Casual Collectors, UNITE!
We got another look at the upcoming Mega Evolutions set, and the reveals are nuts. Plus, how to view the raw singles market and what you should be buying instead. So rip into this issue and see what we pulled!
~Jon
🗓️ICYMI
Mega Attack Rares and Mega Charizard X ex and Dragonite ex Revealed!
From left to right: Mega Charizard X ex MAR, Mega Gardvoir ex MAR, and Mega Lucario ex MAR
The Pokemon Company dropped more reveals from Mega Evolutions over the weekend.
If you weren’t excited for the Mega Evolution set, maybe this will change your tune. Mega Evolution will have a new rarity, the Mega Attack rare (MAR for short). The style is similar to the Mega Pokemon cards that were released in the XY era, but with a full-art treatment instead.
We know for certain that this rarity will not be in the upcoming Mega Evolution set, (we have those insane gold cards instead) so stay tuned for more info about this new rarity and what sets will get them!
Mega Evolutions to be released in waves… But will your booster box be enhanced?
The red tab with “Includes 1 Bonus Illustration rare-style Promo Card” indicates an enhanced box
The Pokemon Company clouds the distribution of enhanced and non-enhanced booster boxes, but why?
Card shop owner and YouTuber Danny Phantump dropped a short video to let his audience know about the confusion surrounding the distribution of enhanced and non-enhanced booster boxes.
If Danny Phantump is unsure of what booster boxes he is getting, then it’s safe to assume most online stores and local game stores will find out upon receipt how many of what booster boxes they received.
Be weary of pre-orders, and be prepared to see your order cancelled or modified if you already pre-ordered from a small online store or a locally-owned business.
📌 Pokemon TCG Collecting in 2025: Why Graded Cards Beat Raw Singles Every Time
There's nothing more confusing in the Pokemon TCG collecting hobby right now than deciding how to buy Pokemon cards for your collection. Should you buy raw singles? Should you invest in sealed product? Why choose a PSA 10 versus a PSA 9?
With Pokemon card investing growing in popularity over the last few years, rules of thumb like "opening Pokemon packs isn't worth your money" or "sealed product is king" have started to surface. As sealed product gets purchased and held more frequently than opened, some interesting dynamics are emerging in the raw singles and graded card markets.
The Bottom Line: Buy Graded Pokemon Cards, Not Raw Singles
Here's the TL;DR: Right now, don't buy raw copies of chase cards from modern Pokemon sets. The real money and value lies in buying graded cards (specifically PSA graded cards).
Let's examine three popular cards to understand why buying PSA 10 copies of your favorite cards makes more financial sense than gambling on raw singles:
Charizard ex SIR from Pokemon 151
Dragonite V Alt Art from Evolving Skies
Twilight Masquerade Greninja ex SIR
Case Study #1: Pokemon 151 Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare
The PSA 10 Charizard ex has experienced multiple price dips and rises, but the raw card price continues trending downward, currently holding around $200.
Consider this: as available Pokemon 151 product decreases, the number of Charizards being pulled that qualify for PSA 10 grades is also slowing down. Even with a PSA 10 population in the 20,000s, this remains the chase card from one of the most popular Scarlet and Violet sets ever released.
Case Study #2: Evolving Skies Dragonite V Alternate Art
Underrated for far too long, 2025 has finally seen the beloved laughing Dragonite V alternate art card from Evolving Skies rise in value. Even as PSA 10 prices increase, raw card values remain steady.
Most available copies now likely aren't PSA 10 worthy, and very little Evolving Skies product is being opened anymore. With a population under 9,000 and likely staying under 10,000 for the foreseeable future, this card and other Evolving Skies graded alternate art cards should continue appreciating.
Case Study #3: Twilight Masquerade Greninja ex SIR - The Inflection Point
The Greninja ex from Twilight Masquerade represents the first true "chase card" of the Scarlet and Violet era. It had everything collectors want:
Popular anime Pokemon
Dynamic, badass artwork
Vibrant colors
Incredibly difficult pull rates from a specialty set
Despite a slight dip in late spring/early summer 2025, PSA 10 copies are returning to all-time-high prices (around $800 in January 2025). Meanwhile, raw card prices have trended downward since March 2025, now holding steady at approximately $276.
This card perfectly illustrates the inflection point between raw and PSA 10 values for Scarlet and Violet chase cards. While raw cards will eventually increase in value, PSA 10s will always lead the charge.
The Fundamental Market Dynamic
Here's the key relationship driving these price trends: As sealed product gets opened less frequently (due to decreased availability), fewer raw cards become available. This means fewer cards available to grade, resulting in even fewer possible PSA 10s.
Why You Should Avoid Raw Modern Pokemon Singles
When it comes to raw modern singles, particularly Scarlet and Violet era chase cards, avoid buying raw cards for these reasons:
Quality concerns: Finding cards in pristine condition becomes less likely daily
Competition: Growing numbers of vendors and collectors are willing to front grading costs for potential value increases
Grading uncertainty: You're gambling that PSA graders will be generous enough to award your card a 10
Your best bet? Either get extremely lucky (finding someone on Facebook Marketplace selling a card they just pulled) or cross your fingers that your PSA grader feels generous.
The Smart Pokemon Card Investment Strategy
The safest and smartest way to spend your Pokemon card budget, especially on cards you truly want, is saving up for graded copies. As long as you avoid purchasing graded cards within the first six months of a set's release, there's strong evidence that these cards will increase in value over time.
Pro tip: Focus your Pokemon TCG investments on PSA 10 graded chase cards from popular sets, and you'll likely see better returns than gambling on raw singles.
🛠 Quick Links or Tips:
I recently watched a video of a couple drop-testing Pokemon Slabs in Graded Guards and honestly now I have another excuse to buy Graded Guards.
Not sure why so many creators stopped doing ads for the Shiny Collector app, but it’s my favorite way of tracking my collection. Easier to make edits to your collection and to move cards/products into different categories, and I like the graphs/charts better. They just need to add pop reports for graded cards…
👉 Question for You:
What topics would you like to see covered in this newsletter? Hit reply or leave a comment and let us know!
Did you know….
In the original 1999 Pokémon TCG Base Set, the card Kadabra was printed once… and then not again for over 20 years. Read more about why here!
Catch deals. Pull grails.