30th Celebration Puts a Pikachu in Every Pack

Thirty years after the first Base Set booster hit shelves in Japan, the Pokémon TCG is throwing itself a party. 30th Celebration launched worldwide on September 16, 2026, the first expansion ever to release in every region on the same day, and it is built entirely around one idea: every pack you open should feel like a highlight reel.

The formula is different from a regular Mega Evolution set. There are no Mega Evolutions here and no Supporters. Instead you get 30 different Pikachu, a Classic Collection that reprints thirty of the most famous cards of the last three decades, and a brand-new rarity called Futuristic Rare that already sits at the top of the price charts.

A Pikachu in Every Pack

Cards 023 to 052 are all Pikachu. Thirty illustrations from thirty artists, from Ken Sugimori's original look to Shinji Kanda's painterly take, each with its own holofoil pattern and its own little attack. Every booster contains exactly one of them, so you will fill the Pikachu page of your binder faster than any other set in memory. Two Pikachu ex follow at 053 and 054:

• Pikachu ex (053): Pika-Pika Parade searches your deck for any number of Basic Pokémon and drops them straight onto your Bench, then Thunderbolt hits for 200 and discards all Energy
• Pikachu ex (054): Zip-Zap Frenzy attaches any number of Basic Energy from your hand however you like, and Thunder hits 200 with 30 recoil

Pokémon ex Highlights

Twelve Pokémon ex make up the Double Rares, and several are genuinely interesting on the table:

• Mew ex: 160 HP with the Memory Helix Ability, which lets it use the attacks of any of your Benched Pokémon. Teleportation Burst deals 30 and swaps it out again
• Mewtwo ex: 230 HP. Photon Bullets puts 50 damage on every one of your opponent's Pokémon ex, and Psychic Powers swings for 230
• Gengar ex: 280 HP with Fainting Spell, a coin flip that takes the attacker down with it. Chaotic Pain places 13 damage counters anywhere for two Energy
• Greninja ex: 300 HP. Stealthy Slash deals 30 for each damage counter already on the target, and Aqua Edge hits 160
• Salamence ex: the biggest body in the set at 330 HP. Booming Call pulls up to three Dragon Pokémon back from the discard pile
• Espeon ex and Umbreon ex: Solar Beatdown scales at 30 per Pokémon you have in play, while Lunatic Claw hits 100 plus 140 more against an already damaged target
• Sylveon ex: Colorful Harmony deals 50 for each type of Basic Energy across all of your Pokémon
• Jirachi ex: Wish Granter refills your hand to seven cards, and Swift ignores Weakness, Resistance and effects
• Fuecoco ex: Cheerful Flame deals 70 for each Prize card you have already taken

Old Friends in the Main Set

The main set doubles as a tour of the last 30 years. Mewtwo, Mew and Lugia return as holo rares, Snorlax brings back the Good Sleep Ability, Ditto gets Surprisingly Transform, three different Eevee sit side by side, and the three legendary birds all appear. The only Trainer cards are Poké Pad, Switch and Ultra Ball, so this is not a set you buy for the Item lineup.

The Classic Collection

Thirty reprints, each with the 30th Celebration stamp, a gold border and its original collector number:

• Charizard and Pikachu from Base Set
• Sneasel from Neo Genesis and Shining Celebi from Neo Destiny
• Misty from Gym Heroes and Erika's Jigglypuff from Gym Challenge
• Crystal Lugia from Aquapolis
• Delcatty from Ruby & Sapphire, Metagross δ Delta Species and Scizor ex from the EX era
• Dark Tyranitar from Team Rocket Returns
• Palkia LV.X, Uxie and Crobat G from the Diamond & Pearl and Platinum era
• Gengar Prime and both halves of Darkrai & Cresselia LEGEND from HS Triumphant
• N from Noble Victories, Rayquaza EX from Dragons Exalted and Genesect EX from Plasma Blast
• M Gardevoir EX from Primal Clash and Greninja BREAK from BREAKpoint
• Solgaleo GX, Buzzwole GX and Pikachu & Zekrom GX from the Sun & Moon era
• Zacian V, Amazing Rare Raikou, Mew VMAX and Arceus VSTAR from Sword & Shield
• Magikarp, the Paldea Evolved Illustration Rare, as the newest card to earn a spot

Early CardMarket listings put Shining Celebi and Crystal Lugia around 230 EUR, Base Set Charizard and Gengar Prime around 190 to 200 EUR, and Greninja BREAK and Magikarp above 100 EUR. Every one of them is tracked in Mint under its original number.

Chase Cards and Rarities

The secret rares run from 129 to 158, plus three cards outside the numbering entirely:

• 18 Illustration Rares (129 to 146), including the legendary bird trio by mashu, Lapras, Morpeko, Galarian Meowth, Hisuian Zorua and Maushold
• 10 Special Illustration Rares (147 to 156): Fuecoco ex, Greninja ex, two Pikachu ex by kantaro (a day party at 149 and a night party at 150), Mewtwo ex, Mew ex, Sylveon ex, Gengar ex, Jirachi ex and Salamence ex
• 2 Futuristic Rares (157 and 158): Mewtwo ex and Mew ex, both illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN in a rarity that has never existed before
• 3 RGB Rares: Mew R/RGB, Mew G/RGB and Mew B/RGB, one card per colour channel

Mew ex Futuristic Rare is the card of the set. TCGPlayer market price opened above 1,500 USD, with the Mewtwo ex Futuristic Rare around 700 USD. On CardMarket the Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare is the most expensive numbered card at around 260 EUR, ahead of both Futuristic Rares and the two Pikachu ex party scenes. Expect all of this to move a lot in the first weeks.

What's Inside:

• 128 main set cards + 30 numbered secret rares + 3 RGB Rares + 30 Classic Collection cards (191 cards in Mint, 199 with the 8 foil Basic Energy)
• 30 Pikachu Rares, one guaranteed in every pack
• 12 Pokémon ex
• 18 Illustration Rare cards
• 10 Special Illustration Rare cards
• 2 Futuristic Rare cards, a brand-new rarity
• 3 RGB Rare Mew cards
• 30 Classic Collection reprints with original numbering
• Every card in the set is foil, Basic Energy included

Products Available Now

Launched September 16, 2026:

• Elite Trainer Box (9 packs, Nidorina promo) and a Pokémon Center Exclusive Elite Trainer Box (11 packs, two stamped Nidorina promos)
• Poster Collection (3 packs, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres promos)
• Sylveon ex Box and Greninja ex Box (4 packs, promo and jumbo card)
• Tech Sticker Collections (3 packs, Alolan Exeggutor or Lucario promo)
• 2-Pack Blister and Knock Out Collection (holo Eevee promo)

Coming October 2: Booster Bundle (6 packs), Binder Collection (5 packs) and Mini Tins. October 30: Espeon and Umbreon Battle Decks, 60 all-foil cards each. November 6: Ditto Premium Collection, the Mew and Mewtwo Figure Collections, and two Ultra-Premium Collections, Day and Night, each with 29 boosters, one Classic Collection pack and Pikachu ex promos.

Whether you are hunting the Futuristic Rare Mew ex, trying to complete all 30 Pikachu, or finally putting a Base Set Charizard in your binder without a second mortgage, 30th Celebration is the most collector-focused set the game has produced.

The complete 30th Celebration card list is now available in the Mint app with full price tracking and collection management!