This is the first ever Elite Trainer Box that was ever created, becoming the ultimate collectors product and sells for over $6,000 if sealed. This is not for casual players…
The perfect box for those that want an introduction into the card game, all while keeping up to date with the latest cards and game mechanics.
If you are a fan of the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Nintendo Switch game then this is a great box, as it has some well known Pokemon, and rare cards including the three starters!
Over the last 10 years or so some of the best Pokemon Elite Trainer boxes have sold incredibly well, and for good reasons!
They are the perfect introductory product to any new set, as they feature a good amount of sealed packs, sleeves, dice, energy cards and a storage box for store your new cards in.
The first few Elite Trainer Boxes on this list target non-collectors. These are typically the cheapest due to them being the ‘newer sets’, but further down the list you will find Elite Trainer Boxes tailored towards collectors who want to keep things sealed in hopes it increases in value.
So, from someone who has collected Pokemon cards ever since the 90’s, here’s a look at my best Pokemon Elite Trainer boxes of the year!
1. Scarlet & Violet Base (2023)
The base set Scarlet & Violet is the best place to start if you’re looking to start collecting or start exploring Elite Trainer Boxes.
With Scarlet & Violet being the latest generation of Pokemon – and the latest video game – it’s a great introductory box to get your started.
It even comes with a awesome alternative full art card of either Koraidon or Miraidon to add to your collection.
It’s also typical for future collectors to want to start hunting for base set Scarlet & Violet cards too, as many will start with the rare base cards and work their way through the set!
What’s the rarest card in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet base set?
The rarest card in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet base set is Miriam, a secret rare, double gold star trainer card, numbered 251/198.
2. Paldea Evolved (2023)
I recently purchased the Scarlet & Violet Paldea Evolved Elite Trainer Box and was impressed by the overall visual design of both the box and the products.
This again, is another great introductory Elite Trainer Box for those that love the video game on Nintendo Switch, and more specifically the three awesome starter Pokemon!
Paldea Evolved focuses on the evolutions of Generation 9 and the three starters: Sprigatito, Quaxly and Fuecoco.
You can find EX cards, full arts, and super rare alt art cards that look absolutely stunning. It’s a great add-on set to the original base set.
3. Scarlet & Violet 151 (2023)
Another Scarlet & Violet set? Yes, but hear me out, this 151 set is different, as it doesn’t actually focus on any of the Gen 9 Pokemon.
Instead it focuses on the original 151 Pokemon from back in the 90’s and there’s some beautiful cards to collect, including Kadabra which hasn’t been in a set for many years due to complicated legal reasons.
Pokemon 151 is a set I have personally been excited for every since it was announced in June 2023; I was so excited that I ordered the set from Japan, as it was released there ahead of its worldwide launch.
The Pokemon 151 set will be launched around the rest of the world in September 2023, so we recommend getting in your pre-orders as quickly as possible!
This means you can pull Venasur, Blastoise, Charizard, Mewtwo, Mew and the legendary birds all in one set with unique artwork and alternative art cards.
It’s one of the most unique sets of the year, and it’s both great for casual players and collectors because cards some of the most valuable cards in Pokemon 151 are fetching $500+ in mint condition.
It mixes the nostalgia of the original cards with modern day art form, and there’s plenty of unique products to choose from too.
However – similar to the recent Crown Zenith set – it looks like there’s no English booster box and therefore no way to buy booster packs separately.
Which means that the Elite Trainer Box is your best bet to get good cards.
Oh, and the Japanese sets include Pokemon God Packs, which are 1 in 500 to find!
4. Generations – 20th Anniversary (2016)
Now we move onto the collectors focused products, and will cost a pretty penny to add to your collection, but I believe all of these on the list will increase in value overtime, if not hold their value.
This is not financial advice, simply a Pokemon friend sharing his opinions!
This Elite Trainer Box was launched in 2016 and celebrated 20 years of the Pokemon TCG. It features some awesome cards, such as the Mega Evolutions and full art Eevee and Pikachu cards.
This set, again, has a primary focus on the first gen Pokemon, with a small amount of other generations.
But, if you’re a collector, there is an increased value on sealed Elite Trainer Boxes – so if you do snag one, be sure to think about keeping it sealed as the prices are always increasing.
The same goes for the sealed packs – this is a very wanted set, and any sealed products are seen as a great investment in my opinion.
5. Pokemon GO (2022)
Nobody saw a Pokemon Go card set coming, but it was warmly welcomed and loved by thousands of mobile gamers across the globe.
The reason I am adding it to this list is because I think it is currently an undervalued set. I think it was overlooked – and if Pokemon start moving forward with more Pokemon Go themed sets, it’s only a matter of time before collectors want the original sealed product.
It was launched in 2022 and features VSTAR, VMAX, full arts, gold cards, rainbow cards and even radiant cards too!
There’s even hidden Ditto cards in the Pokemon Go set, which masquerade as other Pokemon such as Numel. You reveal the Ditto by pulling the entire front of the card off, which is actually a sticker.
Each of these cards has a little Ditto symbol on the bottom, just so you don’t go trying to peel the face off a normal card!
At the time of writing this these can be found for very cheap, I have seen Elite Trainer Boxes as low as $30. I think it’s worth a pickup, for sure.
6. Evolving Skies (2021)
If you are a collector, then you have most likely heard of the Evolving Skies set, famous for a wide number of cards including the Moon Umbreon and the secret rare Rayquaza.
This set is one of the most popular to have emerged in the last few years, thanks to these rare cards. The Moon Umbreon is an alternative art Pokemon card that when graded as a 10 can fetch thousands of dollars at auction.
Secondly, another wanted card is the full art Rayquaza – again, when graded as a 10, it can fetch hundreds of dollars at auction.
With such high value chase cards comes high demand for sealed product, and as we all know, the Elite Trainer Box comes with a lot of unweighed packs, making it sell for a high price.
So, if you want one of the best Pokemon Elite Trainer Boxes for your collection, the Evolving Skies set is for you.
7. Shining Fates (2021)
The Shining Fates Elite Trainer Box launched in 2021, and was one of the first sets to introduce a ‘shiny vault’ of cards within the set, also known as a subset.
This subset is incredibly hard to complete, as you need to find rare shiny cards in certain packs to add to your subset collection. However, with those shiny cards are so rare, it makes it near impossible to find large quantities.
The subset itself is has over 122 cards to collect, enticing hardcore collectors to complete the full subset – by chasing super rare shiny vault cards.
Casual collectors won’t stand a chance, and this is one of Pokemon’s hardest collections to complete in a long time.
For that reason I think it’s a good Elite Trainer Box to collect, due to the rare cards and new introduction to shiny vault cards.
To round off the set, they even add in two ultra rare Eternatus black cards too!
8. Champions Path (2020)
One of my favourite Elite Trainer Boxes that I have opened is Champion’s Path. It comes in a really cool storage box with Mega Charizard, and even sleeves with it on too!
But, the reason collectors buy this box is to hunt for the infamous Black Charizard V card – which, when graded, goes for $250+ – and the rainbow Charizard, which goes for a similar price.
I was lucky enough to pull this Rainbow Charizard in my first Elite Trainer Box! It’s a great set with a small amount of cards, making it fun for those that like to complete full sets in their binders.
I recommend buying the loose cards instead of opening packs, as it’s easy to get lots of duplicates!
9. Hidden Fates (2019)
This set is similar to Shining Fates, hence the name. This time the Elite Trainer Box focuses on some really cool cards, including the three Legendary birds, Ho-Oh, Mewtwo – a fairly wanted promo card – and the Black Charizard GX.
It’s getting older as the years go by, and because it was launched just before the pandemic it was a set a lot of Pokemon fans jumped into, thanks to the Pokemon bubble!
But that said, as much as it sold a lot, there’s a few cards in here that are wanted by avid collectors, especially when graded a 10!
Not only that, it also has a shiny vault subset which we mentioned before, bringing in an all new way to complete the set – making it incredibly hard for those that like to complete the ‘master sets’.
The promo card of all three Legendary birds is a beautiful card too – one I personally have in my collection still sealed in its wrapper, it’s stunning!
10. Plasma Storm (2013)
It wouldn’t be a best Pokemon Elite Trainer Box list without the Holy Grail, the one that started the trend!
Released in 2013, the Black & White Plasma Storm ETB was the first of its kind.
This is the rarest Pokemon Elite Trainer Box ever, being sold on eBay for over $6,000.
It’s the one Elite Trainer Box every collector wants, especially sealed.
The longer Elite Trainer Boxes are around the rarer this thing gets. As it’s a part of the Plasma Storm set, hunters want the infamous Gold Charizard and the gold Blastoise.
And again, the more packs are opened, the rarer sealed product becomes, and this is one that will only increase in value over time; it’s hands down the best Pokemon Elite Trainer Box of all time.
