Every Pokemon-GX card in existence traces back to one release: two thin, 150-yen packs sold in Japan starting December 9, 2016. Before Collection Sun and Collection Moon, the GX card type didn’t exist. After them, it defined the next three years of the game.
SM1S “Collection Sun” and SM1M “Collection Moon” are the first Japanese expansion of the Sun & Moon (SM) series — a paired release, split the way Pokemon’s mainline video games are split, with Solgaleo GX headlining one pack and Lunala GX headlining the other. The chase cards that came out of this launch, Espeon GX HR and Umbreon GX HR, are still two of the most recognizable Eeveelution pulls from the early SM era.
SM1S “Collection Sun” and SM1M “Collection Moon” launched together in Japan on December 9, 2016 as the debut set of the Sun & Moon series — the release where the Pokemon-GX card type first appeared. The set’s headline chase is Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060], with a PSA 10 copy currently listed at ¥405,080.
SM1S & SM1M at a Glance
Collection Sun and Collection Moon released as a matched pair, the same day, at the same price. Here’s how the two packs compare on paper:
| Spec | SM1S “Collection Sun” | SM1M “Collection Moon” |
|---|---|---|
| Release date (Japan) | December 9, 2016 | December 9, 2016 |
| Banner legendary | Solgaleo GX | Lunala GX |
| Pack price | ¥150 + tax, 5 cards/pack | ¥150 + tax, 5 cards/pack |
| Cards listed | 060 base numbering + secret rares (146 combined) | 060 base numbering + secret rares (146 combined) |
| Headline chase | Espeon GX HR [SM1S 068/060] | Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060] |
Both packs sit above their main-set numbering — each set’s regular run tops out around 060, with the secret-rare HR chase cards printed higher than that (068/060 and 069/060). That’s a standard Japanese-set convention: the numerator counts up past the denominator once you hit the secret slots.
Two Packs, One Debut: Where the GX Era Starts
SM1S and SM1M matter beyond their own pull rates because of what they introduced: the Pokemon-GX card type made its first-ever appearance in this release. Every GX card printed afterward — through the entire Sun & Moon series and its dozens of sets — traces back to this launch.
The English side of the world got a compressed version of the story. Rather than splitting into two packs, the international market combined SM1S and SM1M into a single base set, “Sun & Moon,” released February 3, 2017 — almost two months after Japan. If you’ve only ever collected English cards, this is the release your binder’s earliest GX cards came from, just repackaged.
Splitting a debut set into a Sun pack and a Moon pack, each with its own legendary and its own chase card, became a template Pokemon reused for years afterward in Japan — and SM1 is where that pattern started for the GX generation.
The Banner Legendaries: Solgaleo GX and Lunala GX
Each pack is built around its own cover legendary, mirroring the Sun & Moon video games:
- SM1S “Collection Sun” is fronted by Solgaleo GX, the Steel/Psychic Legendary tied to the game’s Sun version.
- SM1M “Collection Moon” is fronted by Lunala GX, the Psychic/Ghost Legendary tied to the Moon version.
Neither Solgaleo GX nor Lunala GX is the set’s true chase card, though — that distinction goes to a pair of Eeveelutions buried deeper in each pack’s secret-rare slot.
The Chase Cards: Espeon GX HR and Umbreon GX HR
The real pull-rate story of SM1 isn’t the legendaries on the box — it’s a matched pair of Eeveelution GX cards, each printed in the HR (Hyper Rare) slot at the very top of its pack’s rarity ladder.
![Espeon GX SR [SM1S 062/060] full-art Secret Rare, Collection Sun Japanese Pokemon card](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_sm1_sm1s_62_r_jp_84d5c47397bd-1.webp)
![Umbreon GX SR [SM1M 063/060] full-art Secret Rare, Collection Moon Japanese Pokemon card](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_sm1_sm1m_63_r_jp_d3234f82a612-1.webp)
Espeon GX HR [SM1S 068/060] is Collection Sun’s chase, and Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060] is Collection Moon’s — a psychic-and-dark pairing that echoes the light-and-shadow theming of the two packs themselves. Both sit in the HR slot, the top rarity tier of the early SM era, above the packs’ regular GX and RR cards.
Collectors commonly describe SM1’s HR cards as carrying a textured, rainbow-style foil treatment — this is a community-reported characterization rather than an official Pokemon Card Game specification, but it’s consistent with how HR-slot cards from this era are described across the secondary market.
Umbreon GX HR in Today’s Market
Nine years on, Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060] remains the more sought-after half of the pair. A PSA 10 copy is currently listed in our Tokyo inventory at ¥405,080, reflecting both its status as the set’s chase card and Umbreon’s enduring popularity as a competitive collecting subject in its own right.
This is a one-of-one graded copy — when it sells, it’s gone, and the next PSA 10 Umbreon GX HR to surface won’t necessarily list at the same price. For a broader look at how this card stacks up against other Umbreon prints across the game’s history, see our top Umbreon cards guide.
Don’t Confuse This With SM5M “Ultra Moon”
One naming collision trips up a lot of buyers: SM1M “Collection Moon” (this set, December 2016) is not the same as SM5M “Ultra Moon” (a later SM-series set from roughly a year afterward). Both use “Moon” in their English name, and both are Japanese SM-series expansions, but they are different products from different points in the era.
If you’re shopping for the Umbreon GX HR chase specifically, the identifier to check is the set code and printed number — SM1M 069/060. Anything labeled SM5M is a separate, later release with its own distinct chase cards.
Where SM1 Fits in the Sun & Moon Era
SM1 is the opening chapter of a Sun & Moon era that ran for dozens of Japanese sets across roughly three years, introducing GX, then Tag Team GX, before giving way to the V/VMAX era. For the full timeline of how the era developed after this launch, see our Sun & Moon era guide.
After SM1, Japan’s SM-series calendar moved through SM2K “Islands Await You” and SM2L “Alolan Moonlight” in March 2017 before SM2+ “Facing a New Trial,” an enhanced expansion built around Tapu Fini GX and the game’s Alola trainer cast, arrived on April 21, 2017. If you’re working through the SM series set by set, our SM2+ Facing a New Trial guide picks up right where this one leaves off.
Where to Buy SM1 Cards from Japan
We ship graded and raw Japanese cards worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. The PSA 10 Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060] above is our current SM1 listing, currently priced at ¥405,080.
For other graded Japanese singles across sets and eras, browse our full PSA10 collection. If you’re building a mixed order across multiple cards or sets, our Quick Order page is the fastest way to check current stock and get everything into one cart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SM1 Collection Sun & Moon in the Pokemon TCG?
SM1 refers to a paired Japanese release — Collection Sun (SM1S) and Collection Moon (SM1M) — that launched together on December 9, 2016 as the debut expansion of the Sun & Moon series. This release introduced the Pokemon-GX card type to the game for the first time.
What’s the difference between Collection Sun (SM1S) and Collection Moon (SM1M)?
They’re matched packs released the same day at the same price (¥150 + tax, 5 cards per pack). SM1S is fronted by Solgaleo GX with Espeon GX HR [SM1S 068/060] as its chase card; SM1M is fronted by Lunala GX with Umbreon GX HR [SM1M 069/060] as its chase card.
What is the chase card from SM1M Collection Moon?
Umbreon GX HR, printed at SM1M 069/060 in the set’s Hyper Rare slot. A PSA 10 graded copy is currently listed in our inventory at ¥405,080.
Is SM1M Collection Moon the same as SM5M Ultra Moon?
No. They’re different sets that both happen to use “Moon” in their English name. SM1M Collection Moon released December 9, 2016 and its chase is Umbreon GX HR. SM5M Ultra Moon is a separate, later Sun & Moon-series set. Check the set code and printed card number to tell them apart.
Was SM1 released in English?
Not as two separate packs. The English market combined SM1S and SM1M into a single base set, “Sun & Moon,” released February 3, 2017 — about two months after the Japanese debut.
500 Points Free on Sign-Up
CREATE FREE ACCOUNT1 pt = ¥1 at checkout · Points expire 30 days after they are earned · Import duties, taxes and customs charges are not included in the price and are collected on delivery, except for destinations we ship duty-paid.
Picked for this article
📩 Get member-only sale alerts & coupons
Sale alerts, coupons and restock notices by email — straight from Tokyo.
