Pokemon Scarlet & Violet - 151 TCG Expansion Officially Announced

The Pokemon Company has officially confirmed that the hotly anticipated Pokemon Card 151 set is coming internationally in September. The new set, called Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – 151, will be released in the US and other non-Japanese countries starting on September 22, 2023. The set will contain approximately 200 cards, including nearly 50 Secret Rare cards, including Illustration Rare and Secret Illustration Rare cards of many fan-favorite Pokemon. Notably, the Snorlax, Mewtwo, and Mew Illustration Rare (or Special Illustration Rare card in Mew's case) has been turned into a promo card and won't be available in normal booster packs.

This is a special set similar to last year's Crown Zenith expansion, with individual booster packs not available for sale. Instead, players will be able to buy a variety of boxed sets and tins that include multiple booster packs. Special products include Elite Trainer Boxes, a poster Collection, a Binder Collection, a Booster Bundle, an Ultra-Premium Collection containing a metal Mew ex card, and boxes featuring Zapdos ex and Alakazam ex. Notably, this is the first Pokemon TCG set to contain Kadabra in over twenty years.

Demand for the new Pokemon TCG set has been high in Japan, with The Pokemon Company already announcing that it would be a print-on-demand set to help stave off re-sellers and scalpers. 

The set will likely be one of the most sought-after Pokemon card sets in quite some time, and it's expected that some of the cards like the Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare will have a high value on the secondary market. You can already pre-order the Elite Trainer Box for the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – 151 on the Pokemon Center's website. More product will likely be released for pre-order in the coming week. Be sure to order early, as demand will likely be high over the next few months.