30th Anniversary Pokémon Card List: Every Chase Card, Rarity and Number Explained

This 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list guide walks you through the 30th Celebration set the way collectors actually use it: what the numbers mean, which rarities sit where, and which cards are the real chase. With every card foil, a new Futuristic rarity and 30 different Pikachu, it is a set that rewards knowing exactly what you are looking for.

We cover the English Pokémon 30th Anniversary card list first, then the Japanese M6a version and how the two differ. Card numbers come from established card databases, cross-checked across several sources and against official announcements, and we explain how to confirm anything yourself before you trade or buy singles.

How the 30th Anniversary Pokémon Card List Is Structured

The English 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list has three parts. The main set runs from 001 to 128, the secret rares run from 129 to 158, and a separate Classic Collection of 30 reprinted cards sits alongside them. According to the official 30th Celebration announcement, every card in the expansion is foil.

Section	English card numbers	What you will find
Main set	001 to 128	Pokémon, Trainers, the 30 Pikachu and regular Pokémon ex
Illustration Rares	129 to 146	18 full-art Pokémon illustrations
Special Illustration Rares	147 to 156	10 full-art Pokémon ex
Futuristic Rares	157 and 158	Mewtwo ex and Mew ex by YOSHIROTTEN
Classic Collection	Original card numbers	30 reprints of famous cards

The numbering matters because the Japanese set is built differently. The Japanese main set is numbered out of 103, so the same card can carry a different number in each language. Keep that in mind when you compare singles, and check which language a listing refers to before you use any 30th Anniversary card list as a guide.

Planning a full set

A complete English run of the 158 numbered cards plus the 30 Classic Collection reprints comes to 188 cards, which fills 21 nine-pocket binder pages with one pocket to spare. If you also want the promo cards from products such as the Elite Trainer Box, the ex Boxes and the Ultra-Premium Collections, allow a few extra pages, since promos carry their own numbering.

Rarities in the 30th Anniversary Card List

Because every card is foil, rarity in this set is about artwork and numbering rather than shine. A common card still has a foil finish, so the card number and the style of the artwork are what tell you where a card sits. Here is how the tiers break down in the English 30th Anniversary card list, from the most common cards to the hardest to find:

• Main set cards (001 to 128): the core of the set, all foil, including the Trainer cards Poké Pad, Switch and Ultra Ball at 126 to 128.
• Pikachu Rares (023 to 052): 30 Pikachu cards, each by a different artist, with one in every booster pack.
• Pokémon ex: regular Pokémon ex in the main set, such as the two Pikachu ex at 053 and 054, which are Double Rares.
• Illustration Rares (129 to 146): full-art cards of non-ex Pokémon.
• Special Illustration Rares (147 to 156): full-art versions of the set’s Pokémon ex.
• Futuristic Rares (157 and 158): the brand-new rarity, with Mewtwo ex and Mew ex.
• Classic Collection: 30 reprints of cards from across the game’s history, with special foiling.

What about pull rates?

The Pokémon Company does not publish pull rates for its sets, and the 30th Celebration is no exception. Any odds you see online for the Pokémon 30th Anniversary chase cards come from people tracking their own openings, so treat them as rough estimates. What is official is the pack structure: each English pack holds five foil cards, one foil Basic Energy and a code card, and one of the foil cards is always a Pikachu.

Pokémon 30th Anniversary Chase Cards: Mew ex and Mewtwo ex

The headline Pokémon 30th Anniversary chase cards are the two Futuristic rares: Mewtwo ex at 157/128 and Mew ex at 158/128 in English. In Japanese, the same pair sits at 134/103 and 135/103. Both were illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN, and the official Japanese 30th CELEBRATION page names Mew ex and Mewtwo ex as the set’s Futuristic rares.

The Futuristic rare is the set’s new rarity, and The Pokémon Company describes its artwork as evocative of hope toward an unknown future. Two Pikachu ex Futuristic-style promos also exist, but they are not in booster packs: in English they come in the Ultra-Premium Collections, and in Japan they come in the Futuristic Box. So for pack openers, the Mew ex and Mewtwo ex pair are the Futuristic rares to chase.

Mew ex 30th Anniversary cards

There are three Mew ex 30th Anniversary versions to collect in the English set: the regular Mew ex at 066, the Special Illustration Rare at 152 and the Futuristic rare at 158. A non-ex Mew also appears at 065 in the main set. If you are building a Mew binder page, the Mew ex 30th Anniversary trio makes a natural centrepiece. Our Mew 30th Anniversary Pokémon guide covers the Mew Figure Collection too.

Mewtwo ex 30th Anniversary cards

Mewtwo ex follows the same pattern as Mew: the regular Mewtwo ex at 064, a Special Illustration Rare at 151 and the Futuristic rare at 157, with a non-ex Mewtwo at 063. Collectors often chase the Mewtwo ex 30th Anniversary cards and the Mew ex 30th Anniversary cards as matching pairs, since the two Pokémon have been linked since the original games.

Every Pokémon ex in the 30th Anniversary Card List

The table below lists every Pokémon ex in the English 30th Anniversary card list, with its main set number and any secret rare versions. It is the quickest way to see which Pokémon have a Special Illustration Rare and which have a Futuristic rare as well:

Pokémon ex	Main set	Special Illustration Rare	Futuristic Rare
Fuecoco ex	015	147	None
Greninja ex	021	148	None
Pikachu ex	053 and 054	149 and 150	None
Mewtwo ex	064	151	157
Mew ex	066	152	158
Espeon ex	070	None	None
Sylveon ex	071	153	None
Gengar ex	090	154	None
Umbreon ex	092	None	None
Jirachi ex	102	155	None
Salamence ex	109	156	None

Notice that Espeon ex and Umbreon ex have no Special Illustration Rare in the booster set, even though they front the Ultra-Premium Collections and Battle Decks. Sylveon ex and Greninja ex, the faces of the ex Boxes and Tins, both have one. Our Sylveon 30th Anniversary guide covers those products in detail.

10 Chase Cards to Know in the 30th Anniversary Card List

There is no official ranking of chase cards, and this is not a guide to card values. Instead, these are the cards that the official reveals and collector coverage have put front and centre since the set was announced. If you are new to the set, they are the ones worth recognising on sight when you open packs or browse singles:

1. Mew ex Futuristic Rare (158/128): the signature Mew ex 30th Anniversary card and one half of the new rarity, illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN.
2. Mewtwo ex Futuristic Rare (157/128): Mew’s partner in the Futuristic rare pair.
3. Mew ex Special Illustration Rare (152/128): a full-art Mew ex and a natural partner for the Futuristic version.
4. Mewtwo ex Special Illustration Rare (151/128): the full-art Mewtwo ex to match.
5. Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares (149 and 150): two different full-art Pikachu ex cards.
6. Sylveon ex Special Illustration Rare (153/128): the full-art version of the ex Box and Tin star.
7. Greninja ex Special Illustration Rare (148/128): the matching full-art card for the other ex Box and Tin.
8. Jirachi ex Special Illustration Rare (155/128): a fan-favourite Mythical Pokémon in full art.
9. The Kanto bird Illustration Rares (130, 132 and 133): Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos as a set of three.
10. Classic Collection Charizard (4/102): the Base Set icon, reprinted for the anniversary.

Collecting is personal, so your own list might look different. A Pikachu fan might chase all 30 Pikachu Rares before any secret rare, while a long-time player might care most about the Classic Collection. Whatever you chase, use this 30th Anniversary card list to check numbers and rarities, and buy from a store that sells authentic sealed product.

The Illustration Rares (129 to 146)

The 18 Illustration Rares on the 30th Anniversary card list are full-art cards of regular Pokémon, and several of them have strong collector appeal. The Kanto legendary birds stand out: Moltres at 130, Articuno at 132 and Zapdos at 133, alongside Lapras at 131. Here is the full run of Illustration Rares in number order:

• 129 Alolan Exeggutor, 130 Moltres, 131 Lapras, 132 Articuno, 133 Zapdos, 134 Toxtricity
• 135 Morpeko, 136 Drifloon, 137 Chandelure, 138 Lycanroc, 139 Alolan Meowth, 140 Scraggy
• 141 Galarian Meowth, 142 Gholdengo, 143 Kommo-o, 144 Meowth, 145 Hisuian Zorua, 146 Maushold

Completing all three birds is a satisfying side goal for anyone working through the Pokémon 30th Anniversary card list. If you prefer guaranteed copies of the birds, the Poster Collection includes foil Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres promos, which are separate promo cards rather than these numbered Illustration Rares.

The 30 Pikachu Cards

Pikachu gets its own section of the 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list. In English, cards 023 to 052 are 30 different Pikachu, each drawn by a different artist, and every booster pack contains one of them. In Japanese, the 30 Pikachu are numbered 017 to 046. Collecting all 30 is a long-term project, but you will pull one with every pack you open.

Beyond the 30 Pikachu Rares, the set also has two Pikachu ex Double Rares at 053 and 054 and two Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares at 149 and 150. Add the Pikachu ex promos from the premium boxes and the Base Set Pikachu in the Classic Collection, and a complete Pikachu page from this set runs well past 30 cards.

The Classic Collection Reprints

The Classic Collection adds 30 famous cards from the game’s history to the Pokémon 30th Anniversary card list, each with special foiling. They keep their original card numbers, so the Base Set Charizard reprint is still 4/102. They turn up in booster packs and in the dedicated Classic Collection pack inside each English Ultra-Premium Collection, which holds three etched cards. Some Classic Collection highlights include:

Card	Original set
Charizard	Base Set
Pikachu	Base Set
Misty	Gym Heroes
Shining Celebi	Neo Destiny
Lugia	Aquapolis
Rayquaza EX	Dragons Exalted
N	Noble Victories
Pikachu & Zekrom GX	Team Up
Mew VMAX	Fusion Strike
Magikarp	Paldea Evolved

These reprints are not legal in the current Standard format, but they can be played in any format where the original card is legal. They are some of the most talked-about Pokémon 30th Anniversary chase cards for long-time collectors, because they let you own a fresh copy of a card you may have first opened decades ago.

Japanese M6a Card List Differences

The Japanese 30th CELEBRATION set, code M6a, launched on 16 September 2026, the same date as English. Japanese packs contain six cards, each pack includes a Pikachu and a Basic Energy, and Japanese media report 20 packs per box. Unlike English, Japan sells full booster boxes, which makes M6a a straightforward way to open a whole box of the Pokémon 30th Anniversary card list.

The main differences in the Japanese 30th Anniversary card list show up in the numbers. The Japanese main set is numbered out of 103, with the 30 Pikachu at 017 to 046, Pikachu ex at 047 and 048, Mewtwo ex at 055, Mew ex at 057 and Sylveon ex at 059. The Futuristic rare Mewtwo ex and Mew ex sit at 134 and 135. Browse the range in our Japanese Pokémon Booster Boxes and Japanese Pokémon Booster Packs categories.

The Futuristic Box and Chinese 30thC

The Japanese Futuristic Box is a premium accessory set built around two Pikachu ex Futuristic promos, so it is the Japanese route to the Pikachu ex promos that English collectors find in the Ultra-Premium Collections. Simplified Chinese collectors have the 30th Celebration Booster Box 30thC, with six-card, all-foil packs. Our Pokémon 30th Anniversary booster box guide compares the Japanese and Chinese boxes in detail.

How to Check the Official 30th Anniversary Card List

Before you buy a single or agree to a trade, it is worth checking the card against an official or well-established 30th Anniversary card list. Card numbers, rarity and language all affect what a card is, and the English and Japanese numbering do not line up. These are the most reliable places to look:

• The Pokémon TCG card database on pokemon.com for official English card details.
• The official Japanese site (pokemon-card.com) for Japanese M6a cards and product details.
• Serebii’s 30th Celebration set list, a long-running reference that lists every English card by number.
• The card itself: the number in the bottom corner, written as 158/128 for example, tells you exactly where it sits in the set.

When you check a card, compare three things: the card number, the language and the artwork. Secret rares are numbered above the set total, so any English card numbered higher than 128/128, or any Japanese card higher than 103/103, is a secret rare. Classic Collection reprints keep their original numbers, and promo cards carry their own promo numbering, so neither will match the booster set numbers.

Where to Open for the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Chase Cards

If you want to chase the cards in this 30th Anniversary card list, the product you open matters. English packs are only sold inside products, so the 30th Anniversary Celebration Booster Bundle with six packs and the 30th Anniversary Celebration Elite Trainer Box with nine packs are the simplest ways in. The Pokémon 30th Anniversary ETB review covers what else comes in the box.

For the largest English pack count, the Ultra-Premium Collections hold 29 booster packs plus a Classic Collection pack; our Pokémon 30th Anniversary UPC guide explains the Day and Night versions. Japanese collectors can open a full M6a booster box instead. For the bigger picture of the whole release, see our Pokémon 30th Anniversary pillar guide.

30th Anniversary Pokémon Card List FAQ

How many cards are in the 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list?

The English set has 128 main set cards (001 to 128) and 30 secret rares (129 to 158), plus the separate Classic Collection of 30 reprints. The Japanese M6a main set is numbered out of 103, with secret rares above that number, so the two languages use different numbering for the same cards.

What are the biggest Pokémon 30th Anniversary chase cards?

The two Futuristic rares are the headline chase cards: Mewtwo ex (157/128) and Mew ex (158/128) in English, or 134/103 and 135/103 in Japanese. The ten Special Illustration Rares, the Kanto legendary bird Illustration Rares and Classic Collection reprints such as Base Set Charizard are also widely collected.

How many Mew ex 30th Anniversary cards are there?

In the English set, there are three Mew ex 30th Anniversary versions: the regular Mew ex (066), the Special Illustration Rare (152) and the Futuristic rare (158). There is also a non-ex Mew at 065. Mewtwo ex follows the same pattern with 064, 151 and 157.

Are the 30 Pikachu cards in every pack?

Yes. Every English booster pack contains one of the 30 Pikachu Rares on the 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list (023 to 052), and Japanese packs also include a guaranteed Pikachu. Each of the 30 Pikachu cards is drawn by a different artist, so completing the full run takes a lot of packs or some trading.

Where can I check the official 30th Anniversary card list?

Use the Pokémon TCG card database on pokemon.com for English cards and pokemon-card.com for Japanese cards. Well-established references such as Serebii also list the full set by number. Always check the card number, language and artwork together before you buy or trade a single.

Ready to start chasing the 30th Anniversary Pokémon card list? Browse our Japanese Pokémon Booster Boxes for M6a, pick up English packs in the Booster Bundle or Elite Trainer Box, and find more guides on the TCG blog. If you have a question about any product, contact us and our team will be happy to help.