Thanks for reminding that Sword and Shield base and Rebel clash are very poor set in all aspects … yet there are over $200 … So before it goes into rotation, I will be looking for a reprint… those are sets that didn’t have many waves of reprints as opposed to Chilling reign or Evolving skies that were printed to oblivion.
I dunno, something about that card is off to me. Never really liked it. That’s why collecting Pokemon is so great, you collect what you like!
I think it’s just another example that shows that even a “bad” Pokemon set can still be pretty solid long-term. I feel almost all the SWSH sets are great just because of the Alt Arts you can potentially pull, and I think collectors will always want them no matter what.
SWSH-VIV are trash though.
2 Likes
The last 2 years of sets has determined the special arts (alt art) to be the chase, so any set with them will do well as long as demand is there. The price inertia has already carried over to Sun & Moon’s tag team boxes which are a generation older and not nearly as much in print (pre-2020) - Unbroken Bonds, Unified Minds, Cosmic Eclipse and especially Team Up. We are also in a brief period of uncertainty whether Scarlet & Violet will continue this trend in 2023, which may drive people to catch up on previous SWSH sets while they’re still available.
3 Likes
A video from today on the same topic.
TLDW: Distributors have no booster boxes for any set atm. (Mason mentioned 4+ distributors he checked) What distribution does have are mostly v battle decks and similar sorts of products. LGS are having to break down non booster box products to try and scrape together single packs to try and make some money.
3 Likes
Thanks for sharing this, @thsigma! I had the video on when you posted this. 
Local game stores in my area do not have booster boxes. As you suggest, they’re having to break down other products to fill the boxes with single packs.
2 Likes
No problem! I find that Mason’s videos are the best at explaining what goes on on the LGS side of Pokemon, moreso than Rudy and other youtubers. Another point I found interesting was how ETBs are the worst product to break down based on distribution prices.
2 Likes
Does he share what distributors charge?
1 Like
Agreed on both points.
The demand for Pokemon packs is incredible right now. Most big box stores around me cannot carry sleeved packs for longer than a few days. They sell out almost instantly. It is beginning to feel like late 2019 / early 2020 again when it comes to availability from your LGS or big box store.
Of course, eBay and TCGPlayer are still doing just fine with product availability.
In general Chilling Reign has so many more beautiful alt arts and chase cards compared to the likes of Battle Styles and Fusion Strike from the same year, especially with the latter being so bloated with filler. It’s not a surprise to see CRE finally getting some love.
Does anyone else think that distributors have no stock because Pokémon are gearing up for 1 massive ‘end of swsh’ reprint of a ton of sets?
Maybe I’m crazy but that’s the vibe Im getting
2 Likes
Just to reiterate that point,
Alt arts per 2021 set (and their originating JP sets):
Battle Styles - 6
- S5I Single Strike Master - 2 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
- S5R Rapid Strike Master - 2 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
Chilling Reign - 13
- S5a Matchless Fighters - 4 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
- S6H Silver Lance - 3 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
- S6K Jet-Black Poltergeist - 3 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
Evolving Skies - 17
- S6a Eevee Heroes - 5 SA V, 4 SA VMAX (Kanto Eeveelutions + Espeon VMAX excluded)
- S7D Towering Perfection - 3 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
- S7R Blue Sky Stream - 3 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
Fusion Strike - 9
- S6H promo - 1 SA V (Sandaconda)
- S6K promo - 1 SA V (Celebi)
- S6a promo - 1 SA VMAX (Espeon)
- S8 Fusion Arts - 3 SA V, 1 SA VMAX
- High Class VMAX deck - 2 SA VMAX
2022 sets
Brilliant Stars - 4 SA V
Astral Radiance - 6 SA V
Lost Origin - 4 SA V
Silver Tempest - 4 SA V
2 Likes
Astral had 6.
Machamp
Dialga
Palkia
Sneasler
Lilligant
Beedrill
Honestly I think that Astral is the best of this year’s sets and using my crystal ball, predict itll be a top tier swsh set as time goes on
1 Like
I cant find it again, but Im pretty certain he said $86 a box. It was definitely less than $90
Fusion Strike is also going to be an interesting case because it is a combination of popular Pokémon (Mew, Gengar, Espeon, Celebi), small alt art pool and terrible pull rates
2 Likes
For sure. Before you pointed it out, I never realized that Chilling Reign has the 2nd most alts of any set. I knew it had a bunch but the total was surprising. I think it and Fusion are another classic case of too much product diluting people’s perceptions of the set in the present
interesting, I was also told that sleeved blisters come to about 2$ a pack by distributors. That surprised me. Idk how true it is
1 Like
I’m getting that vibe too lol