Collectors divide the Pokémon Trading Card Game into eras: periods with a shared look, rule set and publisher. The division is informal, but it is useful, because cards from the same era often follow the same pattern of printing, rarity and pricing.
The beginning
The game launched in Japan in 1996, and the first English set, Base Set, arrived in 1999 through Wizards of the Coast. The Wizards era covers Base Set and its successors, and cards from this period hold a special status among collectors; see the Wizards of the Coast era. In 2003 Pokémon USA (today part of The Pokémon Company International) took over publishing outside Japan.
The periods that followed
After the early years came a series of expansions with new rules, card mechanics and designs. Collectors commonly use names such as the EX series (about 2003), Diamond & Pearl (about 2007), Black & White (about 2011), XY (about 2014), Sun & Moon (about 2017), Sword & Shield (about 2020) and Scarlet & Violet (about 2023). The years are approximate, and some periods overlap or have different dates in Japan and in the West.
What the era tells you
- Design: frame, typeface and symbols change from series to series; see anatomy of a card.
- Rarity: newer sets have more tiers of special cards than the oldest ones; see rarity symbols.
- Availability: older cards are often harder to find in good condition, while newer sets may have larger print volumes.
- Reprints: popular designs return in new sets; see reprints.
Japanese and English
Sets often appear first in Japan, and the Japanese and English versions do not always share the same contents or names; see English and Japanese cards. Knowing which era and language a card belongs to is therefore the first step toward finding the right price.
The division into eras is not official in every detail. The publisher uses its own series names, while collectors tend to group by game rules, card design and well-known turning points, such as the move to new card mechanics. Different sources may therefore draw the boundaries slightly differently. For the reader, the most important thing is to know a card's set name and release year, since those make it possible to find the right entry in a catalogue and compare it with similar cards.
Eras and value
A card's era does not explain its price on its own. The Pokémon, the artwork, the condition and current demand also play a part. Even so, the era is a useful starting point for comparing cards that resemble one another.
Last reviewed October 25, 2026. This article explains how the market works. It is not advice to buy or sell anything in particular.