Pokemon / LeonhartTelling apart Pokemon TCG Booster Packs might be tricky as they belong to different collections, may vary in size, have different amounts of cards inside, and more.
Now that Pokemon has been around for nearly three decades and the Pokemon TCG is just as old, there’s a lot of junk out there, and just as much treasure. That’s why buying Pokemon card Booster Packs online can be a bit like shopping in the Wild West.
The cards players can get are iconic and still selling huge numbers, so if you want to dip into the Pokemon Trading Card game and start buying those Booster Packs, we’re here to explain everything you need to know before doing so.
What are Pokemon TCG Booster Packs?
Booster Packs in Pokemon TCG are – as the name says – small packs that include a certain amount of Pokemon cards.
Each Booster Pack belongs to a specific set, and each set can have a variety of Booster Packs. The sets are part of a wider collection divided by the generations – with Scarlet & Violet being the most recent one.
Of course, the cards that come inside every pack belong to one collection and more specifically to a set, and they are totally random.
There’s something very satisfying about opening these fresh shiny packets, and you will find numerous channels on TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, and, YouTube, where people pull cards from new and existing sets.
How many Pokemon cards are in a pack?
One should expect 11 playable cards plus one code card in total.
The contents of a Booster Pack of Pokemon cards vary depending on the set. But for those that belong to the more recent Pokemon Scarlet & Violet series and its expansions (Obsidian Flames and Paldean Fates) each contains 10 cards plus a Basic Energy card and a TCG Live Code card.
The Pokemon CompanyPokemon cards types
Pokemon cards come in a variety of forms, from common and holo cards to gold ones and some more recent additions like the V Max ones added during the Sword & Shield era and the ex cards that were revamped with Scarlet & Violet.
Of course, there are also Promo cards that can be obtained in different ways. For example, McDonald’s occasionally releases them in their Happy Meals, like their 2023 Scarlet & Violet promo release.
However, you might also come across the much dreaded fake Pokemon card, so it makes sense to be well-informed before throwing down your hard-earned bucks.
Card Rarity
Each card in the Pokemon universe has a category that determines its rarity and is tied to the types mentioned above. This means the symbols on the cards tell players how easy or difficult it is to come across one using what’s called a ‘pull rate’.
Maintaining the Scarlet & Violet example, a regular Booster Pack from that collection has a pull ratio of 4 common cards, 3 uncommon cards, and 3 foil cards (at least one of which will be rare, ultra, secret, or, hyper rare).
DexertoPrior to the S&V base set, fans only had a guaranteed chance to pull one reverse holofoil. To clarify, holo cards have shiny artwork, and reverse holo cards are shiny except for the artwork.
Curiously, the lowest amount of cards that ever come inside a pack will be 9. This began with the E-reader series of Pokemon cards, whereby cards could be scanned via the Nintendo e-reader accessory for the Game Boy Advance.
This number of cards remained constant until the Diamond & Pearl collection when 10-card Booster Packs were introduced. It was then that an energy card was introduced in Sun & Moon. That change took the number of cards per pack to 11, the same number of cards that were featured in the original base set.
When Scarlet & Violet was released, packs started to come with 11 cards plus one additional TCG Live code card.
Pokemon TCG Booster Pack & card size
Booster Packs and single Pokemon cards are usually of the same size, except for promotional ‘Jumbo’ cards which sometimes come in premium collections and V boxes. So how big are they?
Pokemon cards are a standard trading card size, 6.3 cm x 8.8 cm, which is 2.5 x 3.5 inches, while Booster Packs are 11.7 cm x 6.7 cm, or 4.6 inches x 2.6 inches.
Jumbo-sized cards are a fair bit bigger, and, can vary from 10.2 cm x 15.2 inches which is 4 x 6 inches, all the way to 20.3 cm x 28 cm or 8 x 11 inches.
Miniature cards, such as those included in the Trick or Trade booster bundle are smaller, and usually 5 cm x 3.8 cm or 2 x 1.5 inches.
What are TCG Live Code Cards
TCG code cards are the final card in packs which feature a scannable QR code and regular code that can be exchanged for an online Pokemon Booster Pack from the equivalent series.
They are easily recognizable, as they feature text about the TCG Live app on the back instead of the usual Pokeball on playable cards.
How to redeem TCG Live Codes
Pokemon TCG live codes are redeemable via the Pokemon TCG Live App or online.
Read our guide for a more in-depth look at how to redeem Pokemon TCG Live Code cards.
What’s inside a God pack?
God packs are special Booster Packs that contain 10 Super-Rare cards besides the Energy Card. Obviously, you cannot tell by looking at them from the outside, as their content is supposed to be a surprise for the collector who opens the pack.
They are extremely rare. Approximately one packet per case of Booster boxes contains them, although pull rates vary between sets. They’re incredibly desirable as – besides the Super-Rare cards – they can sometimes include cards that can only be obtained in a God pack.
For example in the Shiny Star V expansion, pull rates were reportedly 1/600, however, in Tag All Stars pull rates were 1/250. Most recently, God Packs were confirmed in both Shiny Treasures ex and its upcoming Western counterpart, Paldean Fates.
That’s all there is to know about Pokemon TCG Booster Packs. For more, check out our breakdown of the most expensive cards in Surging Sparks, our breakdown of the most valuable cards, and the rarest pulls you can get in the Pokemon TCG.
