Two anniversary sets, five years apart, built on the same idea — reach back into the franchise’s own history and put well-known cards from earlier eras in front of collectors again. One of them is widely regarded as the last Japanese set to carry a 1st Edition stamp. The other is the set most people mean when they say “25th anniversary Pikachu.”
CP6 Expansion Pack 20th Anniversary (2016) and S8a 25th Anniversary Collection (2021) are both nostalgia releases, both built around reworked versions of cards the franchise had already made famous once, and both still traded actively today. This guide puts them side by side — release dates, set sizes, the 1st Edition question, and what’s currently in our own Tokyo catalog for each.
CP6 (2016, 20th anniversary) is the bigger set at 103 total cards and carries a 1st Edition stamp — our PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED [CP6 099/087] is currently listed at ¥238,713 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). S8a (2021, 25th anniversary) is a tighter 30-card set with no 1st Edition stamp documented in our research — the S8A 25th Anniversary Collection Booster Box is currently listed at ¥75,600.
Prices below reflect our own current Tokyo catalog listings as of August 13, 2026, unless noted otherwise. Graded singles are one-of-one stock — once a listing sells, it’s gone.
CP6 vs S8a: At a Glance
| Feature | CP6 (20th Anniversary) | S8a (25th Anniversary) |
|---|---|---|
| Japan release date | September 16, 2016 | October 21–22, 2021 (source discrepancy, see below) |
| Anniversary marked | Pokemon TCG’s 20th anniversary | Pokemon TCG’s 25th anniversary |
| Main set size | 87 cards (#001–087) | 28 cards (#001–028) |
| Total cards | 103 (87 main + 16 secret) | 30 (28 main + 2 secret) |
| 1st Edition stamp | Yes — first print run only | Not documented in our research |
| Reprint concept | 1996 Expansion Pack (Base Set) redrawn to XY-era specs, plus new “M” Mega Evolution cards | Homage/reconstruction of famous cards across franchise history |
| Companion products | None noted in our research | S8a-P Promo Pack (25 cards), S8a-G Golden Box (15 cards) |
| Our current sealed stock | None — graded singles only | Booster Box, currently listed at ¥75,600 |
The size gap is the first thing worth noting: CP6 runs more than three times as many total cards as S8a. That’s not a coincidence — CP6 rebuilt most of the original 1996 Expansion Pack — 87 redrawn cards to XY-era specs — while S8a is a more curated, promo-adjacent release built to spotlight a handful of iconic reprints rather than reconstructing a whole vintage set.
CP6 20th Anniversary: The Base Set, Redrawn
CP6 Expansion Pack 20th Anniversary released in Japan on September 16, 2016 as the sixth and final CP (Concept Pack) release of the XY era. Its concept was straightforward and ambitious at once: take the original 1996 Expansion Pack — Japan’s Base Set — and rebuild it to then-current XY-era card specs, while adding new cards under an “M” print that reimagined the set’s original flagship Pokemon as Mega Evolutions.
The main numbering runs 87 cards (#001–087), and secret rares push the full set to 103 cards. Its two headline chases are M Charizard EX SR :1ED (#091/087) and M Venusaur EX SR (#089/087) — both reworking two of the original set’s most recognizable Pokemon as Mega Evolution cards.
We currently carry two graded CP6 singles: PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED [CP6 099/087], currently listed at ¥238,713 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), and PSA10 M Venusaur EX SR :1ED [CP6 089/087], currently listed at ¥107,120. Both are one-of-one graded stock — when a listing like this sells, it’s gone and won’t be relisted at the same number. We don’t currently carry a sealed CP6 booster box; these two graded singles are our CP6 stock right now.
For the full CP6 breakdown — card-by-card rarity data and pricing across the set — see our CP6 20th Anniversary complete guide.
S8a 25th Anniversary: A Pikachu-Heavy Nostalgia Set
Our reference material shows a one-day gap on S8a’s Japan release date: Bulbapedia’s write-up (filed under the Celebrations entry) lists October 22, 2021, while Limitless TCG and PokeGuardian both list October 21, 2021 for the same set. We haven’t found a source that resolves the discrepancy, so we’re citing both rather than picking one.
S8a’s main numbering runs a comparatively compact 28 cards (#001–028), reaching 30 total once the secret-rare slots are counted — a fraction of CP6’s 103. Its rarity ladder features the Double Rare (RR) tier, seen on cards like Pikachu V RR (#020/028), and the set leans heavily on Pikachu variants specifically: a mirror-foil Pikachu at #001, plus Surfing Pikachu V RR and Flying Pikachu V RR reworking two classic alternate forms.
S8a’s English-language counterpart is Celebrations, a 50-card set — a different card count and composition from the 30-card Japanese release, so the two aren’t a direct card-for-card match despite sharing the anniversary concept.
For the complete S8a card-by-card breakdown and pricing, see our S8a 25th Anniversary pull rates and best cards guide.
The 1st Edition Question
This is the sharpest structural difference between the two sets. CP6’s first production run was stamped 1st Edition, with later print runs shipping as standard Unlimited copies — and CP6 is generally regarded as the last Japanese set to carry a 1st Edition stamp at all. Individual CP6 cards, like our own PSA10 M Venusaur EX SR :1ED and PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), still carry that “:1ED” notation in their listing title precisely because it matters to collectors and pricing alike.
Look for a small “1st Edition” stamp near the card’s illustration or set symbol. On CP6 cards, its presence versus absence is the difference between a 1st Edition copy and a standard Unlimited print of the same card number.
We didn’t find a 1st Edition stamp documented for S8a anywhere in our research for this set. We’re not asserting that no S8a card was ever stamped 1st Edition — only that none of our source material mentions one, five years after CP6 is generally described as the format’s last Japanese 1st Edition release.
Chase Card Face-Off
CP6’s chase sits in its Mega Evolution reprints; S8a’s chase spreads across its Pikachu-themed RR tier and its Mirror-foil opener. Here’s how our own current listings compare card by card.
We currently list all three of those as graded singles: PSA10 Pikachu V RR [S8a 020/028], currently listed at ¥10,341 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), PSA10 Surfing Pikachu V RR [S8a 021/028], currently listed at ¥20,400 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), and PSA10 Flying Pikachu V RR [S8a 023/028], currently listed at ¥21,527 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). We also carry PSA10 Pikachu: Mirror [S8a 001/028], currently listed at ¥20,769. All four are one-of-one stock — when one sells, it’s gone.
On the CP6 side, our two current graded singles — PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED [CP6 099/087], ¥238,713 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) and PSA10 M Venusaur EX SR :1ED [CP6 089/087], ¥107,120 — both price well above any single S8a card in our catalog. That gap tracks with the 1st Edition premium discussed above: CP6’s chases carry both age and stamp scarcity, where S8a’s chases carry mostly Pikachu-name recognition.
Companion Products: Promo Packs and Golden Boxes
S8a didn’t release as a single standalone product — it came with two companion releases that expand the same 25th anniversary concept. The S8a-P 25th Anniversary Edition Promo Card Pack is a separate 25-card set, distributed one pack per four booster packs purchased, and includes some of the set family’s highest-value chases, including PSA10 Charizard: PROMO [S8a-P 001/025], currently listed at ¥132,829 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) and PSA10 Pikachu: PROMO [S8a-P 007/025], currently listed at ¥93,157 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). The S8a-G 25th Anniversary Golden Box is a separate 15-card collector product; we currently list a sealed 25th Anniversary Golden Box at ¥288,400, plus a graded PSA10 Pikachu VMAX [S8a-G 006/015], currently listed at ¥14,708 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order).
Our research doesn’t note a comparable companion-product structure for CP6 — it released as a single set rather than a family of linked promo and box products. That’s a real structural difference worth factoring in if you’re trying to complete “the whole release” rather than just the numbered set: CP6 collecting stops at #103, while S8a collecting can extend into S8a-P and S8a-G depending on how far you want to go.
We also currently list a sealed 25th Anniversary Collection Special Set at ¥31,500, a third S8a-adjacent product for collectors building out the full 25th anniversary lineup rather than a single booster box.
Which Anniversary Set Fits Your Collection
Working from everything above, here’s how we’d frame the decision:
- Want the 1st Edition angle? CP6 is the set for it — our PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) and PSA10 M Venusaur EX SR :1ED are both stamped-and-graded examples of a set widely regarded as the last Japanese release to carry that stamp.
- Want a full sealed box to open? S8a is the more accessible route right now — the S8A 25th Anniversary Collection Booster Box is currently listed at ¥75,600; we don’t currently carry a sealed CP6 box.
- Want the bigger checklist to chase? CP6’s 103 cards run more than three times S8a’s 30, so completing CP6 is the longer project.
- Want Pikachu specifically? S8a leans hard into Pikachu variants — Mirror, V, Surfing V, and Flying V are all in the main 28-card numbering alone.
- Want to go beyond a single set? S8a’s promo pack and Golden Box companion products extend the collecting project past the numbered checklist; CP6 doesn’t have an equivalent companion structure in our research.
If you’re weighing these two against Pokemon’s most recent anniversary release, our 30th Anniversary TCG guide covers the newest entry in the same nostalgia-release lineage.
Where to Buy CP6 and S8a Anniversary Cards
We ship both anniversary sets out of Tokyo with tracked delivery. The S8A 25th Anniversary Collection Booster Box is currently listed at ¥75,600, with the 25th Anniversary Golden Box at ¥288,400 and the 25th Anniversary Collection Special Set at ¥31,500 covering the rest of the S8a family. We don’t currently carry a sealed CP6 box, so CP6 collecting today runs through graded singles: PSA10 Misty’s Determination SR :1ED (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) and PSA10 M Venusaur EX SR :1ED.
For the full range of graded S8a and CP6 singles — including the Pikachu V RR trio and the S8a-P promo chases covered above — browse our PSA10 collection; each listing is one-of-one graded stock, so once it sells it’s gone. For sealed product across every Japanese set we carry, browse our sealed booster box collection, or use our Quick Order page to combine sealed boxes and graded singles into one shipment.
Related reading: our standalone CP6 20th Anniversary complete guide and S8a 25th Anniversary pull rates and best cards go deeper on each set individually. For the newest entry in this nostalgia-release lineage, see our 30th Anniversary TCG guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is bigger, CP6 20th Anniversary or S8a 25th Anniversary?
CP6 is more than three times larger — 103 total cards (87 main + 16 secret) versus S8a’s 30 total cards (28 main + 2 secret). CP6 rebuilt most of the original 1996 Expansion Pack, 87 cards redrawn to XY-era specs; S8a is a more curated release centered on a handful of famous reprints.
Does S8a 25th Anniversary Collection have 1st Edition cards?
We haven’t found a 1st Edition stamp documented for S8a in our research. CP6, released five years earlier in 2016, is generally regarded as the last Japanese set to carry a 1st Edition stamp, and our graded CP6 singles carry that “:1ED” notation.
What’s the exact release date of S8a 25th Anniversary Collection?
Our source material shows a one-day discrepancy: Bulbapedia’s Celebrations write-up lists October 22, 2021, while Limitless TCG and PokeGuardian both list October 21, 2021. We haven’t found a source that resolves which date is correct.
What are S8a-P and S8a-G?
S8a-P is the 25th Anniversary Edition Promo Card Pack, a separate 25-card set distributed one pack per four boosters purchased. S8a-G is the 25th Anniversary Golden Box, a separate 15-card collector product. Both are companion releases to the main 30-card S8a set rather than part of its numbering.
Is S8a 25th Anniversary Collection the same as the English Celebrations set?
They share the 25th anniversary concept but aren’t a direct match. Celebrations is a 50-card English release; S8a is a 30-card Japanese release with different card composition.
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