There are only 32 and a half days (at time of writing) until Pokémon 30th Celebration lands on store shelves. However, that’s just a small selection of the anniversary products - many are releasing after that date, including the two Ultra-Premium Collections, which you’ll need to wait until November to rip open. However, the excitement is already tangible, and people are spending over double to get a UPC in some cases.
It’s not unusual to see an upcoming Pokémon set sell for big chunks before release. In fact, that’s been the new normal for almost two years now. However, the Pokémon 30th Celebration is a big, highly anticipated expansion, so this is even less unusual - it’s what every collector wants right now.
The Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs turn that excitement dial to 11. Not only do they have a treasure trove of packs that would make a Ghimmighoul jealous (29 boosters and one Classic Collection pack), they also contain two promos each. And, the Day and Night versions split Umbreon and Espeon between them. Considering how expensive the Eeveelutions can be, it’s no surprise presales are selling for so much.
According to Collectr, and checked via eBay listings, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night variant is going for roughly £390. It should retail for around £160, so that’s a 144% increase. The Day version sells for a fair amount less at £330 - that’s over double as well, but it’s just a 106% increase over retail.
I’m hopeful that I’ll manage to get both versions of the UPC when they are released, but I won’t buy them for the existing market price. They’re the best way to get a load of packs, as there are no booster boxes for the 30th Celebration, but £700 for 60 packs is far too expensive. A 36-pack booster box usually retails for £150, for reference.
If you’re looking to get these premium boxes, you can use my Pokémon 30th Celebration UPCs pre-order guide to hopefully get some at retail. I love Pokémon - I write about it all the time - but not enough to spend almost £1,000 on two boxes. Especially when it’s going into someone else’s pocket.
