Here’s the thing about the Pokémon TCG: it’s huge. It’s the ideal thing to collect, which means, if you’re a fan of Pokémon (and, with Pokémon being the literal highest grossing franchise of all time, you probably are), you’ve probably delved into the world of Pokémon TCG. And its popularity has only exploded in recent years, with big names like Logan Paul reviving interest in card collecting (and I’m saying that as an avid Logan Paul disliker). But, with popularity comes demand, and the Pokémon Company is more than happy with supplying that demand. Every year, we get hundreds of new cards through brand new expansions released every couple months. And the demand grows greater still! However, with such a huge influx of new cards can come drawbacks. In January 2025, Pokémon released their 12th Scarlet and Violet set, Prismatic Evolutions, to absolutely rave reviews. Fans went rabid for it (so much so, I’ve still never managed to get my hands on a pack). Everywhere sold out; resellers were selling them for astronomical prices; it almost ruined the hobby for good. And all for some bits of flimsy card. After that, another couple sets released, and then we were hit with a double release of both White Flare and Black Bolt, nostalgia bait for Generation 5. Bait that worked, as these were pretty popular too. But, wait. Did we miss something? What were those other couple of packs in between? Did two underrated expansions all but fall to the wayside as they were sandwiched between two of the more exciting expansions of the year? If only there were a product which lets you sample these expansions that come with their own cool gimmicks and chase cards *hint hint wink wink*.
Yes that’s right. The Team Rocket Tin is the perfect product if you feel like you’ve missed out due to the uproar of Prismatic Evolutions. This product comes with two packs each of the underrated Journey Together and Destined Rivals. And they’ve thrown in a pretty sick promo EX card for your trouble (make it double? Well… no, you just get one, but it’s still cool!). But what makes these expansions stand out? JT and DR reintroduce Trainer’s Pokémon, a gimmick that hasn’t even seen in nearly 25 years, since the Japan-exclusive Pokémon VS set, way back in 2001. The gimmick doesn’t really do anything, apart from changing the cards name and putting a little picture of the trainer in the corner, but it’s still something a bit different to collect that isn’t an EX or a pricey chase card. Trainer’s Pokémon cards are fairly common in these packs so you won’t be hard pressed to find a few you like the look of. You like N from Black and White? Have his Joltik. You like Team Rocket’s whole vibe? Here’s their Ampharos. I don’t know about you, but I’d much prefer to pull Arven’s Skwovet rather than a normal one. I’d say Trainer Pokémon are a much more interesting thing to display in your binder rather than the alternative. That being said, I can’t help but feel like this reintroduction solely relies on nostalgia for back when the TCG was in its golden age. Maybe if the more common Trainer’s Pokémon cards looked a bit different, that could fix this small issue.
But, of course, when it comes down to it, the majority of people rip packs for the thrill of finding something worth tens of hundreds of times more than what you paid for it. Luckily, both Journey Together and Destined Rivals have a few cards each that can fetch a pretty penny. Ungraded, Lillie’s Clefairy EX goes for about £100 and there are currently PSA 10s going for about £400 on eBay. There are also some really nice looking Illustration Rares to watch out for like Wailord and a very lifelike Furret. Meanwhile, in Destined Rivals, with a bit of luck, you might pull a Team Rocket’s Mewtwo which is currently going for an astonishing £400 (raw) to well over £1000 for a PSA 10. If you don’t fancy you chances, there are also some great looking IRs here too, like a very picturesque Zamazenta and an Electrike that kind of looks like it’s pooping (Electrike also happens to be my favourite Pokémon – I had to give him a shoutout). I will be honest, from the packs in this tin, in my own experience, I got a grand total of zero valuable cards – nary an EX. But that just means I’ve taken any bad luck from you and you’ll probably fare better! So, you’re welcome.
Here’s the thing about the Pokémon TCG: it’s huge. It’s the ideal thing to collect, which means, if you’re a fan of Pokémon (and, with Pokémon being the literal highest grossing franchise of all time, you probably are), you’ve probably delved into the world of Pokémon TCG. And its popularity has only exploded in recent years, with big names like Logan Paul reviving interest in card collecting (and I’m saying that as an avid Logan Paul disliker). But, with popularity comes demand, and the Pokémon Company is more than happy with supplying that demand. Every year, we get hundreds of new cards through brand new expansions released every couple months. And the demand grows greater still! However, with such a huge influx of new cards can come drawbacks. In January 2025, Pokémon released their 12th Scarlet and Violet set, Prismatic Evolutions, to absolutely rave reviews. Fans went rabid for it (so much so, I’ve still never managed to get my hands on a pack). Everywhere sold out; resellers were selling them for astronomical prices; it almost ruined the hobby for good. And all for some bits of flimsy card. After that, another couple sets released, and then we were hit with a double release of both White Flare and Black Bolt, nostalgia bait for Generation 5. Bait that worked, as these were pretty popular too. But, wait. Did we miss something? What were those other couple of packs in between? Did two underrated expansions all but fall to the wayside as they were sandwiched between two of the more exciting expansions of the year? If only there were a product which lets you sample these expansions that come with their own cool gimmicks and chase cards *hint hint wink wink*.
Yes that’s right. The Team Rocket Tin is the perfect product if you feel like you’ve missed out due to the uproar of Prismatic Evolutions. This product comes with two packs each of the underrated Journey Together and Destined Rivals. And they’ve thrown in a pretty sick promo EX card for your trouble (make it double? Well… no, you just get one, but it’s still cool!). But what makes these expansions stand out? JT and DR reintroduce Trainer’s Pokémon, a gimmick that hasn’t even seen in nearly 25 years, since the Japan-exclusive Pokémon VS set, way back in 2001. The gimmick doesn’t really do anything, apart from changing the cards name and putting a little picture of the trainer in the corner, but it’s still something a bit different to collect that isn’t an EX or a pricey chase card. Trainer’s Pokémon cards are fairly common in these packs so you won’t be hard pressed to find a few you like the look of. You like N from Black and White? Have his Joltik. You like Team Rocket’s whole vibe? Here’s their Ampharos. I don’t know about you, but I’d much prefer to pull Arven’s Skwovet rather than a normal one. I’d say Trainer Pokémon are a much more interesting thing to display in your binder rather than the alternative. That being said, I can’t help but feel like this reintroduction solely relies on nostalgia for back when the TCG was in its golden age. Maybe if the more common Trainer’s Pokémon cards looked a bit different, that could fix this small issue.
But, of course, when it comes down to it, the majority of people rip packs for the thrill of finding something worth tens of hundreds of times more than what you paid for it. Luckily, both Journey Together and Destined Rivals have a few cards each that can fetch a pretty penny. Ungraded, Lillie’s Clefairy EX goes for about £100 and there are currently PSA 10s going for about £400 on eBay. There are also some really nice looking Illustration Rares to watch out for like Wailord and a very lifelike Furret. Meanwhile, in Destined Rivals, with a bit of luck, you might pull a Team Rocket’s Mewtwo which is currently going for an astonishing £400 (raw) to well over £1000 for a PSA 10. If you don’t fancy you chances, there are also some great looking IRs here too, like a very picturesque Zamazenta and an Electrike that kind of looks like it’s pooping (Electrike also happens to be my favourite Pokémon – I had to give him a shoutout). I will be honest, from the packs in this tin, in my own experience, I got a grand total of zero valuable cards – nary an EX. But that just means I’ve taken any bad luck from you and you’ll probably fare better! So, you’re welcome.
Now, that’s cards out of the way. What else do you get? Aside from the included promo, the packs come in a very stylish black and red metal tin. Looking for somewhere to store your energy cards or general bulk? I can’t think of a better place. In my opinion it’s easily the best looking tin they’ve ever come out with. Paired alongside a tough looking Mewtwo silhouette and a slick red Team Rocket logo, I wouldn’t be surprised if the tins by themselves are sought after by collectors.
So, that’s the gist of it. Four packs, two each from equally underrated expansions – a pretty good chance for you to pull something worthwhile. Paired alongside a decent promo card that would look good in any collection, and a very nice looking tin, this is a product any Pokémon fan would be keen to get their hands on.
