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Everything about Pokémon cards

Sofia16 APRIL 2026
Two glossy Pokémon cards of Ho-Oh and Mewtwo stand before blue card stacks, set against a sparkling red background with light.

Do you already collect Pokémon cards, or are you looking to start your own collection? Read on to discover everything you need to know about the most popular cards, the different sets, the best place to start, what you need, and what to look out for when buying Pokémon cards.

What are Pokémon cards?

A Pokémon collector's set shows booster packs, energy cards, sleeves, counters, a guide and a large box on a white background.

Pokémon cards are collectible and trading cards featuring illustrations of Pokémon and characters from the games and TV series, along with Trainer and Energy cards used in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, or TCG. This card game is played by 2 players, each of whom builds their own deck. The Pokémon battle one another, with each type having strengths and weaknesses against others. For example, Grass-type Pokémon are strong against Water-types, while Fire-type Pokémon are best defeated with a Water-type Pokémon. As a result, strategy plays a major role, and every game unfolds differently. Beyond the game itself, Pokémon cards are also fun to collect. Thanks to Pokémon’s enduring popularity, the value of some cards has risen significantly. That’s why some collectors also see Pokémon cards as an investment.

View all Pokémon cards
A red Pokémon pack displays three booster packs, a Charmander card and a Charizard tech sticker on a glossy red background.

If you’re just starting out, it’s worth deciding first what you want to focus on. The range is huge, with many different sets and thousands of cards. Having a clear collecting goal helps you build your collection more purposefully and manage your budget more wisely. Here are a few examples of collecting goals:

Seven Pokémon Black Bolt booster packs are spread like a fan on a white background, with an online game card placed in front.
  • Complete a specific set: cards from recent sets are usually easier to find. Popular sets, however, can be more difficult to complete. Older sets are often rarer and therefore more expensive.
  • Collect special full-art cards: on these cards, the illustration covers the entire card rather than just the top half. You could put together a binder featuring cards you personally find beautiful.
  • Collect cards of your favourite Pokémon: you might choose to collect every card of a single Pokémon, such as Eevee, Charmander, Ditto, Greninja, or Incineroar, and keep them together in one binder.
  • Build a Pokédex: every Pokémon has a number. In a Pokédex collection, you collect one card of each Pokémon and arrange them in a binder according to the official order, starting with number 1: Bulbasaur.

Whichever direction you choose, the most important thing is that you enjoy it.

Which Pokémon sets are there?

A dark blue Pokémon Elite Trainer Box with a Charizard line drawing stands on a white background, showing the Phantasmal Flames logo.

A new set is released every few months. Each new series begins with a base set, followed by several themed expansions. The most recent series is Mega Evolution:

  • Mega Evolution Base Set
  • Phantasmal Flames
  • Ascended Heroes
  • Perfect Order

You can usually find a set abbreviation or logo in the bottom-left corner of a Pokémon card. On some older sets, this appears in the bottom-right corner.

All Pokémon series

Pokémon cards have been around since 1996. Below, you can see the different sets, from newest to oldest:

  • Mega Evolution Series
  • Scarlet & Violet Series
  • Sword & Shield Series
  • Sun & Moon Series
  • XY Series
  • Black & White Series
  • Call of Legends Series
  • HeartGold & SoulSilver Series
  • Platinum Series
  • Diamond & Pearl Series
  • EX Series
  • E-card Series
  • Legendary Collection Series
  • Neo Series
  • Original Series

What different types of Pokémon cards are there?

A white legend lists rarity levels with symbols, from common and uncommon to hyper rare and mega hyper rare in a vertical list.

Each set consists of different types of Pokémon cards. You can recognise a card’s rarity by the symbol in the corner of the card. These icons have changed over the years, but let’s take the recent set Ascended Heroes as an example. In this set, the following rarities can be found:

Booster box, booster bundle, collection boxes and single packs

A green and black Pokémon Elite Trainer Box stands on a white background, featuring a futuristic creature and the Perfect Order logo.

When buying Pokémon cards, you can choose from several different types of products:

  • Boosters: these are single packs, each containing 11 cards.
  • Booster bundle: contains 6 boosters from the same set.
  • Booster box: contains 36 boosters from one set. Useful if you want to complete a full set.
  • Blisters: usually contain 2 or 3 boosters from a set, along with a promo card and sometimes stickers.
  • Elite box (ETB): usually contains 9 boosters, a promo card, 65 sleeves, a coin, a set guide and dice for the game. ETBs are a good starting point if you’re beginning to collect a set. You can also use the box to store duplicate cards.

A slim Pokémon Knock Out Collection pack stands on a white background, showing cards, the logo and colourful characters below.
  • Collection box: often contains several boosters from different sets and one or more promo cards.
  • Large tin: contains 4 boosters and a promo card. Handy for expanding your collection further. The decorative Pokémon tin can also be used to store cards or accessories.
  • Small tin: contains 2 boosters, tin artwork and sometimes a coin. Different tins from one set often form a larger image when placed side by side.
  • Collector’s box: a storage box containing 6 boosters from different sets, stickers and sometimes other extras such as a mini portfolio for storing your cards. You can reuse the box afterwards for storage.
  • Knockout box: contains 2 boosters, promo cards and sometimes a coin.

Buying individual Pokémon cards

Two colourful Pokémon cards, Mega Meganium ex and Mega Emboar ex, are tilted on a white background with vivid neon accents.

If you’re collecting specific cards rather than trying to complete an entire set, it’s often more cost-effective to buy individual cards. Opening booster packs is still fun and exciting, but the chances of pulling that one exact card you’re looking for can sometimes be quite small. Especially when it comes to rare cards, it can be more worthwhile to simply buy the cards you want separately.

How to store Pokémon cards properly

To make sure your cards don’t get damaged and retain their value, it’s important to protect them properly. You can do this using different types of storage and protection:

An open black Pokémon binder lies on a white background; on the right, four card pockets show neatly arranged Poké Ball backs.
  • Sleeves: these are protective covers that you slide your card into. They help prevent scratches and keep the edges in good condition.
  • Binder: store your cards in a binder so they stay organised while also being protected. It’s best to choose a binder with side-loading pockets, so the cards are less likely to fall out when you move it.
  • Toploaders: for extra protection, use a toploader, which is a rigid plastic holder that you place a sleeved card into. This helps prevent scratches and bending. Always put your card in a sleeve before placing it in a toploader, otherwise it may get damaged when sliding it in or out.
  • Toploader binder: this is a binder specially designed to hold toploaders, giving your cards even more protection. A toploader binder is especially useful if you want to store valuable cards safely.

Which Pokémon cards are valuable?

A single Mega Dragonite ex card stands centred on a white background, with golden shine, colourful streaks and 370 HP above.

The value of a Pokémon card depends on the card itself and its condition. Cards that are fresh out of a pack usually have the highest value. If your card is in excellent condition, with no whitening on the edges and good centring of the artwork, you may consider having it graded by a grading service such as PSA. Your card will then be sealed in a protective case and given a score. If your card receives a 10, its value can increase significantly. How much it increases depends on the artwork and desirability of the card. It’s always worth checking in advance whether grading is likely to be worthwhile.

What is the most expensive Pokémon card?

Framed gold Pokémon card featuring Pikachu on a white background.
Goldin Auctions

The most valuable Pokémon card is the Pikachu Illustrator PSA GEM MT 10, which Logan Paul sold to A.J. Scaramucci for 16.5 million dollars. Another highly valuable card is the first edition Charizard from the 1999 Base Set. If you still have Pokémon cards from years ago, it’s definitely worth checking whether this card is among them.

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Complete your Pokémon collection

What should you look out for when buying Pokémon cards?

A smiling woman sits at home before her laptop, holding a bank card and looking happily at the screen in a bright, sunlit room.

Buy Pokémon cards from reputable stores or online shops. If you buy from private sellers, you may sometimes pay too much, and there’s also a risk that booster packs have been tampered with – for example, opened to remove the rare cards and then resealed. If you buy single cards, always check their condition and research their market value beforehand. If Pokémon cards seem unusually cheap somewhere, be cautious, as they could be fake.

Our advice on Pokémon cards

A smiling boy sits in the living room, excitedly looking at colourful cards, with a sofa and a tall plant in the background.

Whether you’ve been collecting Pokémon cards for years or are just getting started, Pokémon cards are for everyone, no matter your age. Decide how you want to collect, take good care of your cards, and above all, have fun!

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Frequently asked questions about Pokémon cards