Pokémon card products aren’t what they used to be. There used to be a handful of packs along with a booster box and a deck pack. That was really it for a long time. Nowadays though, there are Pokémon card tins, boxes, packs, and others, and it can be hard to figure out which are the best value.
So in this article, I’ll run through some of the different Pokémon card products, what they contain, and the best ones to buy based on what you’re looking for.
Let’s jump in!
Pokémon Card Packs
Pokémon card packs are the entry level product and are ultimately what everyone wants. You can buy them individually, or you can buy them through one of the other products that we will discuss below.
Pokémon card packs are the “entry” into Pokémon cards as they are the cheapest ($3-10 per pack) and most available. Though the are the cheapest product individually, that does not mean that it is the cheapest way to buy them. I cover that in another article here!
If you’re curious about the difference between the packs, check out this article covering what those differences are and how to go about identifying and buying them!
Packs will ultimately be in everything we cover from this point forward and should be the main consideration when buying other items. And fortunately, you can find them at Wal-mart, Target, Walgreens, and just about every other grocer or convenience store.
Let’s take a look at some of the other products and what they contain!
Pokémon Card Tins: What’s in Them?
Pokémon card tins come in a few different sizes and shapes. There is also a TON of them but they do typically contain the same items. Those are:
- 4-5 Packs
- One Special Card (That can be seen from the front)
One other thing to pay attention to with tins is if they are exclusive to a set or if it is a random bundle. If they are specific to a set, that tin will only contain packs from that set.
If the tin does not though, it will contain random packs within it. Depending on what you or who your buying for is looking for, one may be favorable to the other!
Pokémon Card Boxes: What’s in Them?
Pokémon card boxes have a wide variety of what could be in them. The above 4 examples are a very small number of what you may run into at the store.
Let’s run through what they might contain:
- Between 4-10 booster packs
- Oversized Card(s)
- 1-6 Special Promo Cards
- Playmats
- Pins
- Code Cards for TCG Online
As we can see, there are a lot more additional items in boxes vs tins. There does tend to be an oversized card, at least one special promo card, and some packs. Others can contain a lot of other goodies though!
The benefit of Pokémon card boxes vs tins is that they usually do have additional promotional items and usually have more packs. If you or your child are only looking for packs though, the boxes may not be the best way to spend your dollars!
That being said, boxes do tend to go on sale more than the other items. If you find them for cheap, they can definitely be worth picking up.
Pokémon Card Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs): What’s in Them?
Elite trainer boxes can be a great way to fully supply yourself or another collector with all sorts of Pokémon TCG items. They contain even more packs and goodies inside than the tins or boxes.
Because of this, they tend to be a pretty good bang for your buck, despite them being a bit on the pricier side. These usually contain:
- 8-10 Booster Packs
- A Pack of Card Sleeves
- A promo card
- A special coin
- A Set of Dice
- Condition Markers
- The box itself with dividers
As we can see, the Elite Trainer Boxes contain far more items around the Pokémon card trading game. Those items are typically colorful and are fun to collect themselves outside of the cards.
If you’re wondering about your kids playing the Pokémon card game and what some of the positives and negatives are, check out my other article covering just that!
Let’s cover one other main Pokémon card item you can buy.
Pokémon Card Booster Boxes: What’s in Them?
Without question, Pokémon card booster boxes are the most collectible, investable, and valuable Pokémon card items you can buy. Unlike the ETB’s above, they contain nothing except good ol’ Pokémon card packs.
No coins, no pins, no promo cards, nothing. Just 20-36 booster packs.
While it might be hard to spend $100+ on a single Pokémon item, take note that ETBs usually cost between $30-60 and contain 10 packs. Booster boxes at this point in time contain up to triple that at 36. So your cost per pack is ultimately lower with a booster box.
Because they are so collectible and investable though, they will not be nearly as easy to get your hands on as some of the other items. Pokémon cards are still highly collectible so TCG collectors are constantly hunting for these.
If you happen to get your hands on one though, It can definitely be worth the expense.
Other Pokémon Card Products
There are a ton of other products that were not listed above. Despite that though, most items contain some mix of everything you’ve seen above.
My recommendation is to look what they contain and see if the expense makes sense for what you are looking for. Typically, the more packs for less money, the better.
Some other Pokémon items you may run across are below.
- Blister Packs
- Ultra Premium Collection
- Booster Bundle
- Battle Decks
- Battle Deck Bundle
- And many, many more
Summary
There are a lot of great Pokémon products out on the market. And regardless of what you get, you or who your buying for should be pumped about what’s in it.
I’ll end the article though with one piece of advice. Buy whatever costs you the least amount per pack. As said at the beginning, the packs and cards are ultimately what everyone wants.
So if any of the items above are on sale and they cost less per pack than the others, I would recommend going with that.
If I missed anything or if you have any feedback, please let me at [email protected]!
If you’re curious about Pokémon card grading, check out this article!
Curious about some of the cheapest Charizard cards you can buy? Check them out here!
Interested if there are real metal and gold Pokémon cards? Look no further.
Thanks for reading!