial returns, Elite Fourum’s users say they would still collect. If resale value suddenly plummeted, an overwhelming amount would be happy. User ‘Quuador’ says “It honestly would make my collecting journey a lot easier”, while CardboardInsanity’s answer is simple and concise: “Yes. 1000%.” --- Investors only work if there’s demand and nostalgia for older products. These are collectors that buy stock intending to hold them for years, potentially decades, waiting for them to make gains. Collectors and investors are in a symbiotic relationship. Investing in Pokémon can only work if there’s love and nostalgia for the franchise. While modern set value is a Frankenstein’s monster of groups trying to buy stock with weak supply, vintage products are completely reliant on investors to keep them intact. Investors who are keeping old stock, and even some modern, for quite some time are preserving the state of the TCG at that very point, but without collectors interested in those products, what would be the point? As one user suggested, if Pokémon cards didn’t have that personal value, it would be the equivalent of buying “merchandise from an obscure TV show.” ![A close up of the artwork from the bubble mew Pokémon card](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1676.jpeg) However, that belief doesn’t change the opinion or tension created by those who are simply collecting cards. When asked about the difference between an investor and a scalper, one user even suggested “the end goal is the same \[…\] to make a profit from the community they’re not involved with.” But a point kept coming up. “Historic investor culture \[is\] very different to the investor culture of today”, as one user on the Discord suggested. It’s hard to not believe that this tension between two groups, both of which share similar love for the series in different ways, is not conflated by the current situation. However, as Quuador puts it, “There are dozens of investors these days, simply because Pokémon is booming and easy to make money in,” but then goes on to say “if there isn’t any love for the hobby, I doubt any of them will make it through.” Quuador, a moderator of the forums, even brings up the repeating topic. “Investment is meant to be a multi-year plan. ‘Pokémon investors’ are nothing more than scalpers and flippers, here to make a quick buck.” I even wrote a feature recently about how Pokémon trading was for fun, now it’s about profit margins and charts going up. It’s hard not to see both communities here, rallying against a single subset of people, who despite their similarities, are still withdrawn from each other. When things are so tough, and any group is struggling to get cards from the hobby they love, it’s easier to see one group as particularly bad or worse. However, that difference isn’t as big as it first appears, and if anything, the line is a little blurrier than I had once thought. --- If you enjoyed this article, please make sure to subscribe to our newsletter using the prompt below (or any of the ones above). ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to store Pokémon cards safely URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/how-to-store-pokemon-cards/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T13:24:34.000Z If you’re opening **Pokémon cards** in search of your next chase, being prepared is just as important as the pull itself. I cannot stress this enough - you don’t want to just handle it like it is a common card. You need to make sure you can store Pokémon cards properly, and fortunately, I’m here to help you. No matter which of the [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) you’re opening this week, whether you’re a new collector, a returning one, or someone who has been risking their collection, you need protection. [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) cards are surprisingly easy to damage. A small scratch, dent, or bend can have a significant impact on a card’s condition, especially if you ever decide to grade or sell it. ## Quick Answer - Sleeve any rare or valuable cards straight away - Store cards with sleeves on in toploaders or side-loading binders - Keep cards away from humid or damp-prone areas when storing - Use sleeves, toploaders, and eventually graded slabs for your most valuable cards - Avoid cheap ring binders, loose storing, and rubber bands Storing Pokémon cards for safe keeping depends on the type. Common or less valuable cards should be stored in binders - preferably with sleeves on - and valuable cards should be put into toploaders and kept safe. Eventually, you should grade those chase cards for even more security, although a toploader will still do a good job. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. You want to avoid storing it in spots of your home that could be vulnerable to damp, as well as avoiding putting your cards in direct sunlight. And, please do not leave them loose or tie them together with rubber bands. If you like bent up and dented cards, be my guest. ## How to store valuable Pokémon cards If you manage to pull a chase card, take a moment to enjoy it - but then you want to store it safely. My recommendation is to follow these instructions: - £1-20 – Sleeve and store in a side-loading binder - £20-100 – Sleeve, toploader, and secure storage - £100+ – Sleeve, toploader, and dedicated secure storage - Grails / highly valuable cards – Sleeve, toploader, and eventually a graded slab If you don’t have a standard transparent penny sleeve at hand, every modern ETB offers a selection of sleeves. It’s worth keeping them in case you ever need them. The only reason I recommend putting valuable cards in a transparent one is that most grading companies require a see-through sleeve. You can find the [best card sleeves](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-card-sleeves/) in our guide. ![Two Pokémon card binders](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-1.jpeg) Toploaders are rigid plastic holders that protect cards from bending, dents, and accidental damage while handling them. While I have used toploader binders in the past, they’re handy but hefty. Based on my experience, Ultra Pro toploaders fit neatly and firmly standing up in Elite Trainer Boxes, keeping them upright and safe by storing them rigidly. For cards worth around £1-20, storing every single one in a toploader can quickly become expensive and take up a lot of space. For those cases, having them stored in a sleeve and a side-loading binder is absolutely fine, and in fact, I recommend it. If they’re some of your favourite cards in your collection or they’re extremely valuable, I’d suggest using my [best grading service](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) guide and getting them graded. It’s not just for a good score, but slabs offer some of the best protection for cards, meaning you don’t need to stress about damage. Don’t just leave an expensive card out on your desk while you’re trying to find a solution. At the very least, place it in a sleeve immediately. If you have a toploader available, use it. If you’re opening packs away from home, sandwiching the sleeved card between two rigid objects is still better than leaving it loose. ![A Pokémon Mega Evolutions elite trainer box](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-2.jpeg) The products I currently use and truly recommend after years of collecting are: - Ultra Pro penny sleeves - Vault X toploaders - Vault X semi-rigid (some grading companies require this) - SleeveChief toploader binder - Vault X Exo-Tec binder ## How to store bulk Pokémon cards We’ve all done it where we load up boxes full of extra cards. The best way to store bulk cards is in Elite Trainer Boxes, dedicated card storage boxes, or binders if you’re actively collecting a set. As someone with far too many ETB boxes lying around, only one is full of toploaders with valuable cards - the others are simply bulk. It’s part of the Pokémon collecting journey. Which reminds me, I really need to clear out my bulk. Unlike valuable cards, bulk doesn’t need premium protection. As long as the cards are stored somewhere dry, away from sunlight, and not packed so tightly that they bend, ETB boxes are usually more than enough. However, please don’t just throw them all out. While they might not be worth much financially, bulk cards are still useful for new players, young collectors, and people building their first decks. It may even start a kids’ Pokémon TCG journey. Alternatively, plenty of local card shops may pay for bulk, or you can post it online via eBay or on services like Facebook marketplace. ![A bulk selection of Pokémon cards](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Source-uPoke-Nostalgia-3.jpeg) ## Where to store Pokémon cards safely Here’s some dos and do-nots for storing your collection safely: - Keep cards in a cool, dry room - Consider inside wardrobes, cupboards, spare rooms, or under-bed storage - Avoid garages, conservatories, or attics - Don’t leave cards in direct sunlight - Keep away from radiators or other heat sources - Keep valuable cards in safes with combination or electronic locks Would you leave a cheque with all your money in a potentially damp room or next to a source of heat? Probably not, and Pokémon cards are sensitive to sunlight, heat, and damp, thanks to its materials. If you feel like it’s not the right place to store them, it probably isn’t. My Elite Trainer Boxes with toploader cards and binders sit in a small plastic box that sits under my desk - it’s out of the way of sunlight or anything damp, and as my PC is on top of my standing desk, it is far away from any heat source. Sunlight can also be risky, especially for prolonged exposure. Over time, the ultraviolet rays will desaturate the card, effectively damaging it. Admittedly, it does lead to some awesome looking cards at times, but it’s not worth the risk for anything especially valuable. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Speaking of valuable cards, it’s worth investing in a safe, preferably with a combination lock (dial or digital). I have my slabs in a small safe that has a key and a digital code combination, the latter is in case the batteries ever run out. It’s an extra layer of protection, in case you ever move or if (at a terrible time) you ever get thieves. ## FAQs ### Can Pokémon cards be damaged by humidity? Absolutely. High humidity areas and locations can cause Pokémon cards to warp and bend over time, or can cause moisture-related damage. If you live in an area with high humidity, it may be worth investing in a sealed storage or a dehumidifier in the room with your cards and other precious items. ### Should I sleeve every Pokémon card? No, you shouldn’t sleeve all of your Pokémon cards. You’ll get plenty of duplicates and bulk cards that don’t need to be sleeved, as that can become an expensive endeavour. One booster box provides 360 cards - that’s a lot of sleeves. Bulk cards can be stored in ETB boxes or discarded card storage boxes - or even just a spare cardboard box you own. You don’t need sleeves for them. ### Should I put my cards in a toploader or a binder? It depends on the specific cards, and neither is a better solution than the other. Binders are great for displaying and for collections, but toploaders provide stability and a rigid design to keep single cards safe. If your card is particularly valuable, whether that’s worth or personal attachment, a toploader is almost always the right choice. And please put a sleeve on it first - an unsleeved card in a toploader is asking for scratches on the surface. ### Pokémon’s rarest character aren’t legendaries - it’s a father URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/fathers-day-2026/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:01:56.000Z Ash Ketchum spent 25 years dealing with deities, travelling the world, and eventually becoming the very best **Pokémon** trainer in the world. At a young age, he traversed regions and dealt with planet-ending threats - yet despite all that, we still didn’t have any time to meet his father. You’re likely aware already, but the Pokémon franchise is 30 years old this year, making it a special occasion for the entirety of 2026\. However, despite generations of games, over 100 [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), and the whole of Ash’s Pokémon-catching life, there’s still a sore lack of dads in the franchise. By now, everyone is familiar with the usual start of a Pokémon game. You wake up on a big day, as your self-insert protagonist bids farewell to their mother, ready to embrace becoming a trainer. Besides a few notable exceptions, such as Norman from Hoenn, fathers are rarer than Legendary Pokémon. At this point, you’re more likely to meet a literal god than a dad who made it into the game. While kids continue to discover Pokémon for the first time, many of us who grew up alongside Ash are now parents ourselves. I couldn’t imagine sending my son or daughter off to travel the country at ten years old with a backpack and a Pikachu, let alone not turning up to wave goodbye. It does feel somewhat traditional and normalised now in the series. Mothers are the home, the anchor that ties your character to going back to the beginning, a changed person with a PC full of Zubats and Diglets you no longer need. It almost feels warming, but I can’t see why a father figure couldn’t be present, as it would still capture that same effect. Sure, it’s a brief few minutes of a region-trekking journey, but on Father’s Day, that hole is more apparent than ever. Is every trainer’s dad just an absent figure in their life? Maybe, but at least you’ve got Squirtle to keep you company, so is it really a problem? Maybe there’s a secret Pokémon region populated entirely by missing fathers. Perhaps they’re all on their own journeys, catching Pidgey and forgetting to call home. Until Game Freak gives us an answer, we’ll never know. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Either way, Happy Father’s Day to all the Pokémon dads out there. You’re already more present than most of the franchise’s fathers. If you want to treat me to a gift, subscribe to our newsletter above - it’s free, too. ### After Destined Rivals, Pokémon is doubling down on Team Rocket as new trademark is filed URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/team-rocket-japan-trademark/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:59:36.000Z With **Pokémon Destined Rivals** booster boxes closing in on the $600 mark, and ETBs north of $200 ($500 for Pokémon Center), it seems that any Team Rocket products right now would blast off again. While there’s nothing officially revealed yet, a new trademark has surfaced, and it could mean more **Pokémon cards** based on our favourite villainous squad could be coming soon. The [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) isn’t shy on nostalgia; in fact, it drowns in it. While the original 151 remain some of the most popular Pokémon in the franchise, Team Rocket isn’t far behind. Despite being a modern set that is still within its printing timeline, Destined Rivals sells out instantly - and it’s evidence of collector’s love for the crime syndicate. Personally, I’m a sucker for Team Galactic, as a Platinum fanatic. But even I can appreciate Team Rocket’s consistent success, and few characters are as memorable as Jessie and James. So, when I see a Team Rocket TCG product teased, my only thought is one of worry: “will I even get it?” As revealed by [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/06/are-you-perhaps-with-team-rocket-trademark-filed-for-the-pokemon-tcg?ref=kantopost.com), a new trademark has been filed for ‘Are You Perhaps with Team Rocket?’ Filed by Pokémon Japan and categorised in the same section as other Pokémon TCG products, the title suggests it may be a collection product instead of an expansion, as no [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) has ever had a ‘?’ in its title. With the [Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) impending, it wouldn’t surprise me if this were an anniversary-style collection for fans. The question seems to ask collectors whether they’re with the infamous syndicate or not. Judging by the market price of Destined Rivals, many already answered that question months ago. As the trademark has only just been filed, it’s likely it will be released next year. Storm Emeralda set was trademarked and spotted a year ago, and has only just been revealed to be the TCG’s next expansion after 30th Celebration. In any case, this trademark is further proof that Pokémon isn’t working at random - this is a formula that consistently works. Destined Rivals proves there is an appetite for Giovanni and his syndicate, and even if this is a simple collection, I can already see it surging in price as it flies off shelves. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you want to be kept up-to-date on all things Pokémon, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above. ### Where to buy Pokémon First Partner Collection Series 2 at retail price URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/first-partner-series-2-buy/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T21:39:42.000Z As the Series 1 surges to $80 market price, all eyes are on the **Pokémon First Partner Collection Series 2** to give everyone that boost of nostalgia we’re all craving. Sadly, it seems like it’s full of **Pokémon cards** that people want, meaning the market price is already almost $60 - but don’t buy it on the secondary market. If you’re looking around, you can find it on release weekend. At the time of writing, stock availability is changing quickly. If one retailer sells out, check back regularly over the weekend, as Pokémon products are often released in waves rather than all at once. I’ve been tracking stock and helping [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) collectors like you find deals for over a year during my stint at Wargamer. I even helped thousands get stock of the Series 1 version, so I’m here to help. Even if you don’t get anything over the weekend, don’t lose hope - restocks will be coming. Here’s the retailers you should be looking at and bookmarking for the Pokémon First Partner Collection Series 2: - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOoqhv0ssbXiikTVtK7ZtWGd6X-cRvtUQULcLWJip8lz2O6nvTYHU&ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - while it doesn’t seem that stock of the Series 2 set is on Chaos Cards yet, the retailer has a handy lottery system, so you have equal chance as everyone else - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - one of the UK’s largest Pokémon TCG retailers and typically worth checking on release day for new products. - [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3Q8J4L2?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - invitation system, so it’s good to try and sign up for it before you chase it elsewhere - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon+first+partner&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - Walmart has released stock of Series 2 a little earlier, but there’s still stock popping up - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/?intl=nosplash&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - typically gets a lot of stock for Pokémon TCG products and has occasional invite systems - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Pok%C3%A9mon-TCG-Partner-Illustration-Collection/dp/B0GW2DK37Q/ref=mp%5Fs%5Fa%5F1%5F1?crid=GNNZNGIUHWBV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1V7W3JCbaJj4cXkmPudFceHF81KXB4tW5lsO3nmq5yUEnGBg7BMXO6NjkLhg4%5Fi5ovdAoXhbXt5pkp15jVU-RFAeemBoKQOT6%5Fu2CR3-46z8UVmo78QGu8qpWkVokCK6WHY07N%5FMEr93i7qFNC9Ai0bcTd8BRPrhkTEcPwvOR%5FErwfPEoNQ2M%5F0t3oEePw7D92kZukLSTqBiz9IKZrJhzg.mQZ3nHiDNAw6htBpVUPIZyABBXAbdbA1Fm46FCTy%5FxM&dib%5Ftag=se&keywords=pok%C3%A9mon+first+partner+series+2&qid=1781852411&sprefix=Pok%C3%A9mon+f%252Caps%252C348&sr=8-1&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - Amazon gets stock but collectors have reported of returned and resealed stock - check our [fake Pokémon card](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/fake-pokemon-cards/) guide to ensure your delivery is legitimate Like the Series 1 box, the Pokémon First Partner Illustration Collection Series 2 comes with two booster packs of different [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) (this time it’s a Perfect Order and Chaos Rising booster). However, the most-wanted part is the Illustration booster pack. ![The Pokémon First Partner Illustration Collection Series 2 box in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-6.jpeg) These exclusive packs contain three of nine Illustration Rares based on each region’s starter Pokémon. For example, Series 2 has Johto, Unova, and Galar. As a Totodile and Tepig fan, this selection is my favourite. If you do manage to get this collection and you get your favourite cards from the special booster pack, it’s worth using my [best Pokémon grading service](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) guide to get them graded. It’s not just for value, but also for protection. Whether you’re buying it for nostalgia, your favourite starter Pokémon, or the chance to pull one of the exclusive Illustration Rares, don’t panic if stock disappears on launch day. Recent Pokémon releases have seen multiple restocks after release, and there’s every chance the First Partner Collection Series 2 follows the same pattern. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you’re regularly looking for Pokémon TCG stock, it’s worth subscribing to our newsletter above - this way, I can keep you informed for the latest stock updates and the biggest news in our favourite franchise. ### How to Spot Fake Pokémon Cards, Packs, and Resealed Products URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/fake-pokemon-cards/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T13:03:19.000Z With **Pokémon cards** becoming more valuable than ever, counterfeit products have become increasingly common. Fake cards, fake booster packs, and even resealed products are appearing across online marketplaces, making it harder for collectors to know exactly what they’re buying. I’ve opened thousands of real [Pokémon TCG ](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/)packs, as well as ripped some fake ones (intentionally), so I’ve seen both genuine and counterfeit Pokémon products first-hand, which makes spotting the warning signs much easier. If you’re looking to avoid the inevitable regret of buying fake products, I’m here to help. ## **Quick Summary** The main advice remains “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is”. However, if you’re still unsure, here’s some quick tips: **Fake cards:** • Poor print quality • Missing texture • Incorrect colours • Strange fonts or text **Fake packs:** • Poor image quality • Incorrect seams • Wrong card contents • Unusual foil wrapping **Resealed products:** • Loose shrink wrap • Signs of glue • Damaged seals • Packaging that feels opened and reassembled Below, I’ll show real examples of counterfeit cards, fake packs, and resealed products, along with the warning signs I’ve encountered as a collector. However, if you’re confused and want some personal opinions on whether it’s a fake or not, I’d recommend reaching out to me via email ([callum@kantopost.com](mailto:callum@kantopost.com)) or using the [r/IsMyPokemonCardFake](https://www.reddit.com/r/IsMyPokemonCardFake/?ref=kantopost.com) subreddit. ## How to spot fake Pokémon cards There are a few ways to spot a fake Pokémon card. First and foremost, trust your instincts - if it’s an expensive modern chase or a vintage card, and it seems *off,* don’t write it off yet, but it’s worth checking a few things ### Read the text - Check to make sure fonts match up with a real example - Check for grammatical errors or wrong information (eg. Pocket Monsters instead of Pokémon on international cards) - Make sure the name matches the Pokémon in the artwork - Any ‘Pokémon’ without the accent over the ‘e’ - Odd HP and damage numbers, especially HP at ridiculously high amounts Reading the text is an excellent way to discover whether a card is bogus or not. The issue is, as fakes have become more prevalent, issues with font, random text, or mistakes have become less common. It still remains a reliable way to check, but it’s not as useful as it once was. ![A fake Mega Charizard XPokémon card next to a real one](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design.jpeg) Fake Charizard on the left. The holo is incorrect, the border is too thick, and the colours are washed out ### Compare it to a photo / real card - Wrong HP, attack, or weakness and retreat values - Wrong set details, including number or symbol - Missing holo layer (or having one when it shouldn’t) - Texture issues - Weird font and text size problems The best method to compare a real to a fake is to, well, compare them. Search up online any cards you’re looking to buy, and compare photos to the listing. Or, if you or a friend happen to own the intended card already, using that as a basis is a good idea. Sadly, if you’re looking to buy a chase card, chances are you don’t already own it. That makes the comparison a little less reliable, meaning you’ll need to ensure both the photo of the card you’re buying and the one you’re using to compare are both real. ![A fake Giratina V Pokémon card next to a real one](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-1.jpeg) Fake card on the left. The colours don’t match, the text is slightly different, and the texture is different from a legit card ### Check the texture - Premium cards should have visible texture - The texture should match the artwork - Flat cards of textured rarities are a major red flag Modern Pokémon cards often use texture to create depth in the artwork. Special Illustration Rares, Hyper Rares, and many full-art cards should have a distinct pattern that follows the image. Counterfeit cards frequently miss this texture entirely, or apply a generic pattern that doesn’t match the authentic card. This is one of the easiest ways to spot a fake modern chase card. If a Moonbreon, Bubble Mew, or Giratina V Alt Art looks completely flat, alarm bells should be ringing. ### Compare the backs - Check to ensure the colours match with an authentic card (especially the shade of blue) - Fakes will have slightly darker or a lighter border - Avoid cards with washed out backs - No edge bleeding - the border should be separate Pokémon card backs have been the same for decades, meaning that comparing cards using the backs is a reliable way to check if a card is fake or not. There’s been some examples that don’t use the standard back design, and Japan has its own version, but international Pokémon cards follow the same format. Borders could also be massively off centre. However, I didn’t include this as it could be a misprint or a miscut, which would deem it as an error card. You can use the r/PokemonMisprints community to see if it’s an error or a fake, or go with CGC, one of the [best Pokémon grading services](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) for error cards. ![A fake Pokémon XY evolutions pack next to a real one](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-2.jpeg) Fake pack on the left. The top of the pack is wavy and the colours are incorrect to a legitimate pack ## How to spot fake Pokémon packs Discovering whether a Pokémon pack is fake or not is slightly different to checking a card, but many of the rules remain the same. That’s right, you’re checking text, quality, and more. ### Check the booster pack itself - Make sure the font and text are all accurate, with no grammatical, spelling, or size issues - The print quality of the image is defined and clear - References to other expansions instead of the one it’s supposed to focus on - Images from other Pokémon sources, including videogames or the anime - A perforated edge instead of straight From personal experience, fake packs are far lower quality than fake cards, making them easier to differentiate. Counterfeit boosters will be flimsy, have wavy edges that are meant for tearing instead of the typical way to open a Pokémon pack, and the wrapping will feel off. Although, if you’ve spotted some issues but not all of them, the next best step is to actually open the pack… ### Fake cards and wrong orders - Check for fake cards in the pack using the examples above - Make sure there’s the correct amount of cards and that they’re in the right order - Make sure cards from the set are consistent Based on my own experience of opening fake packs, the tell should be instantly obvious. Firstly, it had ex cards and Illustration Rares front loaded in the order of the pack, which isn’t typical - modern packs usually have seven standard cards followed by three rare or above, then an energy. On that note, they didn’t even have any energy cards. ![A selection of fake Pokémon cards fanned out on a marble countertop](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-3.jpeg) A selection of fake cards in a random order, straight from a fake pack I opened a fake White Flare pack and got a card that was fake, but also limited to the Journey Together [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). As you may expect, The Pokémon Company wouldn’t typically make this type of mistake. And even if it did, it wouldn’t be a fake card. ## How to check if a Pokémon booster box or ETB is resealed ### **Check the wrap** - Modern products should have Poké Ball shrink wrap - Wrap should be tight - Excess wrinkles can indicate tampering ### **Check the contents** - Missing promos - Wrong pack counts - Loose packs - Missing dividers ### **Check the smell** - Burnt plastic smell - Glue smell - Chemical odours Resealed products are arguably more frustrating than fakes, because the products are real - they’ve just been replaced and resealed to give the illusion they’re brand new. Chances are, any of the great chase cards have already been taken. ![Two Pokémon Evolving Skies booster boxes, with the left one resealed after being opened](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/Untitled-design-4.jpeg) A resealed booster box on the left. The Poké Ball wrap is misshapen, and the wrap is loose. However, there are still warning signs. A convincing reseal might not show every red flag, but it’s rare for a tampered product to show none of them. Someone resealing the product could be perfect at recreating the wrap, but they may mess up with pack orders or leave the packs loose in the booster box. It may also be a sign of a reseal if you have a terrible hit rate. Or you could just be opening Evolving Skies. That pull rate was dreadful. ## FAQs ### Can fake Pokémon cards be worth anything? 99% of the time, fake Pokémon cards aren’t worth anything at all. Due to being counterfeit products, most collector, local card shops, and investors won’t touch fake products, so there’s no real value there. However, there’s a niche, very small market for novelty fakes. Some vintage fake cards are ridiculous in their falsehood, so they can be wanted by certain collectors. That being said, the general answer is a resounding no - counterfeit cards can’t even be played competitively. There is an audience that will purchase dedicated proxies. These are intentional replicas that usually have different holos or textures on purpose, so they can’t be sold as real chases. The line between proxy and fake cards is quite thin, but usually, proxies are sold intended to be replicas - fake cards are sold for the purpose of scamming. ### Can PSA grade fake Pokémon cards? No, PSA will not grade fake Pokémon cards. While there have been reports of the occasional fake making it through the authentication process, in reality, it’s a ridiculously small amount that gets through. Grading companies have a responsibility to ensure all cards are legitimate, so grading fake cards would seriously jeopardise their authenticity. ### What happens if you send a fake card to PSA? If you send a fake card to PSA or any grading company, it’ll be sent back and marked as inauthentic or rejected. It’s not worth doing, either, as you won’t be refunded the fees paid to grade the card, and in some situations, the company will permanently mark it so that it can’t be sold or traded. ### Behind the Chase: How Moonbreon became Pokémon’s modern Mona Lisa URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/behind-the-chase-moonbreon/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:46:10.000Z 💡 This is the first in a series looking into the biggest cards of the TCG. Future features will be locked behind a paywall for a week, but will eventually become free for all readers. Everyone who collects **Pokémon cards** has a story related to **Moonbreon**, the nickname for Evolving Skies’ Umbreon VMAX Alt Art. Perhaps you managed to pull it near release day, maybe you didn’t, or maybe you were too late, watching it become the grail deserving of your collection it is today. It was always a chase card, but now, it’s a phenomenon. In my inaugural article of Kanto Post’s new ‘**Behind the Chase**’ series, we’ll be going in-depth on the history of Umbreon VMAX Alt Art, arguably the most popular modern chase. From before the release of [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/)’s Evolving Skies to the costly price of it now, here’s everything you need to know about Moonbreon. ![Gary and Umbreon from Pokemon anime](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-gary-umbreon.jpg) ## **The Day Before The Night** - **Price: N/A** - **1999-2021** To really evaluate how Moonbreon became a monolith in the community, you need to understand how the Eeveelution itself became so popular. Despite Eevee being a Gen 1 ‘mon, Umbreon didn’t arrive on the small screen until Generation 2, with the original Gold & Silver for the Game Boy Color. So, how did this evolution join the ranks of Pikachu and Charizard? Well, as with most chases from the majority of [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/), it comes down to nostalgia. Eevee is a popular ‘mon, regularly being marketed as Pikachu’s second-in-command when it comes to adorable-led advertising, and Umbreon almost stands as the edgy take on that beloved creature. Compared to the more cute vibes of other Eeveelutions, Umbreon is a shadowy, stealthy attacker that still manages to capture the beauty of what makes any Eeveelution remarkable. Umbreon was one of the first ever Dark-type Pokémon, and likely one many players found first. That introduces a good core memory into childhoods, rooting itself into your psyche, the same way your first Kanto starter felt. At the time, it felt unique and interesting, managing to have this powerful, brooding Dark-type in your party. The Eeveelution also wins the nostalgia fight with Pokémon’s most powerful weapon - multi-entertainment branding. The anime saw Ash’s rival, Gary, use an Umbreon to defeat Alakazam, making it a memorable moment in the series at the time. Admittedly, I wasn’t watching it at the time - but when I got around to it, I was hooked on evolving an Umbreon. ![Classic Umbreon Pokemon cards from before Moonbreon's release](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-old-umbreon-chase.jpg) I remember playing Pokémon GO at launch and being desperate to try and evolve Eevee into Umbreon, not realising I had to wait until Johto’s dex was added to the game. Personally, I’ve always been a Vaporeon fan, but Umbreon deserves its beloved status in the community. However, what’s more interesting is that Umbreon’s popularity received a second wave of fans after Moonbreon’s rise to grail-levels of excitement. So, this is only part of a very perfect storm that led to Evolving Skies’ most coveted chase becoming what it is today. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Support independent journalism, and get early access to new articles. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## **The Evolving Night** - **$230-$890** - **2021-2024** The current hype bubble the TCG exists in wasn’t the first, and nor will it be the last. Back in 2020, the global COVID pandemic caused a similar (but not as large) boom in Pokémon demand due to a mixture of nostalgia and content creators, bringing a wave of old fans back into collecting after years of stagnation. Late 2020 was a similar time to our current expectations of Pokémon cards. Sold-out stock caused shortages, sky-high prices, and cards started reaching (at the time) ridiculous prices, breaching the $1 million mark at auctions. Evolving Skies was released just as the hype started to come to an end, with late 2021 seeing regular stock coming to shelves, thanks to an increase in production. ![Pokemon Evolving Skies booster box and packs](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-evolving-skies-packs.jpg) At the time of release, Umbreon VMAX Alt Art was still a sought-after chase, but not to the extent it would later be. Booster boxes of Evolving Skies could be bought at retail price, and by the time July 2022 rolled around, a restock wave brought more collectors the chance to chase cards. That meant that 36 packs of Evolving Skies could be bought for $90-100 (the horror). It was an instant classic for its design, a beautiful contrast reminiscent of Van Gogh’s Starry Night classic. The best Pokémon cards don’t emulate art - they embody it. Few cards can be truly worthy of naturally belonging in a museum, but Moonbreon did that. Alongside a beautifully textured printing layer, and putting Umbreon in the spotlight with no other ‘mon, it was a recipe for success. Or disaster, if you never managed to get it. However, even with the Starry Night aesthetics, Moonbreon is more like the Mona Lisa. It’s an iconic piece of art that even those outside of the community know what it is, whether they’ve seen it in passing or have heard the nickname. Everyone knows the Mona Lisa, and that makes it expensive. Everyone knows Moonbreon, and the result remains the same. ![A close up of the artwork and texture of the Moonbreon / Umbreon VMAX Alt Art Pokemon card from Evolving Skies](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-moonbreon.jpg) Looking back, the signs were always clear, but not enough to really make a call on its potential status. On a four-year-old Reddit post on [r/PokeInvesting](https://www.reddit.com/r/PokeInvesting/s/Wu4oMDHyI6?ref=kantopost.com), just after it passed the $300 mark and headed for $500, one user said, "it'll come down eventually”, which may be a pill they’ve found difficult to swallow now. But why Moonbreon? Was it due to a lack of chases in Evolving Skies? Actually, no. In fact, it’s popular despite the fact that the set is full of great hits, and in reality, that only bolsters its popularity. Much like Prismatic, the Eeveelutions are absolutely stunning. Rayquaza VMAX remains one of the best versions of the Emerald Dragon, and even the Umbreon V version of the Dark-type looks stunning. It’s a real catch-all set in terms of chase cards. That only strengthened Moonbreon’s position. Having an expansion full of great hits meant that only one could really reign as the top, and over time, the community chose Moonbreon. People ripped packs in droves, hoping for any hit, praying they’d get a chase card of any manner. Demand meant that eventually stock would dry up, and after a few years, reprints were less and less frequent. That was made worse by absolutely brutal pull rates that make Scarlet & Violet era packs look generous. According to TCGPlayer, there’s a one in 332 chance to get ANY VMAX Alt Art. That alone is heinous, but getting a specific Alt Art, say, Moonbreon? Well, you need to open 1,994 packs on average. Based on RETAIL prices, that’s $7,976 in total, if you had the worst luck imaginable. ![A variety of Pokemon Evolving Skies chase cards from the Pokemon expansion](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-evolving-skies-chases.jpg) However, it’s not even *that* rare. Sure, it’s hard to pull, but it’s not like a vintage card, where few survived being passed around in the playground - the PSA 10 [population](https://www.psacard.com/pop/tcg-cards/2021/pokemon-sword-shield-evolving-skies/198449?ref=kantopost.com) is past the 20,000 mark, at the time of writing. That means there’s even more raw cards circulating. Fun fact: there’s 63 PSA 1 Moonbreon. What did they do to those cards? You can find out in our [best grading service guide](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) to see, well, how hard it is to get a 1 score. All of this, paired with the end of the hype period, meant more people were ripping packs instead of storing them, which eventually meant that those who had kept boxes sealed were in a winning position. It sat around the $500-$700 mark for quite some time, until TCG Pocket’s release… ## **A Pocket-Sized Storm** - **$890-$2000** - **2024-Present** Pokémon TCG Pocket wasn’t the start of the current hype period. It was really the catalyst. Blaming Pocket for the huge resurgence we’ve had is dishonest at worst, but in reality, it was the final touch of fuel to the flame that was already stoked. At the time, the TCG became less about collectors and more about investment. Pulls weren’t about connection, but about monetary value, and if you ripped a pack that didn’t contain a ‘profitable’ hit, it was worthless. I don’t believe that should be true, but sadly, that’s the current situation. Moonbreon got a nickname because of how iconic it was, but it was fitting that it became the mascot for the new generation of Pokémon TCG collectors, with those spouting ‘to the moon’ in the same way crypto and NFTs were doing before it. Only this time, the results were actually positive - putting money into sealed Pokémon products wasn’t burning cash, but making it. ![Moonbreon price chart with notes of what happened at certain points in time](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/behind-the-chase-moonbreon-feature-pricecharting.jpg) Source: Pricecharting It’s also the perfect casualty of the two generations of collectors colliding. Those who rejoined after not collecting cards have come back, have seen this valuable, gorgeous chase rising in price and have swooped in to buy it. Those who have come into the recent hype bubble see the potential value and have bought it up, which also increases the price. Moonbreon is the evidence that two tornadoes have crashed at the same time, opposing forces that only grow more powerful in tandem. But while I do believe that the sudden surge in collectors plays a big part in the increase in price, the reality is that a lot of it comes down to the investors. The growth of the r/PokeInvesting community is proof that the community behind storing sealed products has grown within recent years. Personally, I saw countless posts discussing Moonbreon, which only inflated the price further. Social media plays a huge part in individual expansion and chase card performance, more so than ever before. ## **The Morning Sun** - **$2000-?** - **Present-????** What’s next for Moonbreon? Well, based on my own experience collecting Pokémon cards, it’s gone so far past the event horizon that I doubt it will drop in price in any meaningful way. Perhaps it will see a dip as the hype bubble pops, but in reality, it’s found itself in a unique position: a totem pole of two communities colliding at once. There have been a lot of Pokémon cards that have become expensive as collectors rush to find stock. Bubble Mew, the lovingly-nicknamed ‘Butthole Pikachu’, and Ascended’s Mega Gengar, to name a few. Where Moonbreon feels unique is that it has had a massive effect on any and all Umbreon cards that came before or after it. The VMAX Alt Art had a natural upward trend in value, while Prismatic’s ‘Sunbreon’ instantly found itself expensive as it was released. It’s wholly unique in that it’s a card that has managed to sit upon a spire, high above the community, becoming a symbol of the haves and have-nots - those who can afford to turn Pokémon cards into an investment opportunity, and those who are in it just to collect. It’s a beautiful card that should belong behind a glass case in an art display, and for many collectors, it feels exactly that way. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. If you enjoyed this piece, I’ll be doing a fortnightly Behind the Chase for each of the biggest must-have cards, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above. Also, paid subscribers get early access to each BtC article (for a week), starting with the next piece. --- ## FAQs ### Why is Moonbreon so expensive? Moonbreon or Umbreon VMAX Alt Art, is expensive due to a blend of nostalgia, beautiful art, and hype on social media chaos. As stated in my article above, all of this saw the Evolving Skies Chase grow into the pillar of the TCG it is today. Rather that one specific thing, like the Chinese Mew ex 003/SV-P that’s limited to 1510 copies, Moonbreon’s expensive price is a product of multiple things. It’s simply the right place, right time, and the right card. ## What set is Moonbreon from? Umbreon VMAX Alt Art is from the Pokémon Evolving Skies set. This is a standard expansion that was released in August 2021, as part of the Sword & Shield era. It is likely out of print now due to its age, although, The Pokémon Company never confirms whether it has stopped printing a set. Although, Evolving Skies is just the English variant. In total, there are 13 versions of Moonbreon in 12 languages, with two in Chinese (traditional and simplified). However, English and Japanese versions of Umbreon VMAX Alt Art are still the most sought-after. ### This forgotten Celebrations Pikachu Pokémon card just jumped $500 in a week URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/flying-pikachu-v-psa-10/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:45:44.000Z Pikachu and anniversary products are a match made in **Pokémon card** heaven. For collectors, they’re adorable, nostalgia-filled reminders of our love for the franchise - and for investors, they’re an integral addition to a portfolio. However, while **Flying Pikachu V** from Celebrations sells for around $5 ungraded, the PSA 10 version has skyrocketed in just over a week, joining the electric mouse in the skies. Surging prices should be a familiar story to [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) collectors right now. However, strangely, Flying Pikachu V has avoided the eventual buyout from collectors for years. Even now, the ungraded version remains cheap by most standards - especially for an adorable pull from the 25th anniversary [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/). That was the case, until very recently. At the beginning of June, you could buy a PSA 10 version of the card for just north of $100, and that’s cheap compared to most modern chase cards. Now, that’s not the case, as according to Collectr, the price has [gone up by $500](https://getcollectr.com/?ref=kantopost.com) in just over a week, with some sellers listing the card for upwards of $1000. Even looking at eBay [sold listings](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=flying+pikachu+v+psa+10&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), the PSA 10 version of the card was sold for $134.99 on the 1st of June, then $200 on the 8th, and then on the 15th? $650\. For most chase cards, there’s a gradual increase over time, so what’s happened here? ![A flying Pikachu V Pokémon card in front of a white and watermarked background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1861.jpeg) One possible explanation is the impending release of [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/). Anniversary products often send collectors back to earlier milestone sets, and Celebrations remains one of the franchise’s most beloved modern releases. That’s a natural thing, and to be expected in this Pokémon hype bubble. There’s also the fact that, by most modern standards, the population of PSA 10s isn’t overly high. There’s over 2,000 - which is a fair amount - but it’s actually just 10% of Moonbreon’s PSA 10 pop. That’s a huge gap. It also means that sales are less frequent, so the price can surge quickly between listings. With raw copies still selling for around $5, some collectors may choose to buy ungraded copies and submit them for grading instead of paying current PSA 10 prices. Of course, there’s no guarantee of receiving a Gem Mint grade, which helps explain why high-end copies continue to command a premium. You can use my [best grading service](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/) guide to get some support in grading your cards. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Want to keep up-to-date ahead of the 30th Celebration? Make sure to subscribe to the Kanto Post newsletter for regular updates, features, and more. ### Pokémon’s newest anti-scalper tool didn’t seem to appear for Pitch Black URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/center-early-access-pitch-black/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:45:31.000Z Considering the less-hyped release of Chaos Rising and Perfect Order, all eyes were on **Pitch Black**, delivering a hefty dose of eyeliner and edgy **Pokémon cards** that collectors, myself included, had their eyes on. It was clear that the stars aligned for a big pre-order surge, yet as things turned chaotic, I only had one question: where’s the invite system? In April this year, The Pokémon Company shared an ‘Early Access FAQs’ [support article](https://support.pokemoncenter.com/hc/en-us/articles/35134190572564-Pok%C3%A9mon-Center-Early-Access-FAQ?ref=kantopost.com), which is its name for the Pokémon Center invite system. According to the system, it seems to strike a balance between the typical lottery systems that some retailers offer and the strict requirements of the recent Japanese limits, both of which have been received positively by the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) community. Collectors haven’t been informed about who is eligible for the program, and according to the company, that’s intentional. “Note that the Pokémon Center does not share eligibility criteria,” the FAQs state. However, being subscribed to the newsletter is required, and if you are selected, you’d be invited to purchase stock before anyone else. While this doesn’t guarantee product availability, it does give selected collectors a better chance at securing new [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) without spending hours in virtual queues. Even if you want some unique merch, the early access system says that any item, even pre-orders, can be part of the offer. So, where was it during the [Pokémon Pitch Black pre-orders](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-pre-orders/)? I can understand it being unavailable for Chaos Rising’s pre-sale, as the expansion was due to launch in just over a month when the system was announced. However, it’s been two months, and considering how frustrating the Pokémon Center drop of Pitch Black turned into, the early access system would’ve been an excellent opportunity for collectors to get stock. Based on my own research across multiple Pokémon TCG Discord servers, collector subreddits, and social media discussions following the launch, I couldn’t find any evidence that Early Access invitations were distributed for Pitch Black. I’ve seen some rumours suggesting it was used lightly for Pokémon Phantasmal Flames’ restock and Chaos Rising. Although, no evidence was shared for either of those claims, and both users suggested it was someone they knew personally. ![A Pokémon Pitch Black Elite Trainer Box in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1783-1.jpeg) The most likely explanation would be that the system is being soft-launched and tested ahead of the [Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/). It would make sense, considering the frenzy of Pitch Black is likely just a small taster of what to expect when the anniversary expansion releases. However, it’s clear that this system is needed now more than ever, with how hard it is to access Pokémon Center stock. Yet, if that is the case, Pitch Black would’ve been the perfect opportunity - and likely the final opportunity - to test and ensure it works as suggested. If things go awry when the 30th Celebration expansion drops, it could lead to a lot of resentment in the community. Plenty of retailers are moving or already offer invite or limited-customer drops for Pokémon TCG products, so it’s not a surprising system. However, where Pokémon offers exclusive products, getting invited makes even more sense. Once they’re gone, restocks rarely - if ever - happen, and that’s frustrating for those simply looking to open packs. I’ve reached out to my local Pokémon representative for comment ahead of publication, and I will update this article with any comments. The early access system still has the potential to become one of Pokémon’s most effective tools against scalping. However, if collectors are going to trust it ahead of 30th Celebration, they’ll likely want to see it in action first. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. While the early access system may have been missing in action, Kanto Post won’t be. If you want to be kept up-to-date on all things Pokémon, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter above. Make sure to also check out our list of the [Pokémon Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/), if you’re hoping to get some packs ordered. ### The Kanto Brief #1: Pokémon collectors face new restrictions as card prices continue to climb URL: https://www.kantopost.com/001/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T08:24:07.000Z In this issue: - Japan restricts 30th Celebration sales - Pitch Black pre-orders disappear - Pokémon pet accessories arrive - Champions launches on mobile - Chinese Umbreon breaks $1,000 Welcome to the latest (and first) edition of The Kanto Brief - my rundown of the latest news in the Pokémon world, as well as those I couldn’t cover in an entire article. It has been a seriously busy week for the **Pokémon TCG** and those with ‘mon-loving pets! ## Japan is limiting 30th Celebration stock to My Number Card holders The Pokémon Company has confirmed that [Pokémon 30th Celebration](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) products in Japan will be restricted to My Number Card holders. The move could significantly reduce international access to Japanese stock and may change how collectors source cards from overseas. [The Pokémon Company announces limits on 30th Celebrations expansionFollowing a previous announcement, The Pokémon Company Japan is imposing strict limits on 30th Celebration products ahead of release.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-1ec71e54-cbb2-49f9-9ac7-36cf3d1af74e.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1756-2093d7fd-fbfa-44a1-89a1-70b844d854e3.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) ## Pokémon Pitch Black pre-sales came and went Pokémon Center’s Pitch Black pre-orders disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, leaving many collectors empty-handed. Like a nightmare induced by Darkrai itself. Perhaps that’s a little exaggerated, but it was chaotic evening for me, so I’m allowed to feel a little emo. However, you can use our guide below to help get some stock. [The official website was a nightmare, so here’s where to make your Pokémon Pitch Black pre-ordersAs the Pokémon Center imploded yesterday, many lost our - but here’s where to make your Pitch Black pre-orders instead.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-4b111bec-f15b-4d4e-b5f5-8026855e5850.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1783-35050cc0-2f34-46f4-a5bf-46c20f7dae89.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-pre-orders/) ## Pokémon is styling your pets with fresh accessories Let’s forget about the frustrations of the TCG for a moment. If you have a dog or a cat, The Pokémon Company has released a load of new merch for your favourite real-life Pokémon companion. As someone with two dogs - a Cockapoo and a Cockalier - this is a great excuse to get more Pokémon in my home. From collars to a Snorlax-sized (and designed) dog bed, there’s no shortage of great items available at the [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/en-gb?srsltid=AfmBOoqnAZqKDaXSp1%5F%5FwDflDausrTAqF0JD5upf9ct%5Fgmbq5i98YlC5&ref=kantopost.com) right now. ## Pokémon Champions launches next week on mobile On Wednesday, 17th June 2026, Pokémon Champions will (hopefully) reign supreme on iOS and Android devices next week. After a couple of months being exclusive to Switch consoles, the free-to-start Pokémon battling game is coming to the App Store and Google Play Store. [Pokémon Champions’ upcoming mobile release could be the resurgence it needsAfter a somewhat mediocre launch, Pokémon Champions could fit very well on iOS and Android as it launches later this month.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-df3ad70b-49f4-4747-98cc-9f4e6440c012.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/pokemon-champions-mobile-release-a57fd5f8-4010-4b8c-be19-e6fa93d8f65b.jpg)](https://www.kantopost.com/other-pokemon/pokemon-champions-mobile-release/) ## Pokémon Pokopia is getting a batch of DLCs I already wrote about how the Switch 2 is practically a Pokémon console for me right now, and Pokopia is a big reason for that. In a surprising and welcome announcement, the Nintendo Direct revealed that Pokopia is getting three paid expansions, as well as a bundle that includes all three. Bubbly Basin, the first DLC, launches in August 2026\. ## A Chinese Umbreon Pokémon card has gone past the four-digit price Back to the TCG world, a Chinese Umbreon card has done the thinkable, and has started surging into the $1,000 range in a PSA 10\. This shouldn’t be too surprising, considering that Umbreon remains one of the most coveted cards in the TCG, but it is in a different language, making it somewhat shocking. Releasing in the Gem Pack Vol. 2 [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) in Simplified Chinese, this Umbreon showcases the Eeveelution enjoying a peaceful nap, worn out from battling it out with the other ‘mon. You can see the full breakdown below: [This Chinese Umbreon Pokémon card is now worth over $1,000Umbreon Pokémon cards remain a TCG collector’s grail, and the Chinese 0615 variant has just received sales past $1,000.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-5265815a-6166-4066-8ee8-98cd805c7b92.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1796-b2f30729-416b-4d09-bfa5-920f1d3d6106.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chinese-umbreon-ebay-sales/) ## Extreme Speed news [Futuristic Rares means more Pokémon cards to chase, but is it too much?Futuristic Rares are giving collectors more Pokémon TCG chases with the 30th Celebration set, making everything feel less special.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-7f511255-e89f-4301-83d7-fb7bd993f3c0.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1789-3cabf34e-6843-4c7f-b042-475575d68e72.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/futuristic-rares-opinion/) [Pokémon cards taught me to value chases, but KPop Demon Hunters reminded me why collecting is funThe KPop Demon Hunters collectible cards give you plenty of stunning designs, while Pokémon TCG sticks with the chase.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-71a7c5cb-7ebd-4e04-8615-a158972343f4.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/kpop-demon-hunters-cards-pokemon-tcg-d70293f4-fb75-44c4-8f3b-75455ec35773.jpg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/kpop-demon-hunters-pokemon-sirs/) [Chinese Pokémon cards are surging in price as collectors look beyond English and Japanese setsAccording to price-tracking app Collectr, Chinese Pokémon cards are becoming the new target for collectors.![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/icon/IMG_1469-b40da584-f3e8-4584-9f28-ee2900e5328c.png)Kanto PostCallum Self![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1776-078795f1-e6d4-4966-a24f-8472c2913680.jpeg)](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chinese-cards-surging-price/) From next week, we’ll be doing a special edition of The Kanto Brief, including market shifts and cards I’d personally pick up before they’re inevitably bought up by collectors - this will be limited to paid subscribers, but those who haven’t joined can use [this link](https://www.kantopost.com/launch-special) to get a 20% discount on an annual membership during our launch period! _This post is for subscribers only._ ### This Chinese Umbreon Pokémon card is now worth over $1,000 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chinese-umbreon-ebay-sales/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:45:05.000Z We can probably skip the usual preamble at this point. Any time an **Umbreon** chase card pops up, it’s pretty much guaranteed to go for big money. Umbreon remains one of the most sought-after **Pokémon cards** in the TCG, and now, a Chinese chase has hit the four-digit range. Waiting for any Umbreon chases from the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) to become cheaper is like waiting for the heat death of the universe. Except, even in those cases, the eventual apocalypse will see these Pokémon cards become the main bargaining chip of the wasteland. The difference between the haves and the have-nots. I would fall into the latter group. Not for lack of want or trying. I ripped so many packs of Prismatic Evolutions trying to get Sunbreon, but I was a little too late for Evolving Skies’ Moonbreon. I expect the upcoming 30th Celebration Premium Deck [promo of Umbreon](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-card-30th-deck-box/) will see equally high value, and this Chinese Pokémon card is just further evidence of that. ![An Umbreon 0615 Pokémon card from Chinese Gem Pack Vol. 2 set](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1798.jpeg) Recent eBay [sales](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=umbreon+0615+PSA+10&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com) show PSA 10 copies of Umbreon 0615 changing hands for more than $1,200, putting the card alongside some of the hobby’s most desirable modern Umbreon releases. Of course, this is the highest grade a card can receive from PSA, and it’s a strict requirement as I suggest in my best grading service guide. However, it’s still an increase over time, and one that’s now breached into a more expensive territory. I recently wrote about how Chinese Pokémon cards were trending up in price for a variety of reasons - Umbreon is just another casualty in the continued price hikes. While I can’t make any price predictions in good faith, collectors have always put their money into Umbreon cards, so there’s no sign of this slowing down any time soon. It’s also frustrating as I have been waiting to get some Chinese Pokémon cards for my collection, but clearly, I’ve left it too late. Collectors frustrated with a lack of English and even Japanese stock are now searching elsewhere for stock. At this point, it feels like every Umbreon card is destined to become expensive eventually. The only question is whether collectors can get one before everyone else realises it. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I send out a new news story every day through our Kanto Post newsletter, which you can subscribe to (for free) using the box above! ### Futuristic Rares means more Pokémon cards to chase, but is it too much? URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/futuristic-rares-opinion/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:44:48.000Z **Futuristic Rares** should be an exciting tier of **Pokémon cards** to collect. They’re flashy, eye-catching cards that anyone lucky enough to open packs of **Pokémon 30th Celebration** would love to pull. However, as stock continues to dwindle, my first thought wasn’t “I need that”, it was “oh no, another rarity”. Admittedly, I don’t think the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) has ever been in a stronger position following the Scarlet & Violet era. Illustration Rares and the more elusive Special Illustration Rares make up the bulk of every collector's dream cards to collect. It was simple, neat even, and things made sense. Then Mega Hyper Rares came along. Before, SIRs were the pinnacle of each Pokémon set, delivering the most exciting and important card you could own. Mega Evolutions changed that hierarchy, introducing the all-gold and harder to pull Mega Hyper Rares. Suddenly, the hierarchy wasn’t quite as clear anymore. So, with the upcoming [30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/) adding another rarity in the form of the Futuristic Rares, you can see the issue. With the anniversary expansion set to be one of most sought-after modern sets, another rarity doesn’t feel as exciting as it should; it just feels like another uphill battle for those not finding stockpile workarounds in order to secure hundreds of packs at launch. The issue isn’t that Futuristic Rares or Mega Hyper Rares are difficult to pull. Chase cards are supposed to be hard to get out of packs. The problem is that they’re arriving during a period where many of us are already struggling to buy products in the first place. Every new rarity adds another card to the wishlist, but stock shortages mean many collectors like you or I never get the opportunity to chase them through opening packs. Instead, they’re forced to watch from the sidelines or pay inflated secondary market prices. ![](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1790.jpeg) Another rarity tier also makes every chase feel a little less special. As more premium cards are added to each expansion, the waters become increasingly muddied. What should feel exciting starts to feel exhausting. If you’re like me, you’d prefer an SIR any day of the week, so pulling an MHR or a Futuristic Rarity isn’t fun - it’s just an “oh, that’s cool” moment before trying your luck again. If anything, the recent years before the Mega Evolutions era proved that Pokémon didn’t need to touch the formula. SIRs deliver some of the most breathtaking pieces of art in the entire TCG, and they’re still the most desirable chases in my eyes. Futuristic Rares and MHRs are still awesome, don’t get me wrong, but they don’t hold a Litwick to what an impressive SIR can offer. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. You know what isn’t hard to get? Newsletters from Kanto Post, of course! If you subscribe to our newsletter above, you’ll get the latest news stories about Pokémon, keeping you up to date on all things from the TCG to the videogames. ### The official website was a nightmare, so here’s where to make your Pokémon Pitch Black pre-orders URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-pre-orders/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:44:35.000Z I spent two hours trying to make my **Pokémon Pitch Black pre-orders** on the Pokémon Center yesterday. Like thousands of other collectors, I got nowhere. Between Error 17-d messages, broken queues, and stock disappearing in minutes, the launch felt eerily similar to Destined Rivals last year. But the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) Pitch Black stock on the official website is only the first battle in the stock war. An important one, sure, but it’s not over yet. If you’re looking to still get some cards, don’t lose hope - I’m here to help you secure the upcoming [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) before it’s too late. However, let’s discuss what Rotom-level chaos happened with the Pokémon Center yesterday. It was a true mess, one that I haven’t seen since this time last year. The queue was in place, but at one point, it broke down, allowing everyone and seemingly everything in. A lot of collectors were Error 17-d, treating real people like bots, while community Discord servers and social media quickly filled with speculation that bots had taken a large portion of the stock. Is that what happened? Well, I’ll be honest, I don’t know. The Pokémon Company hasn’t shared any information, and it’s all up in the air. What I do know is that it was truly frustrating, and I hope that the Pokémon Center this side of the world follows Japan and puts in [government ID and a lottery system](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/) in place. Of course, that would take time and resources, and there’s a good chance it might not be in place for the 30th Celebration set. However, it’s better late than never, and if the hype continues into next year, we need better systems in place so that real collectors can get their hands on the latest cards. Let’s stop being negative for a moment. If you’re looking for some Pitch Black stock, here’s where I’d look next: - [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/en-gb?srsltid=AfmBOorp8npTrzGp3VoU5Pb77DzLxFP8ieby4BiCQKXktxS1gSGKUHuT&ref=kantopost.com) (global) - if the issue was bots, there’s a chance the company may do a small re-stock closer to release. So, keep it bookmarked and keep checking regularly - [Chaos Cards (UK)](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) \- Chaos Cards has recently introduced a new lottery-style system, so may be your best shot for products - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Pok%C3%A9mon+Pitch+Black&crid=1KXWGCLSRIZP1&sprefix=pok%C3%A9mon+pitch+black%2Caps%2C160&linkCode=ll2&tag=kantopost-21&linkId=cc0ccb1bb0ded632e57617aded328c5b&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=kantopost.com) (global) - in the UK, Amazon has a handy invite system, which is extremely popular making chances less likely, but it is better than no chance at all - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - the UK’s leading hobbyist retailer, Magic Madhouse is a bit random with drops, so I’d suggest keeping it bookmarked and following the company on social media - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/?ref=kantopost.com) (US) - over the years I’ve covered the TCG, Walmart has had plenty of retail-priced drops, so worth checking frequently and paying for the Walmart+ for more chance - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/?ref=kantopost.com) (US) - similar to Walmart, but with even more preparation for stock alerts with dates for new stock on listings Pitch Black is going to be one of the biggest Pokémon TCG releases of the year, but there will be more stock drops between now and launch. Missing yesterday’s Pokémon Center queue doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’d recommend joining our newsletter above - not because I like more subscribers (although, that is true), but because I will be sharing as and when stock pops up, so make sure to keep checking your emails. ### Pokémon cards taught me to value chases, but KPop Demon Hunters reminded me why collecting is fun URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/kpop-demon-hunters-pokemon-sirs/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T14:00:49.000Z Considering you’re reading Kanto Post, it should be unsurprising that I’m a bit of a Pokémon TCG fanatic. Part of that comes from years of loving the franchise itself, but another part is the familiar thrill of the chase - hunting down rare and valuable cards that feel almost impossible to pull. However, the KPop Demon Hunters cards reminded me that collecting can still feel exciting, even when expensive rarity is not the main incentive. I’m not about to throw my [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) binders into the attic in favour of building master sets of KPop Demon Hunters cards. I still love pulling Pokémon hits, and I probably always will. But opening these cards made me realise that my long-running “more SIRs would be better” take is not just wishful thinking. It could genuinely make the hobby feel healthier for collectors. SIRs are not really gameplay mechanics or competitive necessities in the Pokémon TCG. They exist for collectors. If you’re playing competitively, the standard versions of cards do the exact same thing. The rare variants simply exist to keep people opening packs, and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Even if The Pokémon Company put an SIR in every pack, people would still chase the specific cards they actually want. Collecting would not suddenly disappear overnight. But while Pokémon leans heavily into scarcity and high-value hits, the KPop Demon Hunters cards from Kayou feel designed around a much simpler idea: make every pack enjoyable to open. Even without pulling the rarest cards of Rumi, Huntrix, or the Saja Boys, the lower-rarity cards still feel exciting. The colours pop, the layouts are stylish, and even the basic designs feel distinct. Pokémon cards can absolutely look great too, but most sets clearly reserve their best artwork and presentation for the high-end pulls. That difference becomes especially noticeable once you hit the consistent SSR cards, like the Your Idol version of Jinu. Every pack feels rewarding in some way, even if you miss the biggest hits entirely. There may not even be a game attached to these cards, but they still capture that “just one more pack” feeling through presentation alone. ![A selection of hits from the KPop Demon Hunters Collectible Trading Cards](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/kpop-demon-hunters-cards-feature-pulls.jpg) Meanwhile, completing a Pokémon set increasingly feels like a task for die-hard collectors. Between product shortages, inflated secondary market prices, and pull rates built around a handful of expensive chases, casual fans are often encouraged to focus on the hits and ignore everything else. That said, there is a trade-off. Easier pulls do make the biggest hits feel less special. Pokémon TCG has perfected the dopamine rush of finally pulling a chase card after dozens of packs, and those moments genuinely stick with you. I can vividly remember some of my biggest Pokémon pulls, whereas I cannot really say the same for KPop Demon Hunters cards yet. Still, this whole thing has made me rethink how I view collecting. The fact I’m sitting awake at 1 am thinking “Pokémon packs should probably contain more cool cards” is admittedly the most 21st-century problem imaginable, especially after spending hours playing Legends Z-A. But after opening KPop Demon Hunters cards, I’m more convinced than ever that modern Pokémon sets rely a little too heavily on scarcity to create excitement. Sorry, The Pokémon Company. ### Chinese Pokémon cards are surging in price as collectors look beyond English and Japanese sets URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chinese-cards-surging-price/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:44:13.000Z Pokémon TCG collectors are suckers for exclusives. I should know, I am one. Between limited-release promos and Pokémon Center-stamped cards, owning Pokémon cards that aren’t around for long plays on that societal FOMO, yet we still keep falling for it. As English and Japanese stock gets harder to come by, Chinese chases are becoming more popular than ever, and there’s plenty of exclusives to buy. [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) collectors should be used to the story by now. Cards get popular, packs get bought in a rush, prices increase for both, and then it becomes an expensive hobby for those who missed out at the start. It’s the circle of (a collector’s) life. It happened with Japanese booster boxes - those used to be below the £50 mark, if you can imagine - and now the hype wave is crashing into China. According to my research on [Collectr](https://getcollectr.com/?ref=kantopost.com), which allows users like you and me to manage our ever-growing card collection, Chinese chases have seen a recent spike across modern expansions. This isn’t tied to a single set, but rather, it’s a pattern that appears across every [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) from 2022’s Storming Emergence. For reference, that was the first expansion in Simplified Chinese, so this spike is occurring across all sets. Collectr’s market data shows that collectors are spending an increasing amount on chase cards from each expansion, highlighting an upward trend. With more people willing to buy Chinese cards than ever, the price naturally increases. Classic supply and demand stuff. The reason for this is threefold. Firstly, Chinese Pokémon cards have some of the most desirable exclusives in the hobby. Secondly, print quality is comparable to Japanese cards, making them more appealing than some other foreign-language alternatives. And finally, with English and Japanese products increasingly difficult to find at retail, collectors are naturally looking elsewhere. ![Two Chinese Pokemon cards, including Pikachu 172/151 and Cubone 0407/07 in front of a Kanto Post watermark](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/chinese-pokemon-cards-surge-in-price-cards.jpg) Take, for instance, Pikachu 172/151 from the Collect 151 Surprise set. It shows the iconic electric mouse hiding behind a tree, avoiding the gaze of a spooky Gengar. It’s almost like a horror movie, capturing a side of Pokémon we rarely see in wild-based artwork. And it’s enticing. It’s no ‘surprise’ (excuse the pun) that this card sells for around $2,000. Or there’s the almost romantic Cubone 0407/07, showcasing two of the skull-wearing ‘mon sitting on the edge of a bridge with an Autumn-like atmosphere, soaking in the pink light. It’s a gorgeous card that only those collecting Chinese cards can enjoy. So, where can you buy Chinese Pokémon packs? Well, in the UK, [Japan2UK](https://www.japan2uk.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopghMow-0pV9mvj-JxQo4o1CjW-gwoYeo33g5XlGSzhrDZHXrwT&ref=kantopost.com) is likely your best bet for booster boxes and the like, while US buyers should try [PokiPair](https://www.pokipair.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo1QOYl7vb7QO5Z212mxnnsnyS2y1Vml5OzMJku-8Wt1PJLjOQv&ref=kantopost.com). For specific cards, you should regularly check eBay for cards you like, and try to find a good deal. Luckily, Chinese Pokémon cards have a handy holographic ‘Pokémon’ logo in one of the bottom corners, so fakes will be more obvious. More importantly, both cards highlight a growing trend: some of the most desirable Pokémon artwork now exists entirely outside the English market. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Have you been collecting Chinese Pokémon cards? Let me know in the comments - I’d love to start collecting them soon myself. Alternatively, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for up-to-date news and exciting announcements, especially if you want to stick with English or Japanese cards. ### The Switch 2’s first year quietly became a celebration of Pokémon history URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/switch-2-year-one-retrospective/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:02:02.000Z As much as I love beating up Bowser or fighting Ganondorf, my preference will always be catching my beloved **Pokémon**. However, despite my expectations being quite low for Pokémon games this early, the **Nintendo Switch 2**’s first year has been packed with the franchise. Looking back, I genuinely think it’s been one of Pokémon’s strongest 12-month stretches ever. The Pokémon train started rolling with Legends Z-A late last year, bringing back the mechanics that Arceus started, but in a more mainline setting. Admittedly, it kept the accessibility and ease going, which probably alienated a lot of older fans - but I really enjoyed it. Lumiose was full of charm, and I liked the characters more than I expected. To be honest, Canari was a little annoying, but the rest of the trainers from AZ to your very own character felt like a huge part of the story. Personally, I’ve found the battling and catching systems to be much more fun in the Legends games - I hope it comes to Wind & Waves, at least in part. Alongside Legends Z-A, we also got the port of the original games, FireRed and LeafGreen. While the newer games are looking ahead, these ports are a reminder of why so many people fell in love with Pokémon in the first place. They’re comfortable, familiar, and still hold up surprisingly well all these years later. However, the biggest surprise for me was Pokopia. I’m not really a cosy game player - Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing aren’t my vibes. However, Pokopia managed to entice me into its world, delivering a vibrant and comfortable time that I’m still enjoying to this day. When the outside world is chaotic, I know my pals are waiting for me to keep cutting grass and watering plants. Honestly, if Pokopia becomes a regular spin-off in the series, like Nintendo’s second bet on Animal Crossing, I’d be happy. The world works within the franchise really easily, and it proves the games can go beyond the regular catching or battling without losing that Pokémagic. It’s just as worthy of being praised as any of the other Pokémon games (which it’s receiving, thankfully). ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. The final piece of the puzzle was Pokémon Champions, the free-to-start battle-focused experience. While Pokopia showed Pokémon could thrive without battling, Champions reminded me why competitive Pokémon remains so compelling in the first place. That’s what makes this first year so impressive. Legends Z-A looks forward, FireRed and LeafGreen look back, Pokopia proves Pokémon can succeed outside its traditional formula, and Champions gives dedicated battlers a place to compete. Rather than focusing on one corner of the franchise, the Switch 2’s first year managed to celebrate almost everything Pokémon has become over the last three decades. I fell off shortly after Black & White before coming back with Sword & Shield, but I can’t remember a year as impactful and full of great experiences as this past 12 months. The Pokémon Company has absolutely nailed the 30th Anniversary, to say the least. I bought a Switch 2 so my wife and I could play Mario Kart World, but it didn’t click as well as I had hoped - I probably would’ve sold it, but Pokémon has kept me getting it out of the dock every day. And though work and life commitments get in the way, I still find a way to meet my little pals in the various games. Whether I’m checking in on Pokopia, battling in Champions, revisiting Kanto through FireRed and LeafGreen, or exploring Lumiose City in Legends Z-A, I’ve found myself spending more time with Pokémon than ever. For a franchise celebrating its 30th Anniversary, that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give it. ### Pokémon Pitch Black’s Mega Darkrai cards are already hitting $600 URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-mega-darkrai-sales-japan/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:43:39.000Z After newer Pokémon such as Greninja taking centre stage in Chaos Rising and Perfect Order, it was almost inevitable that a set featuring a classic fan favourite would receive plenty of hype. **Pokémon Pitch Black** is just over a month away, but Japan’s Abyss Eye is already available. And, unsurprisingly, the two Mega Darkrai ex **Pokémon cards** are going for upwards of $600 on eBay. Taking the top spot in my [Pokémon Pitch Black chase cards](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/) list, Mega Darkrai ex might be one of the most metal [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) cards in history. The SIR delivers an almost fully black and brooding take on the legendary, while the Mega Hyper Rare of the Dark-type is easily one of the best looking all-gold cards yet. ![The Mega Darkrai ex Pokémon card from Pokémon Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1774.jpeg) While Greninja has been a fan favourite for over a decade, nothing beats a classic, and for punk-loving emos like me, nothing is more impressive than a nightmare-inducing mythical. Even though Darkrai’s Mega Evolution does take the design from a shadowy, looming design to a more giant, cloud-like creature, it’s still a stunning Pokémon for collectors like me. Of course, as I and many other collectors expected, Darkrai is quite popular. While we have to wait for the [Pokémon set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) to launch in the West, Japan’s Abyss Eye gives us a taste of what to expect for the hype in late July. The answer? Well, Darkrai is selling like Daschbuns. On [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?%5Fnkw=pokemon+mega+darkrai+ex&LH%5FSold=1&ref=kantopost.com), the Mega Hyper Rare version is selling for around $600, while the Mega Darkrai ex SIR is sitting around the cheaper - but still expensive - $400 mark. Typically, Japanese prices will drop when the English version releases, but it’s an indication of what to expect when Pitch Black releases, and it looks like I’ll need to save some cash. Or, at least, hope I can get my pre-orders in. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to sign up to our newsletter above to get up-to-date news on the latest Pokémon TCG expansions - and we will also make sure to ping over any deals as and when they come up. ### LEGO Pokémon’s new SMART kits look great, and I might finally get into this new wave of plastic bricks URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/lego-pokemon-smart-kit-reveal/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:02:08.000Z Unsurprisingly, the translatable collecting skills of someone who adores Pokémon cards to someone who collects LEGO is, well, fairly simple. I love building LEGO, mainly with my son, and **LEGO Pokémon** is the perfect opportunity for two worlds to collide. After building both the Pikachu and Eevee models that were released in February 2026, I was excited for what’s next, but these smaller sets are better for kids - and I’m okay with that. For those unaware, LEGO SMART Play adds to the immersion of models with clever little bricks that can offer a variety of cool features. For example, you could set it up so it makes Pikachu’s iconic ‘Pika Pi’ when you attach it to the right object and tap it against something or move it slightly. Since its initial release, SMART Play hasn’t really captured the audience of normal collectors, and the Star Wars versions are a bit too kid-oriented for the older builders. Pokémon is, well, the perfect excuse to capture a wider audience. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Of course, the uncanny valley that LEGO Pikachu first displayed somewhat remains here. Without specialist bricks and a change in structure, Pokémon look somewhat odd in plastic bricks. However, these are still adorable sets - I especially love the Ditto as Squirtle, the Gengar, and the Mewtwo models. Compared to the more expensive LEGO models (mainly looking at Pikachu and the Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Venusaur trio), this is a much easier onboarding point for fans of both Pokémon and LEGO. And, it also helps sell the SMART Play bricks that the company is probably sitting on. Will I buy them myself? Probably, but I’d definitely buy them for my kids - if they liked Pokémon more. They’re neat little models that work well as playsets instead of models like the existing lineup, and I think that works, especially better with a lower price point. Although even if they’re not to my preference, more LEGO Pokémon sets are only a good thing, and I hope the partnership continues beyond this year. Make sure to join our Kanto Post Discord to get the latest information on all things Pokémon, from the stock shortages of the TCG to LEGO sets and videogames. ### I asked ChatGPT to judge my favourite Pokémon cards, and it proved why collectors matter URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chatgpt-judge-my-favourite-pokemon-cards/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T15:30:41.000Z **ChatGPT** and AI in general have become ridiculously prevalent - it won’t be long, sadly, until someone asks you to ‘ChatGPT it’ in the way people ask you to ‘Google’ something. But Pokémon is a three-decade-old franchise with plenty of personality, differences in opinions, and a variety in its audience. So, if people are going to keep asking ChatGPT for opinions, can it judge **Pokémon cards** as well as a collector can? The results - well, it’s a little too happy for my liking. When it comes to the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg), I’m likely one of the most positive people in the fanbase. People will swarm on Phantasmal Flames for that Charizard chase, yet avoid Perfect Order or Chaos Rising due to it having ‘less popular Pokémon.’ To me, they’re all cards that I want. I am not picky. I’m very much on the ball when it comes to the cards I like, and I’m not sure if Artificial Intelligence can keep up with me. Sorry, OpenAI. But the proof is in the pudding. And, I’ve decided to send an assortment of my favourite cards over to the ChatGPT servers for its thoughts. This is between a variety of modern [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets), so there’s no one-expansion-only solution - I’m really putting it to the test. And, despite my sickening positivity with the chaos right now, even I find that ChatGPT is a little too happy for my liking. ![Jacinthe SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Perfect Order](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1091.jpg) For reference, I sent over N’s Zekrom promo from Ascended Heroes (with the Pokémon Center stamp), Gardevoir SIR from Scarlet & Violet base, Pikachu GG30, Squirtle IR from Stellar Crown, an all-time favourite with the Jacinthe SIR from Perfect Order, and well, a bunch of other IRs I’ve scored. Oh, and it also rated the cards based on appeal, art, and market potential. With that out of the way, let’s start with Ascended Heroes’ ETB promo. ChatGPT gave N’s Zekrom a massive 10/10\. “This is my favourite card you've shown,” the robot happily says. Good choice, I think. It then suggests a ‘review’ from Kanto Post’s own words, saying, “If someone asked me what modern Pokémon card art can achieve, this is one of the cards I'd show them.” I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. There are plenty of cards with varying appeals to different collectors. N’s Zekrom is not cute, nor powerful in terms of design, so I think this statement is a bit hyperbolic, if not overdramatic. Next is Gardevoir from S&V, which it says is from Paldean Fates. No matter. ChatGPT gave it a 9.5/10, saying, “This card has become iconic for a reason,” ChatGPT told me, but I don’t fully agree with that assessment. I still think Gardevoir is strangely overlooked compared to cards like Bubble Mew or Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex, which seem to dominate conversations far more often. Those were the two ‘S-Tier pulls’ in ChatGPT’s technological eye. The next one is proudly in the A-Tier - Erika's Tangela from Ascended Heroes. It still got a 9/10, but I have to agree with ChatGPT when it says, “I'd happily take this over many modern gold cards”, as I have the same opinion - but when it’s taking market value into account, I feel like that’s a bad take. Shame on you. Rather than break down every card individually, here's ChatGPT's final ranking: 1. N's Zekrom 2. Gardevoir ex SIR 3. Pikachu ex (Terastal Festival) TAG 10 4. Erika's Tangela 5. Squirtle IR 6. Mega Charizard X ex 7. Pikachu GG30 8. Ethan's Magcargo 9. Jacinthe SIR 10. Piplup IR The biggest crime wasn't underrating Gardevoir or overrating Charizard; it was putting Jacinthe ninth. I've spent months telling people that Perfect Order is an underrated expansion, largely because of cards like this. ChatGPT saw a pretty Supporter card, but I see one of my favourite artworks in the entire hobby. I find myself mostly agreeing in terms of an artwork-led focus, but I think the idea of it including market value and ‘investment value’ (ew) misses quite a bit. N’s Zekrom certainly has a chance at making good money in the future, with Ascended Heroes’ popularity. I’d put Squirtle IR much higher up, and the Mega Charizard X ex that is fairly high is the basic ex card - not the SIR from Phantasmal. The results? I’ll give ChatGPT a ‘nice try’ for trying to emulate my opinions, but it’s missing the mark just slightly. After reading through the rankings, I realised ChatGPT had a problem that many collectors don't. It was trying to find the "best" cards, and I don’t look at cards that way. My favourite cards aren't always the most expensive or rarest. Sometimes they're just the cards that make me happy when I open my binder. That's why I don't think AI will replace Pokémon collectors anytime soon. It can identify a chase card, but it can't tell you why Jacinthe from Perfect Order means more to you than a card worth ten times as much. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. So, I wouldn't recommend using ChatGPT to judge your pulls. Instead, stop paying for an AI subscription and start helping independent journalism by signing up for Kanto Post's newsletter. If you'd rather spend that money on Pokémon cards, you can always join our Discord and let real collectors judge your latest hits instead. ### The Pokémon Company announces limits on 30th Celebrations expansion URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/japan-30th-limits/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T13:43:03.000Z If you’re a fan of Japanese **Pokémon cards** like me, getting hold of **Pokémon’s 30th Celebration** products just became much harder. While stock shortages are almost inevitable, The Pokémon Company Japan is now requiring government-issued identification for purchases, creating another hurdle for collectors outside the country. This isn’t some random announcement. Last month, The Pokémon Company in Japan shared the news that Pokémon Center purchases would require a “My Number Card”, Japan’s form of government identification. This is a huge change in how the company sells [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/tag/pokemon-tcg/) products, and a welcome rule that should allow more collectors to buy cards. I had a feeling that it would be related to the upcoming [Pokémon 30th Celebration set](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/), but it wasn’t clear at the announcement. However, as of Monday, June 8, The Pokémon Company has confirmed that the measure is being used for the launch of Pokémon 30th Celebration, with the aim of getting products into the hands of more collectors. ![Two Pokémon cards from the Pokémon 30th Celebration, including Umbreon and Espeon](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1701-1.jpeg) Revealed on The Pokémon Company Japan’s [official website](https://www.pokemon-card.com/info/005510.html?ref=kantopost.com), a list of 30th Celebration products are being locked behind the government ID requirement. This includes the Premium Deck Set with the Umbreon promo I [shared yesterday](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/profit-over-trading-feature/). The full list, as revealed by The Pokémon Company, includes: - Pokémon 30th Celebration Premium Deck Set - Pokémon 30th Celebration Futuristic Box - Pokemon 30th Celebration Box - Pokémon 30th Celebration (9 type set) - Pokémon 30th Celebration Card Set Even with a “My Number Card”, there will still be a lottery system. That means even if you’re lucky enough to be a Japanese citizen, you’ll still need luck to get the line of products from the Pokémon Center. Even though it is disappointing, as I prefer Japanese cards over English, I actually like this system. Allowing more collectors to get their hands on cards can only be a good thing, especially with how popular the 30th Celebration expansion will be. If only the English Pokémon Center had the same limitations. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. As the 30th Anniversary continues, make sure to sign up to the Kanto Post newsletter above to be kept in the loop of all things in the Pokémon TCG. ### Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders, release date, product list, and more URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pokemon-30th-celebration-pre-orders-release-date-and-set-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-25T11:36:45.000Z 📝 2nd July, 2026: We’ve updated this article to reflect the new reveals as well as the list of products available for the new set. While **Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders** aren’t live just yet, half the battle is being prepared. Millions of collectors will be fighting virtual queues and refreshing retailer pages in the hope of getting packs before they sell out. Thankfully, with the full product lineup finally revealed, here’s everything you need to know before pre-orders begin. ## Pokémon 30th Celebration release date **The Pokémon 30th Celebration set releases on Friday, 16th September 2026 - worldwide.** This is unusual, as typically Japan gets expansions prior to the English versions, making a simultaneous release a very special event. While this is when the ETB and a small selection of products launch, many different collections will be released as the rest of 2026 continues. So, even if you miss the initial launch, don’t lose hope just yet. SPONSORED Check out the Sony INZONE H6 Air and score an excellent gaming headset for $198 [Check It Out ](https://howl.link/hbhjsmcldx3is?ref=kantopost.com) Technically, due to time zones, Japan will still get it earlier than us - but that's a difference in a few hours compared to a couple of months. You win some, you lose some. ## Pokémon 30th Celebration pre-orders Unfortunately, we can’t be sure when pre-orders for the Pokémon 30th Celebration set will go live. As this is a worldwide release, well, it’s all up in the air right now. However, I’d recommend checking the following retailers and bookmarking these pages: - [Pokémon Center](https://www.pokemoncenter.com/en-gb?srsltid=AfmBOoqnAZqKDaXSp1%5F%5FwDflDausrTAqF0JD5upf9ct%5Fgmbq5i98YlC5&ref=kantopost.com) (global) - best for Pokémon Center exclusive ETB, but high queues - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - biggest Pokémon TCG specialist retailer, so plenty of stock for UK buyers - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooNvNTLUMVYO9lzL5Mmci78-buSJJf5z28ayK8KaQ3byD4AGmFV&ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - invite system - rejoice! - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Pok%C3%A9mon+30th&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - historically one of the easier US retailers to find Pokémon products, although availability varies by release. - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Pok%C3%A9mon+30th&i=amazon-devices&crid=EYP31E0212GR&sprefix=pok%C3%A9mon+30th%2Camazon-devices%2C156&linkCode=ll2&tag=tldp0a-21&linkId=b3a494bbea07caf196c7438b6145dd85&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - invite system! - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Pok%C3%A9mon+30th&i=amazon-devices&crid=EYP31E0212GR&sprefix=pok%C3%A9mon+30th%2Camazon-devices%2C156&linkCode=ll2&tag=tldp0a-21&linkId=b3a494bbea07caf196c7438b6145dd85&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - reports of returned stock are common, but a good last resort Usually, the pre-order window lands around a month to a week prior to the set’s release. Considering how anticipated this expansion is, all bets are off - it could get a pre-order window sooner rather than later. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Pokémon 30th Celebration product list The below selection is all of the products available for the new set. They release on the 16th September unless stated otherwise. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Tech Sticker Collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-1.jpeg) ### Tech Sticker Collection Retailing for £14.99 / $14.99, this little box of goodies is one of the cheapest ways to get packs of the upcoming Pokémon set. It includes three booster packs, some stickers, and an Alolan Exeggutor or Lucario, depending on which one you buy. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration 2-pack blister](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-2.jpeg) ### 2-Pack Blister Even cheaper at £8.99 / $9.99 is the 2-Pack Blister, which unsurprisingly, has two booster packs. It also includes an Eevee promo and an adorable 30th anniversary coin for your TCG matches. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration knock out collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-3.jpeg) ### Knock Out Collection There’s no confirmed retail price yet, but it contains the same contents as the 2-Pack Blister in a boxed presentation. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Binder collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-4.jpeg) ### Binder Collection For those wanting to fill up their binders and store Pokémon cards from the newest set with ease, the Binder Collection offers a commemorative 30th Anniversary binder with five booster packs. It retails for £29.99 / $29.99 at launch. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Poster collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-5.jpeg) ### Poster Collection For the TCG collectors that want to decorate their favourite room - and I don’t blame you - the Pokémon 30th Celebration Poster Collection gives you a poster featuring 160 cards from the new set, as well as three promos of Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos. Oh, and three packs, too. It retails for £14.99 / $ 14.99, making it a fairly cheap way to get some neat goodies with your new packs. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Sylveon ex and Greninja ex boxes](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-6.jpeg) ### Sylveon ex and Greninja ex Collection Boxes Two boxes with promo cards of Sylveon ex or Greninja ex arrive on the Pokémon 30th Celebration release date. It also includes four packs in each. However, there’s no retail price just yet. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration elite trainer box](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-7.jpeg) ### Elite Trainer Box One of the staples of any Pokémon expansion, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box includes a neat Nidorina promo card, as well as nine packs, card sleeves, and other goodies for £49.99 / $49.99\. For those lucky enough to be on the Pokémon Center at the right time, the Pokémon Center exclusive version offers an additional Nidorina promo with the iconic stamp, as well as an additional two packs, making it up to 11 in total. It’s also a little more expensive, retailing at £54.99 / $54.99. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Booster bundle](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-8.jpeg) ### Booster Bundle If you want packs without the extra fluff, Booster Bundles are a solid choice. Retailing at £23.94 / $26.94, this includes six packs, and it’s the first product of the lineup that launches on 2nd October, marking the first non-launch item. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Mini tins](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-9.jpeg) ### Mini Tins With 10 different Pokémon 30th anniversary tins to get, these little bundles give you two packs, an art card, and some stickers in each. They retail for around £8.99 / $9.99 per tin, and some retailers may sell the display cases with all ten. This launches on 2nd October. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Espeon ex and Umbreon ex deck boxes](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-10.jpeg) ### Espeon ex and Umbreon ex Battle Deck For the TCG player looking to compete with some new Pokémon cards (who doesn’t like to brag!), the Umbreon ex and Espeon ex Battle Decks come with a deck full of cards each, alongside a deck box, a coin, and a playmat. Oh, and an Illustration Rare of Victini or Zeraora, respectively. This launches on 30th October. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration ditto premium collection](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-11.jpeg) ### Ditto Premium Collection The purple blob Pokémon is a favourite right now, thanks to the release of Pokopia earlier this year, so now it’s got a deserving celebratory box. The Pokémon 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection features an acrylic display with an adorable Ditto promo, and eight boosters. It launches 6th November. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration ultra premium collection Day & NighT UPCs](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-12.jpeg) ### Ultra Premium Collection - Day & Night There’s not one, but two Ultra Premium Collections this time around. Retailing for £119.99 / $119.99 each, both include 29 packs of the expansion, as well as one Classic Collection pack, as well as a bunch of extra goodies like playmats, card sleeves, and more. If you get the Day version, you’ll get Pikachu ex and Espeon ex promos to show off, and Night collectors will get Pikachu ex and Umbreon ex. These are the ones from the Premium Deck Box we shared last month, and it launches 6th November. ![Pokémon 30th Celebration Mew and Mewtwo figure collections](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/07/Untitled---29-June-2026-at-17.41.30-13.jpeg) ### Figure Collection - Mew & Mewtwo Last, but not least, two Figure Collections depicting Mew and Mewtwo arrive on 6th November. Retailing for around £60 / $60, this includes a sculpted figure of Mew or Mewtwo, five Pokémon 30th Celebration packs, and a foil and jumbo card of the Mythical and Legendary Pokémon ## Pokémon 30th Celebration details Like I predicted when the set was first revealed, [Pokémon](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) 30th Celebration is packed with nostalgic chases alongside brand-new cards for collectors. To be fair, the reveal trailer made it fairly obvious, but it’s still nice to get confirmation. Every card will be a foil one, making every pull from those basic cards to the new Futuristic Rares feel special. Interestingly, packs don’t contain the typical 11 cards (10 play cards and one basic energy); instead, it’s six, with five normal cards and one energy. There’s also 30 Pikachu cards to collect, each illustrated by a different artist. Personally, this is the most exciting part of the set - I love it when a bunch of artists can showcase their unique vision, and we get the benefit of collecting them all. I hope they’re fairly prevalent so the price doesn’t skyrocket after launch. ### We used to trade Pokémon cards for fun - now it’s about profit URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/profit-over-trading-feature/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T09:30:03.000Z Pokémon card trading became so intense at my school that it was eventually banned. Between games of Yu-Gi-Oh! and flipping through binders full of **Pokémon cards** we had managed to pull or trade for, those memories remain unmatched to this day. I remember trading a Blue-Eyes White Dragon for a Rayquaza ex from Dragon Frontiers, and neither of us cared about the value behind the cards. We traded because we thought the artwork looked cool. Now, it’s hard to ignore how much the hobby has changed. There’s no shortage of posts across [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) subreddits where a child pulls an incredible chase card, only for the conversation to immediately become about “what it’s worth” or whether the child “won” the trade. Like many modern trading card games, Pokémon has become wrapped up in a market driven by value, speculation, and scarcity. It’s no longer just about collecting your favourite Pokémon or owning beautiful artwork - it’s about what can sell for the most on eBay. More importantly, the current obsession with profit strips away the kind of memories that made the Pokémon TCG special in the first place - especially for kids discovering the hobby for the first time. I can’t even pretend to look at this objectively. I’m part of the problem, too. Over time, I’ve had to consciously change the way I approach collecting in order to stop chasing the disappointment of poor “returns”. Part of that meant refusing to sell cards unless I genuinely needed the money. The other part was learning to appreciate the cards themselves again. ![A Joltik Illustration Rare Pokemon card from Stellar Crown in front of a blue background](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/joltik-stellar-crown.jpg) One of my favourite cards is still a Joltik Illustration Rare from Stellar Crown. It’s nowhere near the most expensive card in the set, but my wife bought me the pack containing it when I was having a bad day. That memory gives the card more value to me than any price tag ever could. I’ll never sell it. Skyrocketing card values fuel the problem of investing and scalping. Many people would rather keep booster boxes sealed or resell them at inflated prices than actually open them. There’s always the possibility of pulling a Mega Charizard X ex or another modern grail card like Moonbreon, and that possibility alone drives the market. Personally, I couldn’t do it. Having sealed boxes sitting in my attic would drive me insane. Pokémon cards are meant to be opened. When I was a bright-eyed seven-year-old, I never thought, “How do I trade my way towards the most expensive card in the set?” Instead, I thought, “How do I get the coolest-looking Pokémon from my friends?” Usually, the answer was simple: I traded them cards they liked in return. If my friend liked Charizard and I liked Giratina, then everybody won. I could look back now and regret not storing away cards worth thousands today, but I’d rather hold onto the memories instead. Those moments became a core part of my childhood, and they’re a major reason why I still love the franchise more than two decades later. The difficult reality is that this culture probably isn’t changing any time soon. Even news coverage - including articles written by me - often revolves around secondary market value, whether we’re discussing vintage classics or modern chase cards. Family members ask me about articles I’ve written before, immediately asking how much the cards are worth. Once, a carpet cleaner spotted me drafting a Pokémon TCG article and proudly told me his nephew had “enough cards in the attic to buy a house”. Vintage cards will always carry value, partly because most children treated them casually back in the day. Cards were traded endlessly, shoved into pockets, bent in playground battles, or lost entirely. Modern cards, however, shouldn’t be reaching these kinds of prices so consistently. In an ideal world, if The Pokémon Company dramatically increased the pull rates for Special Illustration Rares - perhaps to one in every ten packs - prices would collapse overnight. Collectors and fans would still enjoy the cards, but the speculative frenzy surrounding them would lose much of its power. Of course, people would still buy and sell cards on the secondary market. That will never disappear completely. But would the obsession become quite this extreme? Probably not. At times, it’s almost embarrassing watching adults fight over Pokémon cards as though they’re scrambling for their last meal. Whenever I miss out on a new set, I’m disappointed too, but eventually I move on and wait until stock returns to retail shelves. It’s not the end of the world. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Of course, I still love opening new expansions, and if you do too, it’s worth signing up for our newsletter above for the latest updates on upcoming releases. You can also join the Kanto Post Discord to chat with other trainers and keep up with new announcements. ### This beautiful new Umbreon Pokémon card is already stressing me out URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/umbreon-card-30th-deck-box/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T05:53:07.000Z As far as **Pokémon cards** go, Umbreon represents everything I struggle with in the hobby. Every time a new Umbreon card releases, prices soar, products vanish from shelves, and collectors like me are left scrambling to keep up. Now, PokéBeach has revealed a stunning new Umbreon promo for its 30th anniversary celebrations, and I already know exactly what’s going to happen. All eyes are, unsurprisingly, on the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) 30th Celebration set and for good reason - it’s a massive milestone for our favourite franchise. However, I’m equally excited for the extra products, with small collections offering unique and interesting promos to bait my nostalgia. My hope is that I’ll get as many products as I can find, but in reality, I’d settle for a few packs with exciting promotional cards. Not only because you don’t have to rely on the chase that [all Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets/) typically offer, but because they’re usually exclusive. As a set ends its print run, these become even more elusive, so the earlier you can get your hands on promos, the easier it is to avoid the inevitable expense of buying them on the secondary market. ![Umbreon and Espeon Pokémon cards from the Pokémon 30th Celebration Deck Box](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1701.jpeg) If there’s any card I know will be expensive straight away, it’s these two Eeveelution promos. Shared by [PokéBeach](https://www.pokebeach.com/2026/06/30th-celebration-japan-championships?ref=kantopost.com), the Pokémon 30th Celebration Premium Deck Set will give you two promos; Umbreon and Espeon. Not only do these artworks match each other, with a massive ‘30’ in the clouds, but they look stunning with an array of fireworks overlooking a city. I want them. Desperately. The artwork is exactly the kind of thing that reminds me why I started collecting Pokémon cards in the first place. Unfortunately, the name “Umbreon” has become a warning sign for my wallet over the last few years. Umbreon VMAX Alt Art and Umbreon ex from Prismatic Evolutions are evidence enough of my concerns that I won't be able to afford them. If you want to buy them yourself, they’ll reportedly be available in Japan for 6,200 yen, which is roughly £29 / $39\. However, The Pokémon Company in Japan is instating a requirement for a government ID for Pokémon Center orders in the country, so getting one might be quite hard. Maybe I’ll get lucky and secure the Premium Deck Set at retail. Maybe The Pokémon Company will print enough stock that collectors won’t have to fight scalpers and resellers. Or maybe this will become another Umbreon card that I spend years staring at through a screen instead of in my binder. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. In any case, I will make sure to keep you informed about the Pokémon 30th Celebration set as it comes and eventually goes, so make sure to sign up to our Kanto Post newsletter for up-to-date information. ### Pokémon Champions’ upcoming mobile release could be the resurgence it needs URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/champions-mobile-release/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:02:16.000Z As someone who enjoys the collecting aspect over the battling, **Pokémon Champions** still enticed me during its Switch 2 launch. However, with little access to my Switch 2 when I’m out and about, as well as the fact that it’s free-to-start - not free-to-play - left me a little concerned about the future of this battle-only experience. However, the mobile release has been announced, and I’m hoping I can give it another shot to make me a Champions fan. My opinions of Pokémon Champions aren’t worth being fully formed just yet. I’ve only played it very briefly on the Nintendo Switch 2, and while I enjoyed the battling, I do think the monetisation is a bit overkill, even for Nintendo’s standards. Add that to the fact that I only play the Switch 2 at home, and well, I just have more games to finish before I start another live-service to my list. I’ve been waiting to give it a fair shot at winning my ever-growing Pokélove when the mobile release rolls around, allowing me to take my favourite ‘mon in my pocket wherever I may go. Fortunately, **Pokémon Champions finally has a release date of Wednesday, 17th June, 2026, for iOS and Android devices** \- as a bonus, anyone who joins on release day until the 2nd September, you’ll get a free Raichu, alongside Raichunite X, and Raichunite Y to mega evolve it. For those who’ve already started their battling career on Switch, there’s cross-save and cross-play, meaning the existing audience can compete with those on iPhone or Android devices. Honestly, the ability to take your progress across platforms is such a luxury in modern gaming, and it never fails to make me happy whenever I see it get mentioned. My only concern is that the release date reveal even mentions ‘free-to-start’, and mobile players are mostly free-only gamers. That leaves a huge share of the audience on smartphones who won’t engage further after downloading, which could be catastrophic for the playerbase. I’m hoping Champions will have its Pokémon Unite-level turnaround earlier rather than later, as the latter is not as popular as it was or should have been. Either way, I’m excited to give it a better shot at stealing my time later this month. If it doesn’t capture my free time, I’ll at least have Pokémon Ex Masters, and Pokémon GO, and Pokopia… I’m not hard pressed for choice, it seems. ### This Charizard misprint may be the most desirable Pokémon card error in existence URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/charizard-misprint-shadowless/ Last updated: 2026-06-06T15:00:52.000Z If you get a vintage chase or a modern grail, chances are you’ve got some solid money in your hand. However, find that **Pokémon card** with a factory error on it, and with the right buyer, that could multiply by huge amounts. An Umbreon VMAX Alt Art with a miscut? Potentially hundreds of dollars more, but with the right buyer, this Shadowless Charizard could sell for an absurd amount of money. For those living under a Geodude, the Shadowless Charizard is one of the most popular vintage cards in the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/). Not only is it an absolute classic, but it’s so valuable on the secondary market that collectors will recommend you grade it regardless of value. Even a low grade like a three will see a huge price increase over ungraded - that’s mainly due to it being a highly faked card, so the authentication matters. If you read my recent feature on [misprinted Pokémon card collectors](https://www.wargamer.com/pokemon-trading-card-game/misprints-interview?ref=kantopost.com) on Wargamer, you’ll have an inkling of where this is going. While error chases aren’t sought after by the main community, those who follow the misprint niche will pay increasingly high amounts depending on the error and the card. One such case is this 1999 Charizard with a Holo Error, one that also holds an extremely high grade of a PSA 9. ![The Shadowless Charizard with a Holo Error from the Pokemon card misprints subreddit](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/shadowless-charizard-misprint-news-reddit.jpg) Shared on the [r/PokemonMisprints](https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonMisprints/s/6YaCNcwjJx?ref=kantopost.com) subreddit, this is a unique 1 of 1 error, according to the OP. Stored in a case that screams “steal me” in a James Bond movie, this is a fairly beautiful error - it’s a printing issue that appears or disappears depending on the angle. Certain colours appear partially missing from the ink layer Because misprint value really relies on the correct buyer, this could easily become one of the most elusive and expensive Pokémon cards. I don’t imagine it’ll hit the same milestones as Logan Paul’s Pikachu or the various first tournament cards of the iconic yellow mouse, but Charizard is one of the most popular Pokémon ever. Shadowless Charizard remains a holy grail for many collectors, with an error that could see it potentially demand an extremely high price. It all depends on getting the right buyer’s eyes. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I always hope for a misprint to appear in my packs - mainly because I’ve never been lucky enough to get one. And I think that’s an interesting feeling to have. Most products you’d receive broken or damaged would make you demand a refund, and I’d feel the same way, typically, but Pokémon errors can look so amazing that I’d actually like to get a few in my collection. Maybe one day. If you loved this story, come chat about it with other trainers and me in our Kanto Post Discord server. You’ll also get plenty of updates on new [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets) as well as the occasional stock alert for any expansions as they come and go. ### When is the next Pokémon GO Community Day? URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/go-community-day-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:02:49.000Z **Community Days in Pokémon GO** are regular events delivering packed rewards and plenty of bonuses to help you level up your new friends. While the name is a little bit of a lie, these are limited to just a few hours, so you need to be prepared for the day when it comes. ## When is the next Pokémon GO Community Day? **The next Pokémon GO Community Day is on Saturday, 20th June 2026, starting at 2 pm local time and concluding at 5 pm**. It will feature Frigibax, the Dragon/Ice-type Pokémon, which evolves into Arctibax and then Baxcalibur. Frigibax first appeared in Generation 9, living in the Paldea region from 2022’s Scarlet & Violet games. During the Community Day, Frigibax will become more frequent in the wild, giving you plenty of opportunities to capture the Pokémon and farm Candies to evolve or power up your high IV ones. ## What are the Pokémon GO Community Day bonuses? There are plenty of reasons to join in on the Community Day festivities, even if you already have the evolution line of Frigibax in your Pokédex. The list of rewards includes: - Glaive Rush attack - any Arctibax evolved during the event or up to four hours later will have this charged move as a Baxcalibur - Triple Stardust when catching Pokémon - Double Catch Candy - Double chance for Trainers at Level 31 or over to get XL Candies - Lure Modules used between 2 pm and 9 pm will last an hour - Increased Frigibax spawn rates at active Lure Modules, with an increased chance of getting a shiny - Incense used between 2 pm and 5 pm will last three hours (excluding Daily Adventure Incense) - Trades require 50% less Stardust between 2 pm and 9 pm - Event-exclusive Field Research tasks with plenty of rewards to get For those willing to buy a ticket to the exclusive Special Research during the event, you’ll also get three encounters with Frigibax with a special background, as well as a Rare Candy XL, the Premium Battle Pass, and more encounters with the featured Pokémon. ![Two models of Frigibax from Pokemon Go Community Day including a normal and shiny form](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-go-community-day-guide-shiny-frigibax.jpg) The normal Frigibax (left) and the Shiny Frigibax (right) ## How to prepare for Pokémon Go Community Day If you’re planning to attend the next Pokémon Go Community Day, here are some handy tips to get the most out of the event: ### Use Lure Modules and Incense While the event is on, Frigibax spawns will be far more common, but with a well-placed Lure Module and the extended Incense time, these items will make it far easier to catch them more often. The more you have, the easier it will be to get some high IV for your team, and you can use any extra Candies to upgrade your best Frigibax. ### Remove unwanted Pokémon If you’re anything like me, chances are you’re almost always right near the Pokémon cap. Make sure you transfer as many unnecessary ones as you can so the catching spree can continue - I personally filter all of them by searching 0\* or 1\* to remove low IV ones that won’t be good for battling. Of course, don’t transfer those event ones (although the game warns you if there are any in your selection). ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Get some Lucky Eggs Considering the sheer number of Pokémon you’ll be catching, getting a few Lucky Eggs for the event is a great idea. That means you’ll get additional XP for every catch you make, making it far easier to level up during the event. ### Clear your Field Research tasks During the event, you can get special Field Research tasks tied to the Community Day. It’s worth completing your existing ones or deleting them to make room for the event tasks - that will save you wasting time while the event is active. ## Pokémon GO Community Day FAQs ### Can Frigibax be shiny in Pokémon GO? Yes, there is a shiny form of Frigibax, and it’ll be easier to find during the Community Day due to an increased spawn rate for the Pokémon. Admittedly, it’s one of the weaker shinies in the mobile game, with a paler body that’s a lighter blue with pink accents. ### How long does Pokémon GO Community Day last? The event lasts three hours, taking place between 2 pm and 5 pm in your local time. However, some event bonuses will last until 9 pm on the same day, giving you an additional four hours of extra rewards. ### Pokémon Wind and Waves release date estimate, gameplay, region, and more URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon/wind-and-waves-release-date/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T11:02:25.000Z **Pokémon Wind & Waves** isn’t just the next game - it represents the start of Generation 10, as well as being the first mainline Switch 2 exclusive, since Legends Z-A was on both consoles. If you’re excited to go on a tropical adventure when the game finally releases, here’s when to expect it. ## Pokémon Wind & Waves release date Pokémon Wind and Waves is set for release in 2027, and I expect it to launch in November that year. That’s fairly broad, but the details are light right now due to it only being revealed in a Pokémon Presents back in February 2026\. However, considering many previous Pokémon mainline entries have launched in October or November, it would make sense for it to release during that period once again. The only games in recent years that haven’t been released in those two months are Legends: Arceus and Pokopia, the latter being a non-mainline entry. Admittedly, Arceus was announced in early 2021, with a release just less than a year later - so, perhaps Wind & Waves will follow that pattern, too. ## Pokémon Wind & Waves gameplay Unsurprisingly, I expect the familiar catching ‘mon and battling it out for Pokémon Wind and Waves. While both Legends games took a more action-focused battling experience, Scarlet & Violet stuck with the formula, and it’s unclear as to whether Wind and Waves will continue with the changes Legends Z-A made or stick to the status quo. Of course, a new region brings new Pokémon for the ever-growing Pokédex, something that will likely bring more cards to the Pokémon TCG. Currently, we know of the starters - Browt, the Grass-type; Pombon, the Fire-type; and Gecqua, the Water-type. Personally, I’m choosing the adorable Pombon, despite being a Water-type fanatic. ## Pokémon Wind & Waves region The region for Pokémon Wind & Waves hasn’t been named just yet. However, the reveal trailer highlighted lush tropical landscapes and a vast, beautiful ocean, inspired by Southeast Asia. Based on the design, it looks to be drawing inspiration from Indonesia, Malaysia, and other tropical-like islands. Like many Pokémon games, the starters don’t really take inspiration from real-world places. So, we’re left to the design of the world itself as opposed to the revealed ‘mon we’ve seen. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Information on Pokémon Wind & Waves is fairly sparse right now, but make sure to sign up for our newsletter below or join our Kanto Post Discord to be kept in the loop for the latest updates. ### Pokémon Chaos Rising set guide: products, chase cards, and more URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/chaos-rising-set-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T10:35:54.000Z **Pokémon Chaos Rising** is finally available, and it brings a Greninja-led set that - like Perfect Order and Phantasmal Flames - is fairly small. It’s a very close comparison to Japan’s Ninja Spinner, with a few extra cards due to some promos being added, but the main bulk of the set is strikingly a 1:1 transition. Make sure to check out our full list of the [Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets) available, but here’s the full rundown of [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/)’s Chaos Rising set. ## Pokémon Chaos Rising release date Pokémon Chaos Rising was released on Friday, May 22, 2026, as the fourth Mega Evolutions expansion. As a standard set, it follows March’s Perfect Order, which came after a chaotic period with the Ascended Heroes high-class expansion. ## Pokémon Chaos Rising chase cards The top three chase cards are Mega Greninja ex SIR, Mega Greninja ex MHR, and Mega Floette ex SIR. ![Mega Floette ex SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Chaos Rising](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-chaos-rising-set-guide-mega-floette-sir.jpg) ### Mega Floette ex (SIR) While not a familiar face for older fans, Mega Floette is a fairly regular ‘mon that appears in Legends Z-A, and a ridiculously powerful one at that. But instead of pure power, Mega Floette ex’s SIR depicts one of beauty instead, deserving of a character that’s practically legendary in all but name. The kaleidoscope of colors coming from the blocked-out sun shades out the rest of the world, leaving Floette front and center. It’s grace personified (Pokéfied?), and it’s easily one of my favorite SIRs in recent history. Of course, other cards take the win due to being more recognisable, but if I could do it, this would be #1\. ![Mega Greninja ex Mega Hyper Rare Pokemon card from Pokemon Chaos Rising](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-darkrai-mhr-1.jpg) ### Mega Greninja ex (MHR) I’m not a huge fan of Mega Hyper Rares - my coverage at Wargamer would tell you that - but with a set focused on smaller, lesser-known Pokémon, the choices are limited. For that reason, Mega Greninja ex’s MHR is an essential card in this collection, and the price of it on the secondary market is further evidence of it. While Phantasmal Flames’ Charizard SIR dominates over the entire set, leaving the MHR to be second place, Mega Greninja ex is the opposite. The all-gold Pokémon card sits as Chaos Rising’s most valuable chase, and if it were for value alone, this would take the number one spot. Sadly, I personally value design over money - in most cases - and for that reason, it comes at a still brilliant second. ![Mega Greninja ex SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Chaos Rising](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-chaos-rising-set-guide-mega-greninja-ex-sir.jpg) ### Mega Greninja ex (SIR) If the MHR takes runner-up, the standard SIR is a clear winner. It’s cool, vibrant, and highlights Mega Greninja’s acrobatic skills in such a beautiful way that it’s hard not to admire it as Chaos Rising’s crowning jewel. While it would be lower on the list if it were in Ascended Heroes or Prismatic, it certainly stands out in Chaos Rising, and honestly, it’s a good reason to buy packs alone. I’ve always been a fan of cards that pop with life and vibrance, so this is the top chase in the set for me, and as an SIR, it’s incredibly rare - so that’s a neat additional bonus. ## Pokémon Chaos Rising products As a standard set, Pokémon Chaos Rising has a variety of products you can buy, including: - **Booster packs**: These include 10 Pokémon cards in each pack - **Blisters**: Small bundles, usually including promos or another free goodie, usually consisting of one to three booster packs - **Build & Battle Box**: These include four boosters and a pre-built deck - **Booster bundles**: These include six Pokémon packs - **ETBs**: These include nine packs (11 with Pokémon Center version), other goodies like themed card sleeves, and an exclusive promo (two with Pokémon Center) - **Booster boxes**: A box with 36 booster packs of Pokémon Chaos Rising ![Pokemon Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box and Booster Box next to eachother](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-chaos-rising-set-guide-products.jpg) I’d recommend checking the following retailers for stock regularly: - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/pokemon?ref=kantopost.com) - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/shop/card-games/pokemon?ref=kantopost.com) - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=pokemon+chaos+rising&ref=kantopost.com) - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pokemon+chaos+rising&crid=2EFC7YIM5IZM0&sprefix=pokemon+chaos+risi%2Caps%2C256&ref=nb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%5F2) - [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=pokemon%20chaos%20rising&ref=kantopost.com) ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Pokémon Chaos Rising promos Here is the list of available promos for Pokémon Chaos Rising, at the time of writing: - Fennekin: Elite Trainer Box promo - Delphox: Pre-release promo - Ampharos: Pre-release promo - Crobat: Pre-release promo - Goodra: Pre-release promo - Ho-Oh: Free with orders of $15 or more at GameStop and EB Games - Keldeo: Free with orders of $15 or more at Barnes & Noble, Hot Topic, and BoxLunch - Dephox: Free with orders of $15 or more at Best Buy, Mr Toys, Toymate, and JB Hi-Fi Make sure to join our newsletter to get regular reveals and more content from Kanto Post, or feel free to chat with other trainers in our Kanto Post Discord server. ### Where to buy Pokémon Ascended Heroes packs as stock shortages continue URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/where-to-buy-ascended-heroes/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T23:30:19.000Z I’ve been covering the Pokémon TCG since before the hype reignited in late 2024, and I’m still surprised when an expansion takes off - even prior to launch. As one of the biggest sets in the franchise’s history, Pokémon Ascended Heroes is a beautiful trip through some of the most iconic creatures the series has offered, and unsurprisingly, it’s very popular with fans. If you’re hoping to get your hands on some packs - well, good luck. But I’ll certainly try to help. A little context - before being made redundant at Wargamer’s parent company, I helped plenty of readers like you get as much [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/404/) stock as possible. Of course, there’s no certainty, as stock seems to fly off the shelves as soon as it lands, but I’ll be giving you the best chance at securing some packs of Ascended Heroes. ## Where to buy Pokémon Ascended Heroes online? The best retailers to bookmark and regularly check for Pokémon Ascended Heroes stock are: ### UK: - [Magic Madhouse](https://magicmadhouse.co.uk/pokemon/pokemon-sets/ascended-heroes?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - one of the biggest TCG retailers in the UK, and therefore, one that gets plenty of stock - [Chaos Cards](https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/search/Pokemon%20ascended%20heroes?ref=kantopost.com) (UK) - offers an invite system, making it easier to buy stock - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=pokemon+ascended+heroes&crid=3BEP5M0ZJTVWL&sprefix=pokemon+ascended+heroe%2Caps%2C120&ref=nb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%5F2) (UK) - similar to Chaos Cards, Amazon UK has an invite system - of course, this is more popular, so chances are slimmer. I’ve only ever had two invites from Amazon ### US: - [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/search?q=pokemon+ascended+heroes&ref=kantopost.com) (US) - I’ve regularly seen stock of Pokémon appear on Walmart, but it’s also good to watch for any resellers trying to make a quick buck - if you want to pay extra - [Best Buy ](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=pokemon%20ascended%20heroes&ref=kantopost.com)(US) - has a mix of ‘resellers’ as well as the occasional invite-only system, so worth checking frequently - [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pokemon+ascended+heroes&crid=3BEP5M0ZJTVWL&sprefix=pokemon+ascended+heroe%2Caps%2C120&ref=nb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%5F2) (US) - unlike Amazon UK, Amazon US doesn’t seem to have an invite system from personal experience, and products are frequently returned - use this as a last resort Social media stock alerts can be useful, but relying on them alone often means you're arriving after hundreds or thousands of other collectors. Combining stock alerts with regular retailer checks gives you a much better chance of finding products before they sell out. I’d recommend bookmarking the pages above and frequently checking alongside social media pings. That way, you get the best of both worlds. It’s also worth getting friendly with your local card shop. Many small, family-run card shops get some stock in, and it’s worth becoming a familiar face in the hope they hold some to the side for you. My local has got so used to me buying stuff, they mention frequently when they may bring some stock in. ## Why is Pokémon Ascended Heroes so hard to find? Pokémon Ascended Heroes is one of the biggest sets ever, and it is filled with chase cards that collectors like you and I are desperate to get - Mega Gengar ex, two Pikachu SIRs, and Mega Dragonite ex SIR, just to name a few. That hype drives up prices, meaning more people are trying to get it, and the cycle of stock being bought up and sold for high amounts continues. Demand is also being fuelled by investors and resellers who view sealed Pokémon products as collectibles in their own right, increasing competition for stock at launch. In reality, the expansion has only launched earlier this year, so stock will keep popping up for the next 24 months, and potentially more. Historically, Pokémon TCG expansions receive reprints across a period of one to two years, so there's a reasonable chance additional Ascended Heroes stock will appear well beyond its initial launch window. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Of course, if you want it right now, it’ll be a bit of a challenge. As someone who strives to collect all Pokémon sets I can, this one has been tricky. I wish you the best of luck in the stock battle royale that is frequently happening, but I believe in you, fellow trainer. Fortunately, we’ll also be sharing any below-market deals and stock alerts when we can, so make sure to join our Kanto Post newsletter so you can keep up-to-date with all things Ascended Heroes and beyond. ### The 7 biggest chase cards in Pokémon Pitch Black URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/pitch-black-chase-cards/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T07:40:23.000Z While Chaos Rising has only just washed up ashore, all eyes are on the metal-sounding, Dark-type brooding **Pokémon Pitch Black** set coming in July. Full of Pokémon cards that I personally need for my collection, this smaller set is bursting with SIRs and IRs that I can’t wait to *not* add to my binder, with a frustratingly poor amount of luck that only a **Pokémon TCG** collector could understand. Just like my usual chase cards list, this isn’t based on value, but rather on how much I like the cards myself; however, that often means that the cards I love are priced highly on the secondary market. In any case, these are the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) chases for Pitch Black that you should keep a lookout for. Jump to the Pitch Black chase cards: - [Slowbro IR](#slowbro-ir) - [Gwynn SIR](#gwynn-sir) - [Mega Zeraora ex SIR](#mega-zeraora-ex-sir) - [Mega Chandelure ex SIR](#mega-chandelure-ex-sir) - [Misty‘s Energy SIR](#mistys-energy-sir) - [Mega Darkrai ex MHR](#mega-darkrai-ex-mhr) - [Mega Darkrai ex SIR](#mega-darkrai-ex-sir) ![A Slowbro Pokemon card from Pokemon Pitch Black expansion](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-slowbro.jpg) ## Slowbro (IR) There’s always an Illustration Rare that manages to land with the top ‘mon of each expansion, and for Pokémon Pitch Black, that happens to be Slowbro. The Psychic-type’s vibrant pink stands out in the surrounding darkness, making it one of the set’s most stunning cards for collectors like me. Of course, as an Illustration Rare, the chance of pulling this card is high, so it doesn’t earn a spot higher on my list. However, it’s certainly deserving of a place on it, and it’s an excellent way to kick off my favourite chase cards for the upcoming expansion. It’s a very cute card. ![A Gwynn SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-gwynnjpg.jpg) ## Gwynn (SIR) Gwynn was a surprising character for me in Legends Z-A. The 'I don't care' attitude was refreshing compared to her brother's more extroverted personality, and her love for all things spooky - especially her Chandelure - made her one of the most memorable trainers in the game. So, with that being said, a Gwynn card had to be on my top chases list. I love how this artwork captures her vibe. She's ready for a battle, pointing out against the other trainer with a nonchalant attitude to sending out her Pokémon. A small Litwick pokes its head from around her shoulder, and the iconic Chandelure hat rests atop her head. This is a personal favourite of mine. ![A Mega Zeraora SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-mega-zeraora.jpg) ## Mega Zeraora ex (SIR) It's electrifying to see Mega Zeraora get a Pokémon card worthy of its design, pun intended. The neon blue colours pop to life, with yellow accents that help break up the drenched colour scheme, and even though this isn't a spooky card, the black parts of Zeraora really help outline the Electric-type. It's an excellent card that I'd be happy to get in my packs, and while my fingers are crossed harder for other chases in this expansion, I'd still be very happy to get it. Let's be honest, I'll be happy to get *any* SIR from this expansion if I can manage to get stock. ![A Mega Chandelure SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Abyss Eye](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-mega-chandelure.jpg) ## Mega Chandelure ex (SIR) I'm a sucker for Chandelure. Ever since I took part in the Litwick Pokémon GO Community Day a few years back, I've fallen in love with this spooky 'mon, and after playing Legends Z-A last year, my praise has only grown. Thankfully, this Mega Chandelure SIR is also beautiful, with a black-and-purple colour scheme fitting of one of my favourite Pokémon. It's a great contrast to Mega Zeraora's bright colours above, allowing you to soak in the spooky goodness of this Psychic-type. The artwork is absolutely enchanting, with the lack of any background noise allowing this card to focus on Chandelure itself. While other cards steal its thunder, this might be my favourite Pokémon card in recent years. ![Misty's Energy Pokemon card from Pokemon Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-misty-energy.jpg) ## Misty’s Energy (SIR) If writing about the Pokémon TCG over the last few years has taught me anything, it's that people can get extremely excited about nostalgic cards. Misty remains one of the anime's most iconic characters, alongside the likes of Ash and Pikachu, so it's no surprise that this card will become one of Pitch Black's most valuable cards. It's also just a neat card in general. It's not overly busy, seeing Misty on a run next to a swimming pool, with the focus being on the character herself. The background isn't busy, but the blue hues behind make her pop, like a spotlight has been placed on her. It's a solid card - not enough to be the set's top chase, but a great one to pull nonetheless. ![The Mega Darkrai ex Mega Hyper Rare Pokemon card from Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-darkrai-mhr.jpg) ## Mega Darkrai ex (MHR) As much as I repeat myself, it’s worth saying: I’m not big on Mega Hyper Rare cards. However, Darkrai’s design actually lends itself to the all-gold cardboard well, and as one of the expansion’s most elusive chases, it’s got plenty of reasons to be deserving of a top spot. However, I still prefer a great SIR over even the best Mega Hyper Rares, and that hasn’t changed here (wink wink), but as far as this type of rarity goes, Darkrai’s version is easily the most appealing. ![The Mega Darkrai ex SIR Pokemon card from Pokemon Pitch Black](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/pokemon-pitch-black-chase-cards-mega-darkrai-sir.jpg) ## Mega Darkrai ex (SIR) It had to be the SIR of Mega Darkrai ex. As soon as I saw the Pokémon card in all its glory, I was instantly sold. Darkrai’s mega evolution is a bit overkill in execution, so it’s hard to sell it successfully with card artwork. But with the overwhelming darkness, Darkrai’s design gets swallowed in a sea of dark shades, making it stand out. While the difference between a Mega Hyper Rare and an SIR winning the familiar “value” war, Darkrai’s SIR sells itself quite well, standing among the likes of Phantasmal Flames’ Charizard X. For that reason, it’s Pokémon Pitch Black’s essential hit, and one I hope you manage to pull. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Make sure to subscribe to Kanto Post below for weekly newsletters about the world of our favourite franchise. Alternatively, make sure to check out our guide on [all Pokémon sets](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/sets) ahead of Pitch Black's release. ### Bubble Mew’s $181,000 sale proves modern Pokémon cards have no ceiling URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/mew-ex-232-sale-ebay/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T17:45:46.000Z Few **Pokémon cards** exist in the “must own” category for me, but Paldean Fates’ ‘Bubble Mew’ is one of them. Mew ex #232’s vibrant colour scheme and adorable design juxtapose my rage knowing that I could’ve got it for a fraction of the price. And now, with the Scarlet & Violet era in the rearview mirror, the price will only increase - but thankfully, not to this level very often. A BGS 10 Black Label card represents an almost perfect card, nearly flawless in every way, so people are willing to spend big bucks when a [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) card is entombed in one. However, this **Mew ex #232** isn’t a standard BGS 10 Black Label. The card was also awarded a Mike Baker Authenticated Black Diamond designation, a distinction reserved for a tiny number of cards that meet an even stricter standard for condition and eye appeal. You can read more information in our [best grading service guide](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service), but considering how hard it is to obtain a BGS 10 Black Label grade, it’s no surprise it got this much money. In an eBay [bidding war](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/800081058574?ref=kantopost.com), the card sold for $181,000 (around £134,000) to one lucky, deep-pocketed buyer. It’s also an exceptionally rare example, with the Black Diamond mark making it one of the finest cards in existence. ![An eBay listing of a Bubble Mew (Mew ex 232) Pokemon card selling for $181,000](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/mew-ex-232-bgs-black-label-sale-pokemon-card-ebay.jpg) I’ve been pretty outspoken on my love for Bubble Mew. It was about to be the first card I ever bought on the secondary market, two years ago, but I thought it was too expensive at the time. Little did I know. However, I hope the person who has bought this card knows they have one of my favourite cards, and I’m only slightly jealous. This is certainly one of the more expensive sales I’ve seen recently, and while you do have the high-end auctions, this is an example of the ceiling that modern chases can go. It’s understandable with vintage, although some prices can still be ridiculously high, yet cards that are still in print (or only recently ended) can still sell for massive amounts. If only I were rich. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Whether you’re the buyer of the diamond Mew or you’re just a regular collector like me, make sure to sign up for our newsletter for weekly news. Or, you can join our Kanto Post Discord and chat with like-minded trainers! ### What is the best Pokémon grading service for you? URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-grading-service/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T13:21:12.000Z Grading your **Pokémon cards** has a lot of benefits. Whether it’s to protect your favorite chases in your personal collection or potentially get those coveted SIRs and sell them on for more money - hey, it’s your stuff, that’s entirely up to you. However, with such a huge range of grading companies that officially grade Pokémon TCG singles, it can be daunting deciding which one to go with. Well, fortunately for you, we’ve got a list of the **best card grading services** to use for your precious Pokémon cards. If you’ve got valuable [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) cards sitting in binders, grading offers two major benefits: protection and authentication. Slabbing your cards helps preserve them long-term, while higher grades can also increase resale value and collector appeal. Of course, there’s also the bragging rights that come with owning a pristine 10. Make sure you pick some of the [best card sleeves](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/best-card-sleeves/) before grading. This helps to protect them, and many services require them. ![A Groudon Illustration Rare Pokemon card in a PSA 10 slab](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/best-pokemon-grading-service-psa.jpg) ## PSA - best for selling **Pros:** - Best for selling/investment - Most recognizable grading company - Fair judgment criteria **Cons:** - Slabs are boring - Criteria is reliant on human graders If one company were the grading company, it would be PSA. Despite the brand’s name literally implying a different thing (Professional Sports Authenticator), PSA has been grading Pokémon cards for decades, and considering a lot of value comes from its brand recognition, most vintage collectors and those looking to make quick sales use the service for investment or sales. PSA’s grading standards are generally seen as more forgiving than companies like BGS, especially when it comes to centering and tiny surface imperfections. That makes PSA 10s more achievable for modern cards, which is one reason the label dominates the resale market. However, sometimes, a PSA 10 can have minor scuffs, while a PSA 8 could be literally perfect. It’s a personal judgment call, and while I think they’re fine, I personally find the slabs dull and outdated. For a personal collection, I’d look elsewhere. ![A hand holding a Jacinthe Pokemon card with an ACE 10 slab](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/best-pokemon-grading-service-ace.jpg) ## ACE Grading - best looking slabs for collectors **Pros:** - Gorgeous slabs (with artwork label) - Strict criteria make ‘10s’ worthwhile - Transparent grading reports (for extra money) **Cons:** - Newer grading service - UK-based (good for UK collectors) ACE Grading catches a lot of flak across the Pokémon TCG community, as some people prefer what is already available. Personally, I love them. The ‘artwork labels’ are an additional purchase for a couple of dollars, but they capture the art of each single, making them feel like an all-rounder collectible, not just a purchase for ‘investment’ like PSA slabs may be. As a bonus, you also get a full report on why your cards received whatever grade they did, which makes it feel less random and more reliable. Centering at a maximum can be a 60/40 split, which makes the valuable 10 grade harder to get. That might be frustrating for some, but collectors looking for as close to a perfect card as possible will find that criterion (and therefore the card) more worth it. However, they’re a new player on the block compared to many grading services, and as a UK-based company, some US collectors may prefer graders on their home turf. ![A Pikachu Pokemon card with the Scarlet & Violet starters in a BGS 10 card](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/best-pokemon-grading-service-bgs.jpg) ## BGS (Beckett Grading Services) - best for those ‘black label’ candidates **Pros:** - Very strict criteria mean a pristine 10 is basically perfect - ‘Black label’ 10s can go for ridiculous amounts of money - Decent-looking basic slabs **Cons:** - Very strict criteria, so less likely to get those 10s - Grades below 10 are seen as less valuable than PSA The ‘Black Label’. It’s the peak of grading, a label so distinguished, rare, and hard to receive that pretty much any card that gets BGS’ 10 in a Black Label approval reaches ridiculous values over PSA 10s. Thanks to the service’s strict, and I mean ridiculously strict, criteria, a black label 10 is a true epitome of a Pokémon card. That does make it harder to get, but the value… well, it’s worth the risk, so long as you think what you’ve got is a black label candidate. However, if you’re looking to sell your cards and get a Pristine 10 or below, well, you’ve lost ‘value’ on the market. PSA is seen as the leader, and anything below a Black Label, in modern Pokémon collecting, is seen as less valuable. Even though the slabs are pretty nice, especially compared to PSA, BGS isn’t seen as the best in the industry, so for a personal collection, I’d recommend going elsewhere. Unless you really like seeing the subgrades of your cards. ![A Pikachu and Squirtle Pokemon cards in a 10 and 9 in TAG slabs](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/best-pokemon-grading-service-tag.jpg) ## TAG - up and comer with the sleekest slabs **Pros:** - Sleek, premium-looking slabs - In-depth grading reports - PSA’s biggest competitor for modern cards **Cons:** - Reports of damage after imaging - Slabs are very fragile - High-tech imaging is a blessing and a curse Despite being founded in 2010, TAG’s popularity has really surged in recent years, primarily thanks to a mixture of gorgeous slabs, social media marketing, and its high-tech imaging software that allows for very high-resolution images of your Pokémon cards. It’s a match made in heaven, combining BGS’s high requirements for higher grades with a slab that will suit your personal collection. In reality, well, things aren’t perfect. Despite the gorgeous, sleek slabs that the company uses, they have a fatal flaw of being fragile. This isn’t good, especially considering that slabs aren’t solely for grading, but also preservation. High-tech imaging is great for ensuring that cards are solid on a surface and on a detailed level, but some collectors have reported surface damage appearing after imaging. TAG has the potential to be a big PSA competitor, but it requires a few major fixes in order to stick in the mainstream past the Pokéhype. ![A base set Charizard Pokemon card from 1999 in a CGC 9 slab](https://www.kantopost.com/content/images/2026/06/best-pokemon-grading-service-cgc.jpg) ## CGC - best for misprint and error cards **Pros:** - Authenticates and grades misprinted cards - One of the most popular grading services **Cons:** - Recent controversies have hurt collectors’ trust - Slabs are a bit bland After two big controversies, CGC’s high acclaim is somewhat tarnished now, leading to the grading company becoming less respectable in the eyes of collectors. However, it might be down from its pole position, but it’s not out just yet - and as a misprint grader, it remains a surefire way to authenticate your error cards. Authenticating misprint and error cards actually gives CGC a unique reason to grade with. For those who aren’t knowledgeable about factory errors, the difference between a damaged card and a misprinted one could seem similar - but with CGC’s official stamp on it, well, it proves that it's a genuine error. That means that, despite the controversies, CGC still has a reason to exist and still deserves a spot here. ## FAQs ### What is the best card grading service for Pokémon? There’s no real definition for the best service, but the one that typically sells and is valued higher is PSA. While the BGS 10 (black label) can sell for ridiculous amounts higher than a PSA 10, the requirements for the latter are less strict, and, with PSA being around for a long time, they’re valued higher in the community and with buyers or sellers. However, the true ‘best’ comes down to personal preference. Do you prefer quick sales? Well, PSA will be for you. If you love gorgeous slabs for a personal collection, you may opt for ACE or TAG. Out of personal preference, mine is ACE - but in all honesty, if I could get a couple of BGS black label cards, well, I’d be happy. ### Why should I grade my Pokémon cards? The main reason to grade your Pokémon cards is for protection and authentication. While it does increase the resale value, especially for higher grades with modern cards, it’s great for encasing your card in a hard, protective shell - and for vintage cards, it’s important for verification. There’s a good reason many of the cards on our most expensive Pokémon cards list are graded, even if the grades are low. ### What grading service has the quickest turnaround? The fastest turnaround depends on how much you’re willing to spend, as most grading companies offer premium express tiers. For UK collectors, ACE Grading is one of the quickest options, with its Ultra and Luxury tiers offering estimated seven and two-business-day turnarounds once cards are received. In the US, CGC’s Quick Submit walk-in option can reportedly return cards within 24 hours if you have a Fanatics Collect Drop-Off partner nearby. PSA’s Walk-Through and Super Express services are also among the fastest mainstream grading options, although they come with very high submission costs. Realistically, most premium grading tiers across PSA, BGS, CGC, and TAG end up sitting in a similar range. Personally, I think a seven to ten business day turnaround is more than reasonable unless you’re trying to flip a card immediately after release. ### I sold some Pokémon cards to make this website URL: https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/welcome-feature/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T14:12:17.000Z If you’ve been collecting any **Pokémon TCG** products over the last year and a half, and you’ve seen a little site called Wargamer pop up during your searches, chances are it was written by me. From those valuable **Pokémon cards** to the collectors (or scalpers) behind them, I’ve been writing about it practically every day for almost 500 days. For those who don’t know me, my name is Callum Self. I’m an experienced videogames journalist with over six years in the industry. However, over the last year and a half, I’ve been dedicated to the Pokémon TCG at [Wargamer](https://www.wargamer.com/author/callum-self?ref=kantopost.com), and it’s helped me fall in love with the franchise all over again. My focus is on collecting over playing or market value. Sadly, my role at Wargamer’s parent company was made redundant last month. All of my time covering the [Pokémon TCG](https://www.kantopost.com/pokemon-tcg/) suddenly felt pointless, and all of that work suddenly no longer felt like mine. Admittedly, I felt a little lost at this time; my motivation was sapped, and I was directionless. You see, the publishing industry is in a tough spot right now. Google’s changes and AI’s rampant takeover have left many publishers in challenging positions or outright losing, forcing them to shut down or make entire segments redundant. It sucks, and the media industry has never looked more bleak. So, why am I starting a website? Well, for one, I love talking about Pokémon. Any of my former Wargamer colleagues will tell you just how much I could natter on about it, and how passionate I was for writing articles, opinion pieces, or reviews. It became a routine of mine - every day was a Pokémon day, whether I was super busy or not. So, being made redundant from my role wasn’t a curse or a frustration, at least in most ways. Instead, it was a way to spread my wings, and like a Crobat out of Hell, here I am. Kanto Post is the work and money of a month of evenings and weekends. This is a scary experience, but I’m also extremely excited. With all of that being said, here’s what Kanto Post can bring to you: ## Editorial Independence As an independent publication and a solo-founded website, Kanto Post has freedom. I’m still beholden to the values of a journalist, but no traffic chasing or algorithm meetings is deciding what I can write. I can write a story on the new Pokémon sets before writing a lengthy retrospective on Psyduck, if I want. That’s the benefit of being independent. ## Passion over revenue I love Pokémon. I could (and do) talk about it all day, but sometimes, a story with potential revenue benefits outweighs passion in a lot of for-profit publishers. That’s fine, as it’s a big requirement, but with Kanto Post, passion comes first. ## Newsletters and community While the exact number of newsletters hasn’t been decided yet, and will likely be finetuned over time, you should expect at least one a week, with the latest reveals, news that couldn’t make it into articles, and preparations for TCG stock. You’ll also be able to join the Discord server, chatting with other trainers to your heart’s delight. ## Sign up for Kanto Post The greatest destination for your Pokémon news, including the TCG, videogames, and more. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. As Kanto Post grows, I hope to introduce more ways to share my love for the franchise in the form of other content. This will be shared in due course. If you’re keen to support Kanto Post in this ambitious project, here’s what you can do: **Turn off ad-block**: We won’t be introducing a lot of ads - the content will still be readable. But it’s a source of revenue to keep the hosting running, so it would be great if you could allow us to show you ads. **Use affiliate links**: Any product pages will have links to our affiliate platforms. We earn a commission on purchases, and this is a great way to support us. **Subscribe**: Whether you’re a free subscriber or one who uses our subscription system with various benefits, joining the site as a member keeps you in the loop and helps the site be discovered At launch, we’ll be focusing on Pokémon TCG, Pokémon Go, Pokémon Wind & Waves, and other Pokémon (this is merchandise, accessories, collaborations, etc.), and I will - as time goes on - slowly expand into other content like Pocket and the anime. I hope you enjoy the content, and feel free to share it if you like what you read. Regardless, I’m glad you’re here with me as I try to be the very best (Pokémon site), like no one ever was.