The Pokemon CompanyWhile the Pokemon TCG doesn’t have the busiest release schedule out there (that title would likely go to Magic: The Gathering), it does provide a constant stream of new cards, products, and expansion sets for fans to get excited about.
That’s been the case ever since the cards were released initially, meaning that there are a lot of expansion sets to work through if you’re a collector. It can feel hard to keep track of how many cards there are in the mix, especially with Rarities like Illustration Rares and Hyper Rares to consider.
Here, you’ll find a guide to the current number of Pokemon cards, expansion sets, and release dates, looking at how many English-language Pokemon cards actually exist and which expansion sets feature the most cards.
The Pokemon Company / Game FreakHow many Pokemon cards are there in total?
Considering every release that’s happened since writing this article, we estimate that there are a total of 17,775 Pokemon trading cards released in English and over 180 ready to arrive in September 2025. This immense number was calculated by adding up every officially released card so far, excluding promos, booster toppers, and other ancillary cards.
It’s important to note that our estimate is just for the English-language sets, too. Expansion sets in other languages – like Hot Air Arena – have not been included in our line-up.
The Pokemon CompanyAll Pokemon Trading Card sets released so far
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of every Pokemon TCG expansion set so far, looking at their official names, card numbers (including all Rarities and Secret Rares), and Western release date.
Original Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Base Set 1 | 102 | January 9, 1999 |
2 | Jungle | 64 | June 16, 1999 |
Neo Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
8 | Neo Genesis | 111 | December 16, 2000 |
9 | Neo Discovery | 75 | June 1, 2001 |
Legendary Collection Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
12 | Legendary Collection | 110 | May 24, 2001 |
e-Card Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
13 | Expedition Base Set | 165 | September 15, 2002 |
14 | Aquapolis | 186 | January 15, 2003 |
15 | Skyridge | 182 | May 12, 2003 |
EX Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
16 | EX Ruby & Sapphire | 109 | June 18, 2003 |
17 | EX Sandstorm | 100 | September 17, 2003 |
Diamond & Pearl Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
32 | Diamond & Pearl – Base Set | 130 | May 23, 2007 |
33 | Diamond & Pearl – Mysterious Treasures | 124 | August 22, 2007 |
Platinum Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
39 | Platinum – Base Set | 133 | February 11, 2009 |
40 | Platinum – Rising Rivals | 120 | May 20, 2009 |
HeartGold & Soul Silver Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
43 | HeartGold & SoulSilver – Base Set | 124 | February 10, 2010 |
44 | HeartGold & SoulSilver – Unleashed | 96 | May 12, 2010 |
Call of Legends Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
47 | Call of Legends | 106 | February 9, 2011 |
Black & White Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
48 | Black & White – Base Set | 115 | April 25, 2011 |
49 | Black & White – Emerging Powers | 98 | August 31, 2011 |
XY Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
59.5 | X & Y | 39 | November 8, 2013 |
59 | X & Y – Base Set | 146 | February 5, 2014 |
Sun & Moon Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
71 | Sun & Moon – Base Set | 163 | February 3, 2017 |
72 | Sun & Moon – Guardians Rising | 169 | May 5, 2017 |
Sword & Shield Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
83 | Sword & Shield – Base Set | 216 | February 7, 2020 |
84 | Sword & Shield – Rebel Clash | 209 | May 1, 2020 |
Scarlet & Violet Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
95 | Scarlet & Violet – Base Set | 258 | March 31, 2023 |
96 | Scarlet & Violet – Paldea Evolved | 279 | June 9, 2023 |
Mega Evolution Series
NUMBER | NAME | TOTAL CARDS | RELEASE DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mega Evolution | 186 | September 26, 2025 |
What about all the promotional Pokemon cards?
The section above contains every official Pokemon expansion set on the books in 2025 so far, but we’ve left out niche exclusives like event promo cards, ‘box toppers’, or movie promotional cards. There are heaps of them dotted throughout Pokemon history, and we wanted to focus on the official releases.
That’s not to say that they’re not worth your time as a collector, though – if you come across an Ancient Mew while digging through online listings, it’s worth adding to your collection if you can stomach the undoubtedly high price tag.
If you want to add some event promos and rare pieces to your collection, it’s worth checking out pre-release events and card shows. This is a great way to find cards with rare stamps or interesting holofoils, and these promo cards can become valuable collector’s pieces down the line.
If any of the expansion sets in the list above appealed to you, why not check out our list of the rarest cards or best Booster Packs to find your next grail card? You may end up stumbling across a rare find during your next card shop visit.
