Okay, it’s time. Pokémon TCG is turning 30, which feels absurd since we still remember trading Charizard cards in the schoolyard for like three erasers and a collectible keychain. But here we are. 30 years, and Pokémon has decided to celebrate properly.
On September 16, 30th Celebration is being released, and the thing that actually makes this worth caring about (beyond the nostalgia) is that the whole world is getting the set on the same day. None of that "Japan gets it in March, the rest of the world has to wait until summer" nonsense that we’re so used to. Everyone in the whole world will be ripping open packs at the same time, which we think is a nice way to celebrate three decades.
So, what do you get for your money? Everything is holofoil — even the energy cards, which felt a bit unnecessarily luxurious, but we aren't complaining. There are 30 different Pikachu cards in circulation, an entirely new rarity is debuting on Mewtwo ex and Mew ex, and the Classic Collection portion is bringing back old classics — including a reprinted Base Set Charizard, which will make at least one person in your DMs ask "is this worth anything??" (No. But yes. It’s complicated.)
What we are actually expecting to stock is the Standard Elite Trainer Box, Poster Collection, Tech Sticker Collections, ex-boxes with Sylveon and Greninja, a Knock Out Collection, and 2-Pack Blister. Then more will come in waves throughout the fall — the next wave lands on October 2, and the really nice stuff (Ultra-Premium Collection, etc.) typically shows up at the end of October / beginning of November.
We will, of course, list everything as soon as we have received the shipment from our distributor — we don't sell what we don't have in hand, no matter how much we might want to.
And speaking of having things in hand: our suppliers have whispered that there might be delays around the 16th. That is nothing Pokémon has officially stated; it's just what we have picked up further down the chain. So — please pre-order so you don’t miss the boat, but build in a little mental buffer before the package actually lands in your mailbox. It usually works out. Mostly.
