What's in the Box? Sealed Product Guide
A booster display (booster box) holds 36 packs, an Elite Trainer Box 9 (the Pokémon Center version 11), a booster bundle 6 and a Build & Battle Box 4. Every current pack has 10 cards plus a Basic Energy and a code card. Divide the asking price by the packs to compare formats — and pass on loose or glued shrink wrap, or a booster display in plain, logo-free wrap.
Free · no sign-up · works on your phoneUpdated 17 sources
What's in the Box? Sealed Product Guide
The product
What’s inside
- 9 booster packs
- 1 full-art foil promo card
- 65 card sleeves
- 40 Energy cards
- A player's guide to the expansion
- 6 damage-counter dice
- 1 competition-legal coin-flip die
- 1 plastic coin
- A collector's box with 6 dividers
- A Pokémon TCG Live code card
Who it’s for: A first big gift: packs plus sleeves, Energy and dice to start playing.
Products we checked (4)
- Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, 1 promo + accessories. The Pokémon Company, Mega Evolution expansion page (product contents) (opens in a new tab)
- Mega Evolution—Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, 1 promo + accessories. The Pokémon Company, Perfect Order expansion page (product contents) (opens in a new tab)
- 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, 1 promo + accessories. Pokémon press release: 30th Celebration (Sept 16, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs, 1 promo + accessories. Pokémon press release: Prismatic Evolutions (Jan 17, 2025) (opens in a new tab)
Reseal red flags
Tick anything you can see on the product in front of you.
Nothing ticked
Is the price fair?
Enter the price you’re being asked to see the cost per pack and per card.
- Cards counted
- game cards only
- Not counted
- Energy, code cards
- List price shown
- none
- Contents as of
- Sept 2026
We don’t print a list price because we couldn’t cite one for each product. Check the price at Pokémon Center or a big retailer the same day: Pokémon’s support team calls a pack priced far below suggested retail a near-certain sign of a fake.
Worked example
An Elite Trainer Box at $60 vs a booster bundle at $36
Say a seller asks $60 for an Elite Trainer Box and $36 for a booster bundle of the same set (example prices, not list prices).
- Elite Trainer Box: $60 ÷ 9 packs = $6.67 a pack; 9 × 10 = 90 cards, so $60 ÷ 90 = $0.67 a card.
- Booster bundle: $36 ÷ 6 packs = $6.00 a pack; 6 × 10 = 60 cards, so $36 ÷ 60 = $0.60 a card.
In this example the bundle is $0.67 a pack cheaper. The Elite Trainer Box earns the difference only if you’ll use what else is inside: a full-art promo, 65 sleeves, 40 Energy cards, dice, a coin and a storage box. For a new player that kit is useful; for someone who only wants to open packs, it isn’t.
Reference
Every sealed format: packs, cards and what else is inside
| Format | Packs | Game cards | Other contents | Checked against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booster pack | 1 | 10 | 1 Basic Energy, 1 code card | Mega Evolution—Perfect Order booster pack |
| Booster display (booster box) | 36 | 360 | Nothing else — packs only | Mega Evolution Booster Display |
| Elite Trainer Box | 9 | 90 | 1 promo, 65 sleeves, 40 Energy, dice, coin, guide, storage box | Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box |
| Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box | 11 | 110 | 2 promos, 65 sleeves, 40 Energy, dice, coin, guide, storage box | Mega Evolution Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box |
| Booster bundle | 6 | 60 | Nothing else — packs only | Mega Evolution—Perfect Order Booster Bundle |
| Build & Battle Box | 4 | 40 | 40-card deck with a foil promo, code card | Mega Evolution Build & Battle Box |
| 1-pack blister | 1 (varies) | 10 | Extras vary; ours had a promo and a coin | Mega Evolution—Pitch Black checklane blister (retailer listing) |
| 3-pack blister | 3 (varies) | 30 | 1 foil promo | Shrouded Fable Three-Booster Pack and Promo Card Blister |
| Mini tin | 2 (varies) | 20 | Art card + sticker or coin | Mega Evolution—Ascended Heroes Mini Tin |
| Tin | 4–5 (varies) | 40–50 | Promo card; the tin | Mega Forces Tin |
| Collection box (small collections) | 2–5 (varies) | 20–50 | Most have promos, plus a coin, poster, stickers, pin or binder | 30th Celebration Knock Out Collection |
| Pokémon ex box | 4 (varies) | 40 | 1 promo + 1 oversize card | 30th Celebration Pokémon ex Box |
| Premium collection | 8–10 (varies) | 80–100 | Promos + a poster or oversize card | Paldean Fates Premium Collection |
| Ultra-Premium Collection | 16 (varies) | 160 | Metal card, promos, playmat, deck box, coin | Scarlet & Violet—151 Ultra-Premium Collection |
Inside one booster pack
| Slot | Cards | What can be there |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 4 | Common cards |
| Uncommon | 3 | Uncommon cards |
| Reverse Holo | 1 | Any card from the set with a reverse-holo finish |
| Reverse Holo or better | 1 | A reverse holo, or a higher rarity such as Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare or Hyper Rare |
| Rare or better | 1 | Rare, Double Rare or Ultra Rare |
| Basic Energy | 1 | Not counted in the 10 |
| Code card | 1 | For Pokémon TCG Live; not a game card |
Mega Evolution–series packs list the same 10 cards, Basic Energy and code card, and add two rarities, Mega Attack Rare and Mega Hyper Rare. The Pokémon Company doesn’t publish pull rates for the rare slots, so we don’t quote any. Special sets differ: every card in a 30th Celebration pack is foil and each pack has a Pikachu rare. The rarity symbol decoder explains each symbol.
Reseal red flags
| Red flag | What to look for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shrink wrap that's loose, baggy or glued | Factory wrap fits tight with clean corners. Baggy corners, uneven seams, visible glue lines or wrap that slides when you press it are the classic reseal tells. | PokéFolio |
| A booster display in plain, logo-free wrap | Most modern English booster displays come in shrink wrap printed with a repeating logo pattern. Plain clear wrap on a display is a reason to ask questions before you pay. | PokéFolio |
| Puffy crimps, glue shine or a stiff back seam | Factory packs have a sharp zigzag crimp and no liquid glue. Uneven or melted-looking crimps, white residue or shiny glue spots at the corners, and a back seam cemented flat are signs a pack was opened. | PokéFolio |
| Loose packs sold “from a box” | You can't verify a loose pack's history. Weighing modern packs is unreliable because code cards are made in random weights, but a pack can still be opened, searched and resealed. Loose packs from unknown sellers are the highest-risk buy. | Wargamer; PokéFolio |
| A price far below suggested retail | Pokémon's own support page says a pack priced dramatically below suggested retail is a near-certain warning sign of a counterfeit. | Pokémon Support |
| Flea markets and unknown sellers | Pokémon says flea markets are where counterfeit sales are most often reported, and suggests asking a local trading-card shop to check product you're unsure of. | Pokémon Support |
| A pack count that doesn't match the format | A booster display is 36 packs, an Elite Trainer Box 9, a Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box 11 and a booster bundle 6. A listing that says otherwise is either a different product or a partly opened one. | The Pokémon Company |
| A “Pokémon Center ETB” without its two promos | The Pokémon Center version lists 11 packs and two full-art promos — one with a Pokémon Center logo. A resale listing that can't show both is probably the standard 9-pack box. | The Pokémon Company |
How to use it
In 5 steps
- 1Pick the product you're looking at — the list covers everything from a single pack to an Ultra-Premium Collection.
- 2Check what should be inside against the listing or the back of the box.
- 3Enter the asking price. Adjust the pack count if the box says something different.
- 4Read the price per pack and per card, with the arithmetic printed.
- 5Tick any reseal red flags you can see before you pay.
How to choose between a booster box, an Elite Trainer Box and a bundle
Start with what you want out of it. If the goal is opening packs, compare the price per pack: products with only packs inside (a booster display or a bundle) put all of your money into cards. If you’re buying for a new player, an Elite Trainer Box or a Build & Battle Box includes the sleeves, Energy, dice and deck they’d otherwise buy separately. Tins, collections and ex boxes are built around a promo card you can’t pull from packs, which is often the point.
The Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box is the one people ask about most. It’s the same set and the same accessories as the standard box, with 11 packs instead of 9 and a second copy of the promo stamped with a Pokémon Center logo. Resale listings should show both promos.
Sealed product is also where scams live. Loose packs “from a box” can’t be verified, re-wrapped boxes turn up online, and prices well under retail are a warning sign. If you’d rather buy from someone you can talk to, browse our sealed Pokémon aisle or text us a question; the sealed products guide covers each format in more depth.
FAQ
What's in the box: questions
How many packs are in a Pokémon booster box?
36. The Pokémon Company sells the booster box as a Booster Display of 36 packs, and each current pack has 10 cards plus a Basic Energy and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.
How many packs are in an Elite Trainer Box?
9 in the standard Elite Trainer Box and 11 in the Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box. Both also include a full-art promo (two in the Pokémon Center version), 65 sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player's guide, 6 damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a storage box with dividers and a code card.
What is a booster bundle?
Six booster packs from one set, packaged together with nothing else inside. It's the simplest way to buy a handful of packs of one expansion.
How many cards are in a Pokémon booster pack?
10 game cards, plus 1 Basic Energy and 1 Pokémon TCG Live code card, in current Mega Evolution–series packs. Special sets can differ.
How can you tell if a booster box has been resealed?
Look at the shrink wrap: factory wrap is tight with clean corners, and modern English booster displays usually have wrap printed with a repeating logo. Baggy corners, glue lines, uneven seams, plain wrap and a price far under retail are all reasons to walk away.
Is it safe to buy loose Pokémon packs?
It's the riskiest way to buy. You can't check whether a loose pack was opened and resealed. Weighing modern packs is unreliable because code cards vary in weight, but resealing still happens, so buy loose packs only from a seller you trust.
Not answered here? Ask us — a photo of the card helps.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- [1]The Pokémon Company, Mega Evolution expansion page (product contents) (opens in a new tab)Booster display 36 packs; Elite Trainer Box and Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box contents; bundle 6 packs; Build & Battle Box. Read 2026-09-22.
- [2]The Pokémon Company, Perfect Order expansion page (product contents) (opens in a new tab)Each pack: 10 cards, 1 Basic Energy, 1 code card. ETB 9 packs and accessories; Pokémon Center ETB 11 packs and 2 promos; bundle 6; display 36; Build & Battle Box 4 packs and a 40-card deck. Read 2026-09-22.
- [3]The Pokémon Company, Pitch Black expansion page (product contents) (opens in a new tab)The same contents for July 2026's set, confirming the current format. Read 2026-09-22.
- [4]The Pokémon Company, Pokémon TCG Product Guide (opens in a new tab)Build & Battle Box 40-card deck; Mega Forces Tin with four packs; Mega Battle Decks and League Battle Decks. Read 2026-09-22.
- [5]Pokémon press release: Mega Evolution—Ascended Heroes (Jan 30, 2026) (opens in a new tab)Mini tin, Collection—Erika/Larry, Tech Sticker Collection, Premium Poster Collection (10 packs), Deluxe Pin Collection, Mega ex Box, booster bundle. Read 2026-09-22.
- [6]Pokémon press release: 30th Celebration (Sept 16, 2026) (opens in a new tab)30th Celebration ETB (9 packs), Poster Collection, Tech Sticker Collection, Pokémon ex Box (4 packs), Knock Out Collection (2 packs). Read 2026-09-22.
- [7]Pokémon press release: Black Bolt and White Flare (July 18, 2025) (opens in a new tab)Binder Collection (5 packs), Unova Mini Tin, booster bundle. Read 2026-09-22.
- [8]Pokémon press release: Prismatic Evolutions (Jan 17, 2025) (opens in a new tab)Mini tin (2 packs and a coin), Surprise Box, ETB, bundle. Read 2026-09-22.
- [9]Pokémon press release: Shrouded Fable (Aug 2, 2024) (opens in a new tab)Three-Booster Pack and Promo Card Blister: 3 packs and a foil promo; mini tin. Read 2026-09-22.
- [10]Pokémon press release: Paldean Fates (Jan 26, 2024) (opens in a new tab)Paldean Fates Tin (5 packs) and Premium Collection (8 packs). Read 2026-09-22.
- [11]Pokémon press release: Scarlet & Violet—151 (Sept 22, 2023) (opens in a new tab)151 Ultra-Premium Collection: 16 packs, a metal card, promos, playmat, deck box, coin. Read 2026-09-22.
- [12]Bulbapedia, “Booster pack (TCG)” (opens in a new tab)Scarlet & Violet–era slot layout; pull rates never published by The Pokémon Company. Read 2026-09-22.
- [13]Pokémon Support, “Did I purchase fake or counterfeit cards?” (opens in a new tab)Prices far below suggested retail are a near-certain warning; flea markets; ask a local card shop. Read 2026-09-22.
- [14]PokéFolio, “The Shrink Wrap Test: Real vs. Fake Pokémon Booster Boxes” (April 2026) (opens in a new tab)Factory vs resealed shrink-wrap tells; logo-printed wrap on modern displays. Read 2026-09-22.
- [15]PokéFolio, “Resealed Pokémon Pack Guide” (April 2026) (opens in a new tab)Crimp, glue and seam tells on resealed packs; loose packs from unknown sellers are the riskiest buy. Read 2026-09-22.
- [16]Wargamer, “Pokémon card size and weight explained” (January 2026) (opens in a new tab)Code cards are made in random weights, so weighing modern packs is unreliable. Read 2026-09-22.
- [17]ToyWiz listing: Pitch Black checklane blister (retailer) (opens in a new tab)A retailer's listing of a 1-pack checklane blister: 1 pack, 1 foil promo, a coin. Read 2026-09-22.
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