So you decided you wanted to start collecting Pokemon cards BUT you have no idea where to start.
You don’t know what to Google search, Reddit frowns down on you for not doing research, and your friends aren’t helpful. Well after reading this guide, you’ll know exactly what you need to buy.
Here are 3 questions to help guide which Pokemon card product you should buy first to start your Pokemon card collection.
1. Why Do I Want a Pokemon Card Collection?
There are so many ways to collect, but to keep things simple, here are 4 general types of collectors based on some predetermined reasons on why you’d consider collecting.
| The TCG Player | You want to play the Trading Card Game (TCG ) and build a deck |
| The Completionist | You want to either have a Complete Set or even a Master Set. We won’t go into the differences here, but you know you want to collect ’em all |
| The Sealed Collection Investor | You want a display of sealed product, or store them away as an investment for the future |
| The Casual Collector and Trader | You rip packs, add to your binder, and want to trade for cards you like. |
There are 2 other categories I want to call out, but won’t spend time going into as I believe these type of collectors thrive only when you have some experience collecting.
- The Graded Card Collector – You enjoy graded cards not only for authenticity and protection, but also view these as an investment. The cost to grade cards can vary so do more research on grading cards to determine if this fits in your budget.
- The Specialized Artist – You only collect a certain type of card, Pokemon, set, etc. You’re very specific and focused on what goes into your collection. Everything else doesn’t really matter. This is more likely to be you if you’re a returning collector, but don’t let it stop you if you’re new! Just make sure to do your research!
2. How Much Can I Spend?
Now that you have an idea of what type of collector you aspire to be, let’s talk about money. Life comes first, so it’s important to understand how much you can realistically spend on Pokemon cards. Here are the price ranges you should try to put yourself in. Whether you have this money now, or you’re saving to have by a certain time, really try to set a budget for yourself. From the list below, pick a price range you’re willing to spend on your first purchase – this will help determine which Pokemon card products you should buy.
- $5-$10
- $10-$30
- $30-$50
- $50-$150
- $150+
3. So What Pokémon Products Should I Buy?
Now that you know the type of collector you aspire to be, and what your personal budget is, here are the Pokemon Card products I recommend you start with to reach your Pokemon Card collection goals.
The TCG Player
What to Buy with $5 – $10
You should buy a Booster Pack or 2 from one of the newly released sets. I like to use this site since it lists the sets in order by newest, and also calls out if the set is in the current rotation for standard format. Not all cards are allowed to be played in tournaments, so I recommend you do more research around this if you’re not familiar with the different playing formats.
What to Buy with $10 – $30
Trainer Toolkits. This is the perfect product to buy at this price point. These come with many card staples to construct a competitive deck. Itching to open some packs? No worries, this product has you covered with additional packs for you to open. You’ll also get your hands on some damage dice, condition markers, and other essentials you’ll need to play the TCG.
Theme decks are also a viable option here. They are pre constructed decks that are ready to be used. If you go this route, you may be able to pick up multiple cards.
What to Buy with $10 – $30
Trainer Toolkit and some theme decks. Another option you’ll have at this price point is to buy Elite Trainer Boxes. You’ll get dice, a coin, and deck sleeves to help you on your TCG journey. The tradeoff is that you won’t get any staples to build a deck, and instead will have 8 booster packs to open.
What to buy with $50 – $150
You should think about buying singles and building a competitive budget deck. You can find some fun decks to play. If you are getting priced out of a decent deck, don’t worry, you can still buy a Trainer Toolkit, and if you get lucky, try to buy a booster box as it gives you the best price per booster pack. If you play the TCG online game, you’ll also get code cards to use for virtual packs.
What to buy with $150+
Buy singles to build the deck you want. Find card shops that host tournaments and put your brand new deck to the test. I recommend watching some gameplay videos of decks you like to learn how to play them effectively. You’ll also want to do some research to figure out which decks suit your play style. What you don’t want is to spend all this money on a deck you don’t have fun with.
The Completionist
What to Buy with $5 – $10
Buy any booster pack! Try to pick a set you want to focus on and search for those packs. In most scenarios the newest sets are easier to find and focus on.
What to Buy with $10 – $30
Collection Boxes. These typically come with promos and a few booster packs. You’ll end up with a guaranteed promo to help complete your Master set. The booster packs you get will vary so you’ll also have a chance at adding new cards to multiple sets.
What to Buy with $30 – $50
Elite Trainer Boxes. You get a lot of cool things in these boxes, including 8 booster packs. While this is not the most cost-effective way to collect, I only recommend this as your first product because the packaging also acts as a collector box you can use to store your bulk cards. As your collection grows, you’ll end up with a lot of bulk, and this is one way to store your cards. I recommend only putting bulk pulled in the set in their corresponding elite trainer box collection boxes. This is a simple and easy way to stay organized as you collect ’em all.
What to Buy with $50 – $150
Booster Boxes. This gives you the best price per booster pack, so it is easy to recommend. You’ll get 36 booster packs and will be able to complete a good chunk of a set by just opening one of these products. At his point, you should also consider buyings singles to complete your sets.
What to Buy with $150+
You should continue to buy booster boxes since it’s the most cost-effective. If you have a few hundred dollars to spend, you can typically find resellers who can sell you multiple booster boxes at a discounted price. One way to do this is to buy a case of booster boxes. A case includes 6 booster boxes, and with the right reseller, you can get a deal on the price per booster box which ends up being the most cost-effective way to buy a lot of packs at once. However, it is far more cost-effective to start buying singles to complete your set, because opening packs can put you in a position where you have far too much bulk.
The Sealed Collection Investor
What to Buy with $5 – $10
Pokemon Mini Tins. These typically run for under $10 and are an awesome collection piece. The Pokemon Company will typically have different variations of these tins which all look great when they’re together.
What to Buy with $10 – $30
Collection Boxes or Tins. With awesome promos displayed in their packaging, these make great items to put on display. Storing these efficiently can be a bit tricky, but if done right, you can have awesome product to open or sell in the future.
What to Buy with $30 – $50
Elite Trainer Boxes. This is a sought after product by many sealed product collector. The unique artwork of found on these boxes capture the essence of the set. These boxes stack nicely and look great as a display. At this price point, there is no better product to buy. Another option is to look at Premium Collection boxes with popular Pokemon. If you see a Premium Collection Box with Pokemon like PIkachu, Eevee, starters, Eeveelutions, or other well-known Pokemon, don’t hesitate to add these boxes to your collection.
What to Buy with $50 – $150
Booster Boxes. This is the ultimate sealed product to have. When these mature and season, they are often sought after by people to open or add in their own collection. Influencers love cracking these boxes open, especially if they’re older sets because they provide entertaining content.
What to Buy with $150
Cases of Booster boxes or Elite Trainer Boxes. Buying these product in bulk is not only a cost-effective way to purchase these products, you can leave the product in the box you purchase them to keep your product fresh and safe in storage. These boxes have a seal that collectors are familiar with. As long as the seal isn’t tampered with, your product has a chance of gaining value over time.
The Casual Trader
What to Buy with $5 – $10
Booster Packs! Aim for the newest set since many people are looking for those cards. Plus, these are more likely to be the most affordable. But in any situation, whatever you can find at a great price won’t disappoint.
What to Buy with $10 – $30
Many products will fall under this price point. Some products to look out for are ones that come with promos such as Collection Boxes, Collection Tins, and even Collector Chests which look like lunch boxes. I would recommend the Collector Chests because they act as an awesome and unique storage solution to store cards. If you don’t want to store cards in there, it’s still a great storage option in general.
What to Buy with $30 – $50
Elite Trainer Boxes. Just like the Collector Chest, this comes with a collector box which acts as a great storage solution. These boxes can store your bulk, and are large enough to fit toploaders that house your rare cards. I wouldn’t recommend buying more than one of these. To maximize your collection, you should buy as many single sleeved booster packs after you’ve bought one Elite Trainer Box.
What to Buy with $50 – $150
Booster Boxes. You can scroll up and read why I highly recommend this product no matter what type of collector you are. However, as a casual collector, you should start to consider buying those higher value single cards you’ve had an eye on. You can only open up so many packs, and it can often be difficult to pull your chase card. If pulling the card yourself isn’t a requirement for you, consider buying the card in great condition.
What to Buy with $150+
Buy singles. I recommend looking for the cards you love in near mint condition. You’ll now have the option to potentially grade the card if that’s a route you want to take in the future. Otherwise the obvious thing here would be to buy a case of Booster Boxes to get the most booster packs for your money. Finding ways to get booster packs as cheap as possible should be your goal if your goal is to rip packs open.
Final Thoughts
You’ll most likely find yourself being more than one type of collector and that’s okay – most people are! How you collect will evolve overtime, especially after you meet other collectors, get more involved in the community and grow your collection. We’ll continue to post guides, tips, and product reviews to assist you in this journey and we look forward to building with you!
