Both boxes chase Kanto-era nostalgia. Both carry a strong secondary-market premium over their Japanese retail price. But 30th CELEBRATION (M6a) is three years newer than Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a), built around a completely different theme, and structured on a different numbering system. Here is what actually separates the two, at their official contents and their dated asking prices.
30th CELEBRATION released worldwide on September 16, 2026. Pokemon Card 151 released in Japan on June 16, 2023. Both are still currently listed on our site, so this comparison sits between two already-released boxes rather than a released set against one still in development.
The 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box is a 2026 anniversary set built around 30 Pikachu illustrations and a Pokémon ex/AR/SAR/FUR secret-rare structure, currently listed Sealed at ¥28,500 (~$185) and No Shrink at ¥23,500 (~$153). Pokemon Card 151 is a 2023 set built entirely around the original 151 Kanto Pokémon, with a 210-card checklist and a 45-card secret-rarity run, currently listed Sealed at ¥45,900 (~$298). On SNKRDUNK, the lowest asking price on September 18, 2026 was ¥20,994 for the 30th CELEBRATION box and ¥46,666 for the Pokemon 151 box.
Store prices and availability checked September 25, 2026 at 13:48 JST. Marketplace observations retain their stated dates. USD conversions use ¥154 per US dollar.
Prices below combine official Japanese MSRP, our current listings, and SNKRDUNK’s lowest live asking prices on September 18, 2026, converted at ¥154/USD for reference.
The Two Boxes at a Glance
| 30th CELEBRATION (M6a) | Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a) | |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | September 16, 2026 (worldwide) | June 16, 2023 |
| Pack price | ¥360 (tax included) | ¥290 (tax included) |
| Cards per pack | 6 foil cards; one Basic Energy guaranteed per pack (official) | 7 cards |
| Packs per box | 20 packs, ¥7,200 official (Pokémon Center Online) | 20 packs — a retailer/media figure, not stated on the official product page |
| Set size | 165 numbered cards plus 8 Basic Energy (173 in all) | 210-card official database checklist (165-card base plus a 45-card secret-rarity run) |
The pack-count-per-box figure for both sets is a compiled, not an official, number — neither official product page prints packs-per-box directly. What is official for both is the per-pack price and contents, and for the M6a box specifically, the ¥7,200 box price is confirmed by Pokémon Center Online’s own lottery notices.
30th CELEBRATION: Chase Cards
The official JP page guarantees 6 foil cards and one Basic Energy per pack; one of the 30 Pikachu holo illustrations (017–046, a main-set subset, one illustrator per card) per pack is reported by PokeBeach. Above that sits the set’s secret-rare structure: a Double Rare (RR) tier of 10 Pokémon ex printed at their main-set numbers, an AR (Art Rare) block of 20 cards (104–123), a SAR (Special Art Rare) block of 10 cards (124–133, the SAR counterparts of the 10 RR ex), and two Futuristic Rare (FUR) cards — Mewtwo ex (134) and Mew ex (135), both by YOSHIROTTEN. PokeBeach reported, from an official box opening shown before release, that one 20-pack box contained 20 of the 30 Pikachu (no duplicates), 2 Classic Collection cards, 4 AR, 1 SAR and 1 FUR — one reported opening, not a published pull rate.
The AR/SAR/FUR block (104–135) is still not in the official card database as of September 18, 2026, though the official 30th site shows images of twelve of those numbers. Our secret-rare numbering guide covers that block in full.
Pokemon 151: Chase Cards
Pokemon Card 151 is a 210-card set built around the original Kanto Pokédex, with a secret-rarity run of 18 Art Rare, 16 Super Rare, 8 Special Art Rare and 3 Ultra Rare cards sitting above its 165-card base checklist. The chase run is led by a starter-trio of Special Art Rares — Venusaur ex (200/165), Charizard ex (201/165) and Blastoise ex (202/165) — plus Charizard ex at Super Rare (185/165), Mew ex printed at three separate tiers (Super Rare 195/165, Special Art Rare 205/165 and the set-topping Ultra Rare 208/165), Erika’s Invitation (206/165, Special Art Rare) and Giovanni’s Charisma (207/165, Special Art Rare). All of these numbers are confirmed in the official card database.
Pokemon Card 151 also sold a separate 151 Special Set alongside the box — three promo cards (Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle), five 151 packs and a catalogue poster, at an official price of ¥2,200 (~$14).
Dated Market Asks
On SNKRDUNK, the lowest asking price for a sealed (shrink) 30th CELEBRATION box moved ¥47,200 (September 1) → ¥28,200 (September 10) → ¥17,500 (September 16, release day) → ¥20,994 (September 18) — still roughly 2.9× the ¥7,200 MSRP. Pokemon Card 151’s box has no comparable multi-date history in this update; its lowest ask on September 18, 2026 was ¥46,666. These are live seller asking prices, not sale prices, and neither figure predicts where either box will price in future.
Among singles, Erika’s Invitation from Pokemon 151 also has a Super Rare print at 196/165 (a different number and rarity from the 206/165 Special Art Rare chase card above), which carried a ¥3,000 lowest ask on SNKRDUNK on September 18, 2026. Several main-set and AR cards from M6a — unrelated to the RR/SAR chase tier — showed lowest asks as low as ¥1,000 on the same date.
Our Current Listings
| Listing | Status |
|---|---|
| 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box — Sealed | ¥28,500 (~$185) |
| 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box — No Shrink | ¥23,500 (~$153) |
| Pokemon 151 — Sealed | ¥45,900 (~$298) |
| Pokemon 151 — No Shrink | this option is sold out at the time of writing |
| Pokemon 151 — Damaged Box | ¥43,200 (~$281) |
| Pokemon 151 — Damaged Box (Grade B) | ¥42,300 (~$275) |
The 30th CELEBRATION box is currently listed below Pokemon 151 across every option we list. Our Pokemon 151 Booster Box buying guide covers the Damaged Box grades in more detail.
Who Each Box Suits
- You want the current 30th-anniversary release and the day/night Pikachu ex chase: the 30th CELEBRATION box. It is the newer product, currently listed below Pokemon 151’s price, and its AR/SAR/FUR block is still not in the official card database.
- You want the deepest secret-rare run: Pokemon Card 151. Its 45-card secret-rarity run and starter-trio Special Art Rares are catalogued in the official database.
- You want both: the two sets share no cards and no numbering, so there is no overlap risk in owning a box of each.
See also our Pokemon 151 vs Terastal Festival ex comparison and our 30th CELEBRATION vs Terastal Festival ex comparison for how each set stacks up against a third box.
Where to Buy
Both boxes ship from our Tokyo warehouse with tracked delivery. The Pokemon 151 Booster Box is currently listed Sealed at ¥43,200 (~$281), with Damaged Box and Damaged Box (Grade B) options also currently listed. Our 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box buying guide and Pokemon 151 vs Shiny Treasure ex buying guide cover each box in more detail. See the full 30th CELEBRATION card list, browse the Japanese Pokémon card collection, or use Quick Order for anything not currently listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which box is currently cheaper, 30th CELEBRATION or Pokemon 151?
30th CELEBRATION. Our Sealed listing is ¥28,500 (~$185) versus ¥45,900 (~$298) for Pokemon 151 Sealed, and the lowest SNKRDUNK ask on September 18, 2026 was ¥20,994 versus ¥46,666.
How many cards are in each set?
30th CELEBRATION runs 165 numbered cards plus 8 Basic Energy (173 in all). Pokemon Card 151 is a 210-card official database checklist, made up of a 165-card base run plus a 45-card secret-rarity block.
Do 30th CELEBRATION and Pokemon 151 share any cards?
No. The two sets use separate numbering, separate card pools and separate release years (2026 and 2023 respectively), so there is no overlap between them.
What are the chase cards in Pokemon 151?
The starter-trio Special Art Rares Venusaur ex (200/165), Charizard ex (201/165) and Blastoise ex (202/165), Charizard ex at Super Rare (185/165), Mew ex across three tiers up to the set-topping Ultra Rare (208/165), Erika’s Invitation (206/165, Special Art Rare) and Giovanni’s Charisma (207/165, Special Art Rare).
What are the chase cards in 30th CELEBRATION?
Ten Pokémon ex in the RR tier, with Special Art Rare counterparts for all ten and Futuristic Rare versions of Mewtwo ex and Mew ex specifically, plus a 20-card Art Rare block. The official JP page guarantees 6 foil cards and one Basic Energy per pack; one of the 30 Pikachu holo illustrations per pack is reported by PokeBeach.
Can I buy both boxes from Samurai Sword Tokyo?
Yes. Both are currently listed on our site, shipping from Tokyo with tracked delivery, along with Pokemon 151’s Damaged Box options.
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