I was ten tabs deep into a Pokemon forum when a slow pan across a familiar holo stopped me cold. The on-screen Charizard looked like a ghost from my childhood collecting dust on a shelf. For a moment the chat went quiet — then the links started flying.
Collectors were refreshing their feeds as The Pokemon Company spoke — Next Pokemon TCG Set Will Bring Back Classic Cards for Collectors to Chase
I watched the Pokemon Presents 2026 stream and felt that old jolt: The Pokemon Company confirmed the next TCG offering will reintroduce celebrated cards from earlier eras. You’re not just getting new art or promos; the tease is for genuine reprints and refreshed versions of staples that have been out of print since the Mega Evolution era.
Fans were sending GIFs of vintage pulls — Which classic cards are being dusted off and how will they appear?
The trailer dropped names and examples: Jungle-era Pikachu, a German Charizard, Thai tag-team Pikachu & Zekrom, Legends pieces, E-Reader cards and more. The hint was explicit — some cards may return as faithful reprints stamped with a 30th-anniversary mark similar to the 25th Anniversary Celebrations run; others could receive updated variants that nod to their original aura without being identical copies.
Will the next Pokémon TCG set reprint Charizard?
Short answer: probably. The stream singled out Charizard as part of the roster of classics, and The Pokemon Company’s recent pattern — anniversary boxes, Celebrations-style stamps — points toward a Charizard that’s either a stamped reprint or a refreshed edition. If you track eBay and TCGplayer listings, you’ll see sellers already hedging inventory toward a Charizard spike when packs ship.
Retailers were listing anniversary boxes already — What this means for prices and the chase economy
I watch marketplaces more than headlines. Ascended Heroes from the Mega Evolution arc went viral precisely because of its god packs and a $1,000 (€930) Mega Gengar ex chase; that behavior tells you the market can turn nostalgia into quick-value swings. If the next set follows a Celebrations-style template, expect two things: heavy early demand from collectors and immediate arbitrage across platforms like eBay, TCGplayer and specialty stores monitored by PSA and Beckett graders.
How will reprints affect card values?
Reprints generally calm long-term inflation on everyday staples but can make rare variants and original runs hotter. For example, a stamped 30th-anniversary Charizard may be less valuable than an unmarked original, while first-run holo versions and regional oddities (Thai, German) could climb because collectors prize the originals’ provenance. If you flip cards, watch grading trends and raw vs. graded listings; graded copies usually hold premium pricing on marketplaces and auction houses.
Box lines were already on shelves — Timing, formats, and how The Pokemon Company has played this before
I’ve tracked anniversary drops before: smaller promo boxes arrive first, then a full standalone expansion follows once the current arc winds down. The 30th Anniversary Pokemon Day boxes are live now with a Pikachu promo and three Mega Evolution boosters, which reads like a soft launch. My read: once Perfect Order and the Mega Evolution run mature, expect a dedicated anniversary expansion that packages classic reprints into booster sets and specialty tins.
When is the next Pokémon TCG set releasing?
The company didn’t give a precise date in the 30-minute stream, but the cadence suggests a rollout over the coming months that mirrors prior anniversary cycles. Keep an eye on official Pokemon social channels, the Pokemon Presents channel on YouTube, and retailer preorders for the first firm dates.
Collectors were already making lists — How you can approach this without burning out your bankroll
I’ll be blunt: nostalgia moves money. You can play three roles — patient collector, speculator, or hybrid. If you collect emotionally, set a small weekly budget and use tools like TCGplayer alerts and eBay saved searches. If you speculate, prioritize sealed product buys in the first 72 hours and monitor PSA submission queues to catch grade-driven premiums. If you’re in between, target specific regional or misprint variants that historically resist mass reprint dilution.
Two quick rules from my desk: respect precedent (Celebrations) and watch community hubs like Reddit’s r/pkmntcg and YouTube channels that break down set lists in real time.
I’ve been at fires like this before where demand becomes a siren song for scalpers and sellers — and also where a handful of honest collectors land their grails. Now tell me: which classic chase are you planning to hunt first?