🌟 SET SPECTACLE: THE WINNERS & LOSERS OF MODERN POKÉMON TCG! 🌟

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🚨 TRAINER ALERT! Journey Together Booster Boxes are available TODAY! Don't miss your chance to catch these amazing packs at MSRP! 🚨

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Part 2: Set-by-Set Breakdown - Which Modern Sets Soared and Which Flopped?

Greetings, Gym Leaders and Pokémon Masters! 🏆 Evina back with another super effective report from the frontlines of the Pokémon TCG battlefield! Today, we're examining the MVPs (Most Valuable Pokémon sets) from 2020 to 2025!

The Crown Jewel: Evolving Skies 👑

If Pokémon sets were legendary Pokémon, Evolving Skies would be Arceus himself – OMNIPOTENT! 💫 Released in August 2021, this set is widely considered "the crown jewel of the Sword & Shield era," combining Japan's Eevee Heroes with gorgeous alternate art cards that make collectors drool like a hungry Munchlax!

"Demand was off the charts from day one. Booster boxes started around ~$120 but quickly rose to $200+ within a year," according to Elite Fourum market watchers.

But that was just the beginning of this set's legendary journey! Unlike some sets, Evolving Skies received no major reprint in 2022-2023, so supply dried up faster than a Magikarp out of water! By late 2024, sealed booster boxes were selling for over $1,000 (with some listings as high as $1,350)! 🤯

The flagship "Moonbreon" Umbreon VMAX alternate art – a holy grail for modern collectors – soared to ~$600 raw and reportedly spiked near $1,500 during the late 2024 craze! That's not just a card, that's a down payment on a car! 🚗

The Celebration of a Lifetime: Celebrations 🎉

The 25th Anniversary set Celebrations was a special release that had collectors partying harder than Pikachu at his birthday! With classic cards like Base Set Charizard and Umbreon ☆ reprinted in a mini 25-card set + 25 "Classic Collection" reprints, nostalgia was at maximum power!

The most coveted item? The Ultra-Premium Collection (UPC) with metal Charizard & Pikachu cards! With a MSRP of $119.99, these boxes sold out faster than Electrode using Self-Destruct and resold for $300-$400 in late 2021. As of 2025, a sealed UPC still commands $450 – that's a 275% increase over MSRP! 📈

This set taught many new collectors what true scarcity feels like during the hype. As our friends at TCGplayer discovered, many learned to pre-order early or pay the price later!

The Unexpected Flop: Battle Styles 📉

Not every set can be a winner, Trainers! Battle Styles introduced Rapid Strike/Single Strike mechanics but became known as a "collector dud" at first – readily available and even below MSRP in 2021 as hype flowed elsewhere like a river of Squirtles! 💧

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Cards like Tyranitar V (Alt Art) did gain a cult following (that sleepy Tyranitar art is adorable!), but overall demand was lower than Diglett's height. The silver lining for those who bought cheap: sealed Battle Styles slowly appreciated after going out of print. It stayed near ~$90 for a long time, but by early 2025 even this "low demand" set crept up to ~$175-$185 per booster box!

As eBay sales data shows, this case proves that almost any modern sealed product will rise given enough time and a growing collector base – even the set considered a flop doubled in price! ✌️

The Waifu Effect: Clay Burst & Paldea Evolved 💖

In 2023, we discovered a stunning economic principle: "waifu = profit." The Japanese set Clay Burst featuring Iono became a phenomenon unlike any we'd seen before! In Japan, boxes pre-sold for 10× retail and still sold out instantly!

"On launch day in Japan, her SAR card was selling over $2,000, before settling to ~$1,200 as more copies emerged," reported PokeBeach.

This frenzy led Creatures Inc. to apologize and announce emergency reprints – when was the last time a company apologized for MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY? 🤑 The English Paldea Evolved included Iono's card (though with lower value), and after initial softness, boxes have climbed back to ~$130-$140 and rising!

Journey Together: Available TODAY! 🎁

Speaking of hot sets, don't forget that Journey Together Booster Boxes are available TODAY! This unique set brings back "Trainer's Pokémon" reminiscent of the Gym Heroes era, featuring iconic trainers like N (with Zoroark), Iono (with Bellibolt), and Lillie (with Clefairy)!

According to our friends at Gamestop, boxes are priced at $149.99, which is about standard for a new set. The Pokémon Center is also offering an exclusive "Enhanced Booster Display Box" for $161.64 that includes 36 packs + a promo! Don't miss your chance to grab these at MSRP before they potentially follow the path of sets like Evolving Skies!

What Makes a Set Succeed or Fail? 🔍

After analyzing dozens of sets, a pattern emerges clearer than a Sobble's tears:

1. Popular Pokémon = Popular Sets: Sets with Charizard, Pikachu, Eeveelutions, Mewtwo, or Lugia tend to perform best (Evolving Skies, Brilliant Stars)

2. Beautiful Alt Arts Drive Demand: The more gorgeous the alternate arts, the higher the ceiling (Evolving Skies had multiple stunning alts)

3. Supply Matters: Sets with limited reprints appreciate faster than those printed into oblivion (Evolving Skies vs Shining Fates)

4. Waifu Tax Is Real: Popular female trainers create unprecedented demand (Iono, Misty, Lillie)

5. Nostalgia Never Fails: Throwback themes and characters always perform well (Celebrations, 151)

For more chart-topping analysis and to track these trends in real-time, be sure to check out TCG Almanac, where we're constantly monitoring the Pokémon TCG landscape! Remember, Trainers – knowledge is power, and in the TCG market, timing is everything! ⏱️