So, I got curious the other day. Like, really curious. I started wondering, what would it actually cost someone, right now, to get their hands on one booster box from every single main English set released during the Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG? Not just MSRP, but the real market price.
First thing I did was grab a notepad. Seriously, old school. I needed to list them all out, make sure I didn’t miss any. Let’s see, it started with the base Sword & Shield set, then came Rebel Clash, Darkness Ablaze, the special Champion’s Path (though that didn’t have a traditional booster box, so maybe I should skip it? Nah, let’s keep track anyway, even if it’s ETBs mostly), then Vivid Voltage.
Digging into the Prices
Okay, list made. Next step? Pricing them out. This is where it got messy. I started hitting up the usual places online where you see cards and sealed stuff sold. Marketplaces, collector forums, online store listings – the works.
Here’s what I found pretty quick:
- Newer sets like Lost Origin and Silver Tempest? Still pretty reasonable. You can find them close to, or maybe a bit above, what they originally sold for. Not too painful.
- Sets from the middle, like Battle Styles or Chilling Reign? Prices start creeping up. Not insane yet, but definitely more than retail.
- Then you hit the big ones. Vivid Voltage started getting pricier. And oh boy, Evolving Skies… that one’s the real wallet-buster of the Sword & Shield era. Demand went nuts for that set. Finding a box for a “good” price is tough; they’re consistently high.
- Even the earlier sets like the base Sword & Shield and Rebel Clash aren’t exactly cheap anymore. They’ve been out of print for a while, so supply is lower.
Adding It All Up (Ouch)
I started jotting down the rough market prices next to each set on my list. I tried to find an average, not the absolute cheapest or the most ridiculously overpriced listing, but a realistic number someone would likely pay today.
Sword & Shield Base Set: Kinda pricey now.
Rebel Clash: A bit less than Base, but climbing.
Darkness Ablaze: Still somewhat available, price varies.
Vivid Voltage: Definitely gone up.
Battle Styles: Moderate increase.
Chilling Reign: Also moderately up.
Evolving Skies: Yeah, this is the big one. Very expensive.
Fusion Strike: Went up, seems to be settling a bit maybe?
Brilliant Stars: Popular, price reflects that.
Astral Radiance: Still findable, price is okay-ish.
Lost Origin: More recent, better price.
Silver Tempest: Most recent main set, generally best price.
So, I didn’t calculate an exact dollar figure down to the cent because prices shift daily, literally. But looking at my notepad with all the numbers? Wow. Getting one of each box is a serious investment now. We’re not talking a few hundred bucks; it’s way, way more than that. Especially with Evolving Skies pulling the average way up.
It was a fun exercise, though. Kind of wild to see how the market values shifted over just a few years for this era. Definitely makes you appreciate any boxes you might have picked up back when they first came out!
