The 10 Best Pokemon Packs to Buy in 2026, Ranked
Looking for the best Pokémon pack to buy?
No matter how many times you do it, there’s just nothing like buying Pokemon packs and eagerly anticipating what rare card you might pull. Today, there are countless Pokemon packs to choose from – so where do you start? Never fear – I’ve been closely monitoring the Pokemon TCG market for years and have compiled a list of the 10 very best Pokemon packs to buy right now for rare and valuable cards, based on actual sales data.
#10 Twilight Masquerade
The one with the Greninja
Market price: $6.41
Twilight Masquerade felt slightly underwhelming when it came out, but has aged very well. While it doesn’t carry a ton of weight in the nostalgia department that drives a lot of value in the Pokemon TCG (it is instead based on a more recent Pokemon DLC for the video game), its top chase card – the Greninja ex Special Illustration Rare– soon began fetching impressive prices online. Greninja isn’t the only card this set boasts, however. Eevee fans will love the Illustration Rare Eevee card which is still holds up value today.
Eevee (Illustration Rare)
Market price: $56.48
What’s more, this pack is an incredible one for players, boasting a lot of strong cards like Dragapult ex. Given its lack of more nostalgic, familiar Pokemon in its alternate artwork lineup, however, this pack is unlikely to be as memorable as some of the other excellent packs released in Scarlet & Violet.
These are the most expensive cards in Twilight Masquerade.
#9 Phantasmal Flames
The one with Mega Charizard X
Market price: $6.80
Phantasmal Flames is something of a polarizing set. On the one hand, it has one of the most gorgeous modern Pokemon cards in it: the Mega Charizard X ex Special Illustration Rare.
Mega Charizard X ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $620
On the other hand, beyond the Mega Charizard X ex SIR and Mega Hyper Rare chase cards, the rest of the set can feel a little underwhelming. While there still are some standout cards that could do well over time – like the Piplup and Meowth Illustration Rares – collectors looking for a wider range of valuable cards rather than one great whale of a chase might prefer other packs.
Check out this guide for the top Phantasmal Flames chase cards.
#8 Paldean Fates
Perfect for shiny hunters
Market price: $13.46
Paldean Fates caused quite the stir when it hit the shelves back in 2024 as the first “Shiny” set to grace the Pokemon TCG since the popular Shinning Fates which debuted towards the beginning of the Sword and Shield era of the game.
In addition to the general appeal that is shiny hunting, Paldean Fates is noteworthy for just how many gorgeous alt art “shiny” cards we got from many of our favorite Scarlet and Violet cards of the time.
The most valuable of these shiny Special Illustration Rare prints was “Bubble Mew.” This card continues to excel in value on the secondary card market and acts as a major draw for collectors looking to crack some Paldean Fates packs..
Mew ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $486
It’s far from the only card from the pack worth chasing, however. The Shiny Charizard ex, for example, is fearsome and fetches an attractive value, and players love to bling out their decks with the many shiny Pokemon found in these packs.
See the most expensive Paldean Fates chase cards in my guide.
#7 Black Bolt and White Flare
Market price: $8.45
Market price: $8.35
Although technically comprised of two different sets – the first English set to be split in this way – Black Bolt and White Flare are thematically tied. Through collecting the cards from both packs, you’ll be able to obtain every single Pokemon from Unova, as well as alternate artworks for each.
While this makes the set an instant classic around fans of the Black and White era of Pokemon, it’s the insane Black White Rare cards that truly set it apart for collectors.
Currently trending for well over $300 on the secondary card market for each card other than the Reshiram ex (which hovers just below that number), these BWR cards haven’t been seen before in the Pokemon TCG, and their gorgeous and memorable colors make them uncommonly exciting cards to chase.
Don’t get too distracted by these gorgeous cards however – Black Bolt and White Flare also offers a strong list of both Special Illustration Rare and Illustration Rare cards that are hot on the singles market, making it an ideal choice for collectors hoping to have a high likelihood of landing a hit from each pack.
Check out which Black Bolt/White Flare chase cards are currently trending via my guide.
#6 Pokemon 151
Pure, nostalgia-fueled fun
Market price: $16.31
Pokemon 151 has a massive appeal for fans, featuring the original 151 Pokemon, and the chance to catch ‘em all like they did the for the first time decades ago. This puts a good amount of the fun in opening this particular pack not just in pulling valuable cards but in actually creating a master set featuring every single card – including alternate arts.
That being said, by far the top chase from the set is the Special Illustration Rare Charizard card that features the iconic Pokemon flying over what could potentially be seen as Charific Valley from the early shows.
Charizard ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $257
Collectors looking for a pack filled to the brim with nostalgia and the sheer joy of Pokemon hunting will love Pokemon 151 – assuming they are willing to pay the high price point associated with not only the booster pack but all of its impressive products.
Learn more about the Charizard ex SIR from this set and the rest of the top Pokemon 151 chase cards.
#5 Surging Sparks
The set that reignited the phenomenon
Market price: $6.40
With so many epic sets releasing lately for the Pokemon TCG, Surging Sparks is one that’s relatively easy to overlook. Still, it deserves its dues for being the single pack that helped launch the renewed fervor for the Pokemon TCG hobby when it released at the end of 2024.
When you look at this pack’s lineup, however, you might scratch your head a little at that bold statement: what exactly made Surging Sparks so special? Well, for starters it had the SIR Pikachu – a card filled to the brim with enough nostalgia to make collectors go wild. It didn’t hurt that early sales for that particular card peaked at over $400 on the secondary card market, which was a lot for the relatively tame Scarlet and Violet Pokemon TCG era up until that point.
Pikachu ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $258
Yet, others will point to the advent of Pokemon TCG Pocket driving some of the craze. Indeed, both released at around the same time at the end of 2024 – ripping digital packs undoubtedly sent many to look for the real deal.
Whatever the reason, Surging Sparks remains a solid buy for Pokemon TCG fans, and luckily the set is available at a much more affordable price point than it once was.
Find out which of the top Surging Sparks Chase cards are most expensive in my guide.
#4 Mega Evolution
The return of Mega Pokemon
Market price: $8
Mega Evolution is not only the name of one of the best Pokemon packs to buy right now, it’s also the name of an entirely new era of the Pokemon TCG. And in case you were wondering if people still hold Mega Evolved versions of their favorite Pokemon in high regard – they do. Reception for Mega Evolution was incredible in 2025, with top chase cards reaching very high market values.
And while there are plenty of exciting cards to hunt down, the two top chase cards stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. These are the Mega Ultra Rare Gardevoir and Lucario ex cards.
Mega Hyper Rare Gardevoir ex
Market price: $245
Mega Hyper Rare Lucario ex
Market price: $297
That being said, you won’t need to pull these very hard to obtain and unique cards to get something good. In fact, Mega Evolution has one of the best lineups of Special Illustration Rare and Illustration Rare cards we’ve seen lately, including a gorgeous Venusaur ex SIR, Ivysaur IR, and Bulbasaur IR that connect to form one picture!
Whether you’re a fan of Mega Pokemon or chasing down unique and rare cards, Mega Evolution does not disappoint.
See my guide for every top Mega Evolution chase card.
#3 Destined Rivals
Double the trouble at a reasonable cost
Market price: $7.59
If you’re looking for a top tier pack opening experience and want something a little more affordable, Destined Rivals could be the right Pokemon pack for you. Although initial hype for this “Team Rocket” set caused an infamous scramble that included overwhelming Pokemon Center preorders, allocation improved and fears were alleviated, ultimately driving down costs for collectors.
Now, Pokemon TCG players, collectors, and profiteers can get their hands on the first main Pokemon TCG set since the mid-2000s to feature Team Rocket for around $7a pack.
While there’s plenty to chase in this set which helps lend added value to it, the big chases are either Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex or Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – both in their Special Illustration Artwork forms.
Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $391
Cynthia's Garchomp ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $200
While you won’t find anything in the league of Umbreon ex from Prismatic Evolutions here, more than a handful of cards are worth a decent value. Additionally, whereas Prismatic Evolutions is largely a set aimed at collector’s, Destined Rivals has something for everyone, with powerful cards, decks and mechanics alongside the iconic return of Team Rocket’s Pokemon.
Wether you are chasing Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex, or simply hoping for that Cynthia’s Garchomp ex SIR, it’s hard not to be excited about the insane potential of this amazing set.
The biggest selling point for Destined Rivals currently remains its phenomenally fun theming, excellent array of secrete rare cards, and relatively low price point.
Read my guide covering the most expensive Destined Rivals cards.
#2 Prismatic Evolutions
The best Pokemon TCG pack to buy for valuable “Eeveelutions”
Market price: $9.59
Unless you are completely new to the Pokemon TCG hobby, odds are good you’ve already heard about this massive set. Prismatic Evolutions was so big when it came out that it sent a mad scramble to land products at local stores the likes of which hadn’t been seen even during the height of the pandemic.
The reason for this? Demand for Prismatic Evolutions was for a lot more than just the sheer number of beautiful and rare cards you could get – it was fueled by the money. Epic, hyped chase cards like the Umbreon ex SIR soared to dramatically high prices, reaching as high as $1600 upon initial release.
Umbreon ex (Special Illustration Rare)
Market price: $889.60
While prices for cards on the secondary card market have slipped since then, this pack is still one of the best current sets to purchase if your goal is landing valuable cards. And while scarcity and demand drove pack values through the roof both initially and for a few months after release, currently it’s available at a pretty reasonable rate. That’s a pretty hefty discount compared to the other Eeveelution pack in recent memory – Evolving Skies – which goes for more than triple.
While Prismatic Evolutions might have once been a little too inflated to be a wise investment for most Pokemon TCG collectors, today it’s fair price point and incredible potential value make it a fairly reasonable buy for those who don’t mind investing a bit more than you would on more middle-of-the-road packs.
Check out each of the most expensive Prismatic Evolutions cards in my guide.
#1 Ascended Heroes
The “biggest” Pokemon set of all time
Market price: $15.52
Ascended Heroes literally is the biggest Pokemon set of all time in terms of pure cards included – a whopping 295. What matters most to collectors, however, isn’t the sheer size of this set but rather it’s incredible number of rare, secret rare cards – 78 in total. This collection of secret rare cards includes a bevy of different options to chase, ranging from an incredibly rare Mega Charizard Y Hyper Rare to a brand new rarity type making its debut in this set: the Mega Attack Rare.
Despite how much this set has going for it, it’s ultimate chase card is the Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare – a massively hyped card that’s worth a small fortune on the secondary card market.
Ascended Heroes is the hottest Pokemon pack right now due to the sheer number of gorgeous alts you can get in this set, and should go down in history as one of the big ones of 2026.
Check out the top Ascended Heroes chase cards you can bag in this pack.
