Welcome to Staten News, where the newest Pokemon set sold out before anyone pulled a single card.
The 30th Celebration set (M6a) releases worldwide on September 16. That’s the first time a Pokemon TCG set has launched the same day everywhere on earth. Every pack is foil. Every pack guarantees a Pikachu, one of 30 different versions. A new rarity, FUR (Futuristic Rare), debuts on Mew ex and Mewtwo ex.
The Japanese booster box hasn’t shipped yet. It’s already sold out.
Casino math, thirteen days early
The Japanese M6a booster box carries a 7,200 yen MSRP, about $49 for 20 packs. Retailers reported preorders gone as of August 31, more than two weeks before release. Restock requests are now the only way in.
That’s not hype talk. That’s a real allocation problem, the same one that’s hit every high-demand set since the pandemic reprint shortage never actually ended.
The English side skipped the booster box entirely. Collectors get an Elite Trainer Box at $49.99, an Ultra-Premium Collection at $179.99, and Booster Bundles at $26.94 for six packs, which works out to $4.49 a pack, the cheapest way in if you can find one.
Why this set is different
Thirty classic reprints ride along, including a Base Set Charizard back in print for the first time in years. For a set built around a 30th anniversary, that’s not a bonus. That’s the entire thesis.
Preorder allocations are rolling out in waves through November. Translation: today’s sellout doesn’t mean the set is scarce forever. It means the first wave is gone, and the next fight starts whenever the October batch opens.
Mark September 16 down. That’s the day the packs actually ship, and the day everyone finds out whether the pull rates match the hype.
This is not financial advice. Always do your own research before buying or selling collectibles.
— The Bandicoots 🃏🔥