Best Pokemon card packs to buy in 2023 and where to get them: Scarlet & Violet Base Set, Crown Zenith & more
With the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet TCG era well underway, plenty of new and returning players will be looking for a good way to get into the TCG. To help you out, here are the best Pokemon card packs to buy in 2023 and where to find them.
The Pokemon Company has made a habit of releasing a few Pokemon TCG expansions each year. The sheer volume of TCG sets available can be daunting, but we’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re a collector, a player, or looking to buy Pokemon cards as a gift, it can be challenging to find the right packs. Which packs are still in play or what sets give you the best chance at pulling an Ultra Rare card?
If you’re wondering what the best Pokemon card packs to buy are in 2023, here’s what you should be looking for.
Contents
- Scarlet & Violet Base Set
- Crown Zenith – High-Class set
- Silver Tempest – Last Sword & Shield Set
- Astral Radiance/Brilliant Stars/Lost Origin
- Shining Fates/Hidden Fates – Previous High-Class packs
- Fusion Strike/Evolving Skies/Chilling Reign – high-value chase cards
Best Pokemon card packs to buy (2023)
Scarlet & Violet Series – The freshest cards from the Paldea region
The Pokemon Trading Card game was taken into a new era with the Scarlet & Violet base set, which launched in March 2023. And unlike the Sword & Shield Base Set, Scarlet & Violet has many beautiful cards for players to chase after.
It also reintroduces “ex” cards that will be essential for competitive play in the future. And this set can be found in single blister packs in retail stores near you, meaning you won’t have to shell out $50-$60 on a collector’s box or ETB to get in on the fun.
Since this is the inaugural set for the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet run, there are likely a few cards you won’t want to miss out on. And this will be the first time Gen 9 Pokemon will be featured in the TCG.
Make sure you take a look at the brand-new Obsidian Flames expansion, as well, as it expands on the Paldea Pokemon available in the TCG and introduces som lovely type-shifted Tera Pokemon ex cards.
You can purchase Scarlet & Violet Base Set packs here: (via Amazon)
Elite Trainer Box | Booster Box
Crown Zenith – The latest High-Class Packs
Crown Zenith is the international adaptation of the Japanese VSTAR Universe set, and it was finally released on January 20, 2023. As a send-off to the Pokemon Sword & Shield era of the TCG, this is a set that needs to be on every collector’s radar. That’s because this is yet another High-Class set, meaning every pack guarantees at least one V, VMAX, or VSTAR pull.
This set also includes the chance of obtaining a “god pack.” It’s about a 1/600 chance, and every card in a “god pack” is an exclusive full-art that creates one big picture when placed together. This also means that Elite Trainer Boxes will be flying off shelves.
However, Crown Zenith packs are only sold in Elite Trainer Boxes (~$50) and Special Collections (~$20)
This is one set you won’t want to miss because the artwork is some of the best in recent history. There are over 160 cards and 70 Special Art cards, on top of the 11 shiny Pokemon that can be found in the set.
You can purchase Crown Zenith packs here: (via Amazon)
Elite Trainer Box | Crown Zenith Collection
Silver Tempest – A new beginning
Silver Tempest released on November 11, 2022, and its Secret Rare Alt Arts and Full Art Trainer Gallery cards make it well worth collecting. There are 30 new Trainer Gallery cards, three new Radiant cards (shiny Pokemon), and some incredible Alternate Artwork.
The chase cards are already mounting as Regidrago V and Unown V have captured the attention of avid collectors. These packs can be pre-ordered via hobby shops and will start appearing in the wild in stores like Target, Walmart, Gamestop, Walgreens, and Dollar General in the US.
As a rule of thumb, it’s safe to assume that new sets going forward are worth picking up. Unless the Scarlet & Violet base sets turn out to be as underwhelming as Sword & Shield’s, we will have to wait and see how those sets shape up in 2023.
You can purchase Silver Tempest packs here (via Amazon).
Astral Radiance, Brilliant Stars, & Lost Origin – Decent pulls for a fair price
In 2022, The Pokemon Company released three Sword & Shield TCG expansions, and they’re all some of the best Pokemon card packs on the market. Starting with Brilliant Stars, the Pokemon TCG reintroduced Trainer Gallery cards which feature a trainer alongside the Pokemon. These can be found in the Reverse holo slot giving collectors an extra shot at a hit with each pack.
These are available in all three sets mentioned, and they also feature some of the best alternate artworks in the entire TCG. Not to mention, these sets can regularly be found at any retailer that stocks licensed Pokemon cards meaning you don’t have to rely on second-hand sellers to start collecting. It’s only a matter of which cards you want to chase more.
You can purchase these packs right now (via Amazon):
Astral Radiance | Brilliant Stars | Lost Origin
Shining Fates, Hidden Fates, & more – A collector’s dream
One of the best feelings when opening Pokemon Cards is seeing a nice shiny holographic at the end of the stack, and with the Pokemon TCG’s “Fates” expansions you can get that in every pack. Both of these sets are jam-packed with Shiny Pokemon and incredible trainer cards, and there’s even a chance of opening a “god pack” where every card inside is a holo.
Not to mention every pack offers a guaranteed holo or better, making them worth the price of admission. However, these packs have grown to be quite expensive, as they are a few years old and rarely still found in stores. This means you’ll likely need to buy Pokemon Fate’s pack from a third party.
That being said, the latest high-class set, Crown Zenith, releases this month and offers more high-value cards than ever before.
You can purchase these packs right now (via Amazon):
Fusion Strike, Evolving Skies, & Chilling Reign – Never give up on the chase
Finally, you have some really solid Sword & Shield expansions… if you can find them. Fusion Strike, Evolving Skies, and Chilling Reign were released in 2021 during the massive resurgence in Pokemon TCG collecting, and some of the chase cards in these sets are the best as seen in our “Best Pokemon cards of all time” guide.
These are arguably the best Pokemon card packs if you can still find them. Luckily, these turn up quite frequently in tins or as single packs in stores like Dollar General and Walgreens. The seeding for these packs doesn’t feel as great as the newer sets, but there are still some immaculate cards within the set that makes them worth picking up.
You can purchase these packs right now (via Amazon):
Fusion Strike | Evolving Skies | Chilling Reign
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