Collector guides
GUIDEThe best Pokémon packs to buyOur ranking of the Pokémon packs to buy this year, from 151 and Prismatic Evolutions to the newest Mega Evolution sets, and why a sealed box beats loose packs.Read →GUIDEVintage Pokémon cards guideVintage Pokémon explained: the Wizards of the Coast era from Base Set in January 1999 to Skyridge, the EX era after it, which old cards are worth real money, and how to buy them without regrets.Read →GUIDEHow to grade Pokémon cardsA start-to-finish guide to grading Pokémon cards: choosing PSA, CGC or Beckett, inspecting a card before you send it, building the submission, packing, shipping and getting your slabs back.Read →GUIDEKorean Pokémon cards explainedKorean Pokémon cards are genuine releases for South Korea that track the Japanese sets. A collector's look at their price, demand and appeal, and how to check one is real.Read →GUIDEPokémon Halloween cardsA year-by-year guide to Pokémon's Halloween cards: the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Trick or Trade BOOster Bundles, the pumpkin Pikachu stamp, the 2025 Pokéween promo, and what these cards are worth.Read →GUIDEBanned Pokémon cards explainedBanned Pokémon cards explained: the Expanded format ban list grouped by era, cards that were edited or recalled over their artwork, why the game bans cards, and what a ban means for value.Read →GUIDEJapanese vs English Pokémon cardsJapanese and English Pokémon cards side by side: when each releases, cards per pack, rarity marks, print quality, value and tournament use, plus which Japanese sets became which English sets.Read →GUIDEThe most expensive Pokémon cardsTop of the list: the PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator, sold by Logan Paul for $16,492,000 at Goldin on February 16, 2026. Here is every headline sale since, and what these million-dollar cards have in common.Read →GUIDEThe world’s rarest Pokémon cardsThe rarest Pokémon cards were handed out, not sold: contest prizes, tournament trophies, staff promos. The list, the Gold Star era, and the hardest cards to pull from packs today.Read →GUIDEChecking Pokémon card pricesHow to check a Pokémon card's price accurately: the free tools that use real sales, the five mistakes that throw a price off, and where to see live dollar prices on 12,000 cards.Read →GUIDEPokémon card set databaseA database of Pokémon card sets built from the Kiratora catalog: every Japanese and English set we stock by series, with set codes and a priced card list for each.Read →GUIDEWhere to buy Pokémon cards in the USYour options for buying Pokémon cards in the US, from Target and Walmart to card shops, the Pokémon Center and Japanese online stores, with the strengths and catches of each.Read →GUIDEPokémon cards near youTracking down a good Pokémon card shop near you: the searches that work, the official event locator, the signs of a well-run store, and what to do when it is sold out.Read →GUIDEChoosing a Pokémon card scanner appWhich Pokémon card scanner app to use: the TCGplayer app, Collectr, Ludex and Pokellector compared, why scanners misread versions, and how to confirm a scanned price in three steps.Read →GUIDEDesigning a custom Pokémon cardDesigning a custom Pokémon card: the real size and print settings, the layout zones from name bar to footer, a card back of your own, gift ideas, and printing it properly.Read →GUIDELearn to play Pokémon cardsThe Pokémon TCG in ten minutes: what is in a 60-card deck, how to set up, what you can do on your turn, how attacks and Knock Outs work, and the three ways to win.Read →GUIDEEvery part of a Pokémon cardA walk around a Pokémon card: stage and name tags, HP and type, attack costs and damage, weakness, resistance and retreat, then the footer details collectors care about.Read →GUIDEPokémon card grading costs in 2026Grading a Pokémon card in 2026 costs $24.99–$79.99 per card at PSA and from $15 at CGC, before shipping. Every tier, the costs nobody mentions, and a simple test for whether a card is worth sending.Read →GUIDEChinese Pokémon cards explainedChinese-language Pokémon cards are official products, made in Simplified Chinese for the mainland and Traditional Chinese for Taiwan and Hong Kong. Why collectors buy them and how to tell them from counterfeits.Read →GUIDEThe best Pokémon cards to ownThe Pokémon cards worth owning in 2026: modern chase cards, gorgeous and cute art cards, vintage classics, and budget picks that still look amazing in a binder.Read →GUIDEThe legends: Mew, Mewtwo and ArceusThe cards that define three legendary Pokémon: Mew from the Ancient Mew giveaway to the 151 Mew ex, Mewtwo from Base Set to 30th Celebration, and Arceus from LV.X to VSTAR.Read →GUIDESelling your Pokémon cardsSelling Pokémon cards for the best price: eBay, TCGplayer, Whatnot, auction houses, local shops, card shows and Facebook groups compared on payout, fees and speed.Read →GUIDEPokémon card sizeEvery Pokémon card is 2.5 x 3.5 inches (63 x 88 mm), Japanese included. Exact measurements, the sleeves, toploaders and binders that fit, plus jumbo card and slab sizes.Read →GUIDEReal or fake Pokémon card?Real or fake? Compare the card with a genuine one: font, color, back, light, texture, holo, thickness, edge and details. Plus the warning signs of fake booster boxes and reseals.Read →GUIDEPokémon rarities explainedPokémon rarity symbols decoded: circle, diamond, black, silver and gold stars, the Japanese letter codes, rainbow rares, secret rares and which rarity is hardest to pull.Read →GUIDEPokémon card value guidePrice any Pokémon card the way dealers do: identify it exactly, check its version, judge its condition, then read recent sold prices. What raises value, raw vs graded, and which cards to look up.Read →GUIDE1st Edition Pokémon cards explainedHow to recognize a 1st Edition Pokémon card, the eleven sets that had one, how shadowless and unlimited prints differ, Japan's own first-print markings, and what to expect on price.Read →GUIDETarget Pokémon cardsHow Pokémon cards work at Target: what is sold, how vendor restocks and overnight Target.com drops happen, why cards sit behind the counter, and what to do when the shelf is bare.Read →GUIDEWalmart Pokémon cardsBuying Pokémon cards at Walmart: what is on the shelf and online, how vendor restocks work, and how to avoid paying marketplace markups on Walmart.com.Read →GUIDECostco Pokémon cardsCostco sells Pokémon cards as multi-product bundles. How to calculate the true price per pack, how that compares with a booster box, and when a Costco bundle is the better buy.Read →GUIDEPokémon card shows near youFinding Pokémon card shows near you in the US, what to pack, how to check prices on the floor, and how to buy, sell and trade at a show with confidence.Read →