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Last Updated On: January 3rd, 2024
- Pokémon Level: Any
- Best for: Collectors, Investors
There’s something to love about every Pokémon TCG set, but some of them are simply more popular in the community than others. Often, the best Pokémon sets are those which offer something for everyone – cool artwork, heavy-hitting moves, and fan-favorite characters.
The Pokémon trading card game has changed drastically over the years, with new mechanics coming and going alongside every generation of new Pocket Monsters. Now imagine you’re a new Pokémon collector: how do you know what to buy or collect with so many expansions and sets in the wild?
Here, I’ve narrowed down nine of the most popular Pokémon TCG sets of all time. Take a look to get an idea which Pokémon set you should start collecting or investing in next – the top picks may surprise you!
Table of Contents
Overview
If you ask a Pokémon fan to pick their favorite expansion of all time, they may inform you that it’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.
This is pretty accurate. Pokémon expansions hold a lot of nostalgia and joy for fans, and this becomes even more true when you look at sets. Everyone will have different reasons for saying which set is their favorite, too. Some reasons may include:
- The set contains lots of their favorite Pokémon
- The set was part of the first expansion they ever got into
- The Pokémon in the set have powerful moves or new mechanics
- The artwork in the set is striking or unique
- The set holds specific monetary value as an investor
I’ve tried to keep all of these elements – and more – in mind while picking out a top nine. The list that you’ll find below of the best Pokémon sets to collect isn’t necessarily ranked in order.
Additionally, this is all heavily based off of the community opinions that I found during my research – predominantly from the Pokémon TCG Subreddit, the PokeInvesting Subreddit, and community-sourced tiered lists.
Most Popular Pokémon TCG Sets List
Before we start, it’s important to clarify what a Pokémon set actually is. The difference between Pokémon expansions and sets can be a little confusing as a beginner.
There are Pokémon TCG expansions and there are sets which fit into each expansion. Generally, the expansions follow along with the Pokémon video games. The most recent expansion at the time of writing is Scarlet & Violet, which makes sense as it is the latest game to hit the market.
Sets are subsections of an expansion that are released individually. Usually, there are four or so sets per expansion – although there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Recent popular sets include Scarlet & Violet – Obsidian Flames and Scarlet & Violet – 151. Also, some sets included in the list below share a name with the expansion they come from; we’ve notated this where relevant.
e-Card Series – Skyridge
Released: 2002-2003
Skyridge is a set that’s catapulted in popularity with the collector community in recent years. It’s worth checking out if you’re looking to add some valuable pieces to your collection, both in terms of monetary value and nostalgic value. For example, this Umbreon has been skyrocketing in value as of late.
This set is part of the e-Series expansion which initially came out in Japan in 2002, then in other locations in 2003.
One of the main reasons why Skyridge is so popular is that it’s the final set made by Wizards of the Coast. If you’re unfamiliar, Wizards of the Coast is mainly known as the company behind Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Up until 2003, they also printed Pokémon cards.
Skyridge looks incredible and it’s rather rare in terms of card quantity. This is due to the limited print run that occurred during the WotC handover mentioned above.
Search eBay for Skyridge cards.
Base Set
Released: 1999-2000
The Base Set (meaning the first ever Pokémon TCG release) is often touted as a fantastic investment for Pokémon fans, but it’s not always the case. To see the real value in Base Set cards, you’ll need to look a little deeper.
There were actually four Base Set releases. The first release was referred to as 1st Edition, then the next was Shadowless. After this, Unlimited Base Set cards were released and finally, Base Set 2000 cards were released.
Generally speaking, the real money sits with 1st Edition and Shadowless Base Set cards. Some cards are much more valuable than others – a Shadowless Holo Rare Charizard with a PSA grade of 8 or 9 can go for thousands of dollars.
Moving aside from monetary value, Base Set cards hold true value for dedicated Pokémon fans and collectors. They show off iconic artwork and legendary Pokémon.
Search eBay for Base Set cards.
X & Y – Roaring Skies
Released: 2015
This may seem like an odd pick to some, but Roaring Skies is a truly stunning set from the perspective of a collector.
When it came out in 2015, it was incredibly popular with competitive players. There were some cards in the set which could completely change the tide of battle – like Rayquaza M-EX, Shaymin EX, and Gallade M-EX (shown above) – and they had a huge impact on the competitive Pokémon scene.
Nowadays, Roaring Skies holds a lot of meaning for collectors who appreciate stunning, full-art cards. This set is an exceptional example of the M-EX card type and it’s worth taking a look at for stunning designs.
Search eBay for Roaring Skies cards.
Scarlet & Violet – 151
Released: 2023
At the time of writing, Scarlet & Violet – 151 is a recent set. The Scarlet & Violet era hasn’t been without its troubles (mainly with regards to the video games), but it’s done immensely well with collectors and long-time fans so far.
The main reason why 151 is a new favorite set for so many fans is that it harkens back to the original 151 Pokémon from the first generation. While people join the community every year and with every generation, there’s a specific kind of nostalgic joy that seems to be reserved for fans of the first generation.
Alongside this nostalgic buzz, the set itself is stunning. The Blastoise ex shown above is an amazing example of how the full-art cards are subtle, yet powerful. There’s also the potential to pull quite a few demigod packs in this set.
If you’re unfamiliar, a god pack is a pack of cards that contains exclusively rare cards. A demigod pack (in the context of 151) is a pack where rare cards for a whole starter evolution chain can be pulled.
Search eBay for S&V 151 cards.
Sword & Shield – Shining Fates
Released: 2021
Debuting in 2021, Shining Fates is considered a special set. It did not release in the typical fashion, as Booster Packs were not available individually. Shining Fates cards were only available in certain products like Collector’s Tins, and Elite Trainer Boxes, making them quite rare in terms of supply.
In a similar fashion to the upcoming Paldean Fates set (which we’ll look at later in the article), this set features a huge number of Shiny Pokémon.
If you’re unfamiliar, Shiny Pokémon are rare, color-swapped variants of standard Pokémon. They exist in every form of Pokémon media (games, anime, cards, etc.) and are highly coveted by collectors from all corners of the community due to their rarity.
Alongside this, the Shining Fates set features arguably some of the best full-art cards and unique designs that we’ve seen in recent years. The Dhelmise VMAX card has one of the prettiest Holo effects in the game.
The combination of card rarity with stunning Shiny-oriented artwork makes Shining Fates a collector’s dream. The full art pieces are particularly stunning and can run up a high price – with a good example being this Shiny Charizard VMAX Holofoil.
Search eBay for Shining Fates cards.
Diamond & Pearl – Stormfront
Released: 2008
We mentioned earlier how nostalgia can be a huge factor when it comes to determining Pokémon card set value – so I was utterly delighted to see how popular Stormfront appeared to be amongst the community while doing my research for this article.
This was my first ever set and it’s what got me into Pokémon.
Personal bias aside, Stormfront had some particularly interesting features. Some of the cards were remakes of original, retro cards like Base Set or Fossil cards that were drawn by the original artists. Others featured Shiny Pokémon with stunning designs.
If you’re going to get some Stormfront cards, look out for Japanese cards in particular. The Japanese version of Stormfront is called Intense Fight in the Destroyed Sky. These cards look wonderful and have interesting Holo effects.
The Japanese LV. X Pokémon feature a gloss finish on top of Cosmos Holofoil designs. Also referred to as Galaxy Holofoils, this is a popular kind of Holo design that features sparkling stars. The gloss intensifies the shine!
Search eBay for Stormfront cards.
Black & White – Legendary Treasures
Released: 2013
Legendary Treasures is a very popular set amongst collectors, mainly due to the exciting EX pull chances. There are over 15 possible EX cards to pull in Legendary Treasures booster packs, including cards from the Radiant Collection. Some of these EX Pokémon are absolutely iconic, like Mewtwo EX and Darkrai EX.
The Radiant Collection is a specific group of cards within the Legendary Treasures set that has its own numbering system and style. Radiant Pokémon cards have a striking foil pattern and coating, making them lovely to look at.
There were never any Theme Decks in the Legendary Treasures release, making it quite hard to get hold of in some places. It’s worth checking out – but keep in mind a sealed booster box runs for thousands of dollars on eBay.
Search eBay for Legendary Treasures cards.
X & Y – Evolutions
Released: 2016
As you can see from the examples above, Evolutions is a truly stunning set.
It features a plethora of EX cards, along with the iconic BREAK cards that change the card orientation. The set didn’t see too much competitive play when it came out, but it was very clearly aimed at collectors from the get go.
Evolutions was released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pokémon and it features some reprints of amazing Base Set cards alongside the BREAK and EX cards, making it a lucrative set for fans who want to make some money from their cards.
Search eBay for Evolutions cards.
Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies
Released: 2021
Evolving Skies represents some of the absolute best bits of the Sword & Shield era. Evolving Skies is the English language iteration of the dual Japanese release Skyscraping Perfection and Blue Sky Stream, which is where the cards shown above come from.
Aside from the obvious visual appeal (come on, those rainbows are stunning), there’s a lot to love about Evolving Skies that makes it truly valuable. Firstly, this set introduced a large number of Dragon-type Pokémon cards. Before this, they were quite rare to find.
Additionally, there are heaps of VMAX and V cards to find in this set. The pull rates are solid and can make for quite an exciting opening experience.
It’s also a great set for completionists. There are stunning cards for every single Eeveelution, making it a very fun set to work towards completing.
Search eBay for Evolving Skies cards.
Spotting Under the Radar Sets
While the most popular Pokémon TCG sets listed above are worth taking a look at, both from a collector’s POV and an investor’s POV, it is worth considering which sets may become popular in the future. The main elements to look out for in a potentially popular set include:
- Striking artwork
- Pokémon with something unusual about them – for example, regional variants or even Shiny Pokémon
- Competitive viability/flexibility for deck-building
- Interesting mechanics like Dynamaxing or Tera Types
- Nostalgic value for older generations
A good example here is the Scarlet & Violet – 151 set. This set has been immensely popular with fans thus far but it will naturally cool in popularity as newer sets are released. In my opinion, we’ll see it pick up in popularity again in a few years as collectors solidify its standing as one of the most popular Pokémon TCG sets.
This is because 151 pays homage to some truly iconic Pokémon and it featured a lot of gorgeous artwork as well. While it won’t be eligible for competitive play in a few years time thanks to regulation marks, it is one to watch as a collector. If you’re an investor, it could be worth buying and sitting on some sealed Elite Trainer Boxes (eBay).
Another set that’s just on the horizon is Paldean Fates. If you’re unfamiliar with how set releases work in Pokémon, generally there will be a Japanese language set release and then an English language set release afterwards.
Paldean Fates will be the English language version of a recent Japanese set called Shiny Treasure ex. This set is looking immense so far, and I’m anticipating that it’ll manage to be one of the biggest Pokémon releases of 2024.
One of the main reasons is because Paldean Fates will focus almost exclusively on Shiny Pokémon. There’s a whole subsection of the Pokémon community dedicated to Shiny Pokémon, and the Paldean Fates release has been anxiously awaited.
While nothing is set in stone until the set officially drops, the gorgeous artwork and unique premise means that Paldean Fates meets a lot of the set criteria listed above. It’s certainly one to watch as a collector looking for the best Pokémon TCG sets.
Final Thoughts
This list will look a little bit different for every Pokémon fan reading it – and that’s ok!
As noted earlier, I spent quite some time digging through fan sites and forums to see what the most popular Pokémon TCG sets among fans are, but it would be unfair to claim that this list represents the entirety of the community.
In fact, I’d really love to hear from readers just like you: what is your favorite Pokémon set, and why? Please list your favorites in the comments section below!
Once you’ve decided which sets you want to start collecting next, make sure to pick up a new binder or two. Having dedicated binders for specific generations or sets isn’t a requirement for being a collector, of course, but it can help to keep your growing collection in tip-top condition.