I’ve made it my life’s mission to collect the best Pokemon Booster boxes ever since 1999. Picture the scene; me at just 6 years old, discovering Pokemon for the first time.
It’s safe to say that it changed my entire life!
I can still remember my dad purchasing one of the original base booster sets and giving me a pack every time I did my chores or had managed to be well behaved (which is easy to do when you know Pokemon cards are coming).
I’ve been collecting cards ever since, though now I buy my own packs and I don’t have to worry so much about doing the chores. I’ve opened more booster boxes than I should probably admit, and I’ve ranked 11 of my favourites for you to check out.
Bear in mind while looking at the list below that they’re ranked in order of enjoyment, artwork, and how many of the rarest Pokemon cards you can pick up from each set.
Due to the fact majority of our readers are US/EU based, we will be using Western release dates.
1. Original Base Set (1999)
Obviously, the best Pokemon booster box of all time is the OG. The Base Set launched in 1999. A card game that quite literally changed the gaming industry for ever, it revolutionised collection and gave joy to millions of people around the world.
The rarities of cards enticed consumers to buy more, the fact it launched with a video game and a TV show helped children and young adults fall in love with these things called “Pokemon”.
Now many years later Pokemon is one of the largest franchises ever, making billions of dollars and launching more games/cards that we can keep up with.
If you want the ultimate booster box this is it. It comes in a few different variations due to Wizards of the Coast making minor changes in production.
The first being called the “1st Edition”, others followed being called base edition, the “4th print” and so on, but the art and cards stayed true to the franchise and it’s now the rarest booster box out there.
2. Team Rocket (2000)
Team Rocket is another one of my best Pokemon booster boxes of all time, actually, as I write this I am stating it’s my favourite, hands down!
It was the release of this set that helped me fall in love with he trading card game. The spooky nature of the artwork, alongside the new addition to “dark” in the card name excited me.
The previous Pokemon sets were always quite friendly, and bright, but not this set. It went down the menacing route of Team Rocket, which included holo trainer cards for the first time and the first ever “secret rare” card which happened to be a Dark Raichu.
It’s just an all round epic set, and it featured a Dark Charizard, so you know it’s a good set.
3. Evolving Skies (2021)
Evolving Skies is a fairly new booster box, being released in 2021 it was shortly after the Covid craze that surged prices. Many collectors fell off the hype train when evolving skies came along, and I am glad to say, they missed out!
This set was infamous for introducing impressive “alternative art” VMAX cards that showcase some of the best illustrations I have ever seen on a Pokemon card.
These are simply different art illustrations , but go all in on design. Some of the most famous alternative art cards are Rayquazza, Umbreon and Dragonite.
Because of the incredible illustrations, they are wanted by many collectors across the globe. They’re also hard to get because of the low pull rates.
Grab this booster box while you still can, it’s still a new’ish but prices are increasing swiftly as the years go by and is likely to become highly collectible in the future.
4. Evolutions (2016)
More XY sets Brandon? Really? Yes, it was a great time in Pokemon TCG collection, but the ultimate set, and a box I still have sealed is Pokemon XY Evolutions.
This is by far one of the best Pokemon booster boxes ever, it combined modern day cards like BREAK cards, EX cards and Mega Evolutions with the reprint of vintage cards such as the infamous base set Charizard.
Just picture that, a reprint of the world’s most famous Pokemon card, with new artwork and full art mega evolutions including a small number of secret rare gold cards… what a box!
Again it was a very small set coming in at just 113 cards, but the need for the base set Charizard took over everyones mind, making these an incredibly popular set amongst old and new collectors.
I opened many boxes and never pulled the Charizard…. wait. Maybe there’s one in my last sealed box that I have been saving?
5. XY Base Set (2014)
Pokemon XY Base Set is another great booster box to snag for your collection. It was the introduction of a whole new number of Pokemon but also a first look at epic Mega Evolution cards that many still love to this day.
It’s a very small set, coming in at just 146 cards, making it a great “retro” starter booster box for those that want to try and complete the base set.
Mega Venasaur and Mega Blastoise are amongst some of the rarest cards in this set, including a handful of full arts with gold borders.
I remember opening them and taking my first look at Yveltal and Xerneas.
6. Gym Heroes (2000)
I remember when gym heroes launched in 2000, I was only 7 years old and I honestly thought the cards were fake.
This was because it was the first time that Wizards of the Coast took on a all new design and layout for their Pokemon cards.
Gym Heroes introduced… well, Gym Leaders, and each Pokemon was introduced as being owned by a Gym Leader. For example Blaine’s Moltres, Erika’s Vileplume and my personal favourite Lt. Surge’s Magneton.
Not only that, it showed the face of the Gym Leader in the bottom right hand corner, again, something WOTC has never done before, making the cards look very different to the previous sets.
It’s an incredible booster box filled with rare vintage cards, incredible artwork, unique holofoil patterns and the chance to collect a specific Gym leader’s Pokemon.
7. Scarlet & Violet: Obsidian Flames (2023)
Scarlet and Violet: Obsidian Flames is the newest booster box set in this list, and as we can’t help ourselves when it comes to collecting Pokemon cards, we’ve been buying these booster boxes by the bucket load!
And yes, we did pull that special Charizard ex Gold card over on our sister site Card Gamer!
There are four different Charizards to find in Obsidian Flames, but this was the one we wanted from the very begining!
The work that has gone into designing these cards is phenomenal. The Tera Pokemon with their crystal, angular appearances look fantastic, and there are 20 new Pokemon to include in the mix too.
With Tyranitar and Dragonite ex cards out there to find too, you can create a powerful team with epic beasts that not only look great but pack a serious punch too!
8. BREAKthrough (2015)
For those that have collected Pokemon for some time, you may be wondering why Breakthrough is a part of this list. Let me explain.
Pokemon Breakthrough was the first of the upcoming XY “BREAK” series, a set that revealed the first use of “BREAK” cards and a set that I remember for creating art that I still love to this day.
Some of my favourite cards in the set featured mega evolutions that had Japanese text flying out from behind the Pokemon, as if it was straight out of a comic book.
The BREAK cards were also very unique, showing off a golden Pokemon with lots of holo foil material used, but most distinctly, it was a card that could be played on its side.
It’s becoming an old set that will become more and more wanted as the years go by, so snag a box if you can because the art is truly incredible and the opening experience is so much fun.
9. Ruby & Sapphire EX (2003)
Let’s go back to 2002, right around the time when one of the best Gameboy Advance games of all time was released, Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire.
Shortly after in early 2003, the trading card set launched to give everyone what they wanted, Pokemon in card form!
This set was incredibly unique, not only because the addition of a new Pokemon generation, but the entrance of “EX” and “gold star” cards.
Still to this day, these are still some of the rarest Pokemon cards to grade and are incredibly wanted my collectors.
The set revealed new ways to entice in Pokemon fans, including holographic edges which made the art and the card design pop with colour.
This was the start of the Pokemon company being unique with their design, and adding rarer and rarer cards to get repeat business. It’s one of the bet Pokemon booster boxes for those who are fans of Gen 3.
10. Heart Gold & Soul Silver (2010)
Pokemon Heart Gold & Soul Silver is amongst one of the rarest sets of all time. It was launched in a time where the initial Pokemon collectors were “outgrowing the game”, and although sales were strong many passed the set.
This has made the cards incredibly rare, with mint condition rare cards selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
But that’s not what makes this set great, it came down the incredible experience opening them alongside the launch of new “legend cards” that require two cards to complete the art work.
This was never seen in a set before, and even to this day it isn’t used often.
Ho-Oh and Lugia across two full art cards? Sign me up. The illustrations used are also incredible, making new Pokemon collectors amazed when they happened to pull one.
It was the start of a new type of card that still carries on this day.
11. Lost Origin (2022)
Pokemon Lost Origin is one of the best Pokemon booster boxes for those wanting the latest set to be released. Lost Origin was launched in September 2022 and is part of the larger Sword & Shield series, which is based on the video game.
Pokemon Lost Origin is one of the first sets to feature the new “VSTAR” cards. They are much like V and VMAX cards but instead feature new art and have “VSTAR Power” abilities that can be used in the trading card game.
We advise this set to anyone collecting new cards, wants to experience Pokemon from one of the best Pokemon games of that last few years and take a peak at the new VSTAR cards.
