Hi there. In this post I share my thoughts about the situation of how the upcoming Prismatic Evolutions Pokemon set demand is super high. Prismatic Evolutions is to be released on January 17. The demand is outrageous where the demand is higher than the supply. Pre-Orders of Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs for short) were sold out as soon as the set was announced in late 2024.
Elite Trainer Boxes Prismatic Evolutions Way Higher Than The Normal 55 Dollars
Usually one Elite Trainer Box has prices of 55 dollars. Sometimes it is a little more at 60 but it is usually in the 50s range. In one Elite Trainer Box you typically get 10 booster packs, Basic energy cards, dice, coin markers, promo cards and card dividers. One booster pack usually retails for 5 CAD and the promo cards have good value of at least 5 CAD each. The Elite Trainer Boxes provide good value even though they are not as big as booster boxes.
Note that Prismatic Evolutions is a special set. No booster boxes products are produced in special sets. This particular set has reprinted cards from the previous 4 Scarlet & Violet expansion sets plus some added cards. The added cards include Eevee and its evolutions, a few new Supporter cards and a few new ACE SPEC cards. The for previous Scarlet & Violet Expansion sets are Temporal Forces, Twilight Masquerade, Stellar Crown and the Pikachu themed set Surging Sparks. Reprints of cards increases the supply of certain cards which reduces costs for certain cards that helps out the players.
Eevee is pretty popular alongside Pikachu. The demand for this set is pretty crazy. Pre-Orders in the Toronto area as far as I know for Prismatic Evolutions are sold out. Prices are hitting the 100 CAD mark for an Elite Trainer Box. I'm more of a casual player than collector so this does not affect me too badly. I suspect that the collectors and returning casuals are going FOMO into this special set. Scalpers could be involved too. (Buy low and resell high.) The Eevee cards do look nice but the cost could be too much.
Some Crazy Buyers Out There
Even though the 151 expansion set was released two years ago, there are still reprinted products being made. The 151 set is very popular amongst collectors and scalpers. These days nostalgia sells as people want the original 151 Pokemon before the 2000s.
In these two video clips people go crazy for 151 mini tins products and the Blooming Waters Preimum Collection from 151. This is in Costco. Gotta catch em all slogan in the early 2000s when Pokemon first released still counts in 2024/2025. Some guys go hard (and have no impulse control?).
Scalpers Exist Too
The buy low sell high mentality exists outside of the stock market and crypto markets. You see it in various TCGs and collectables. Here is one guy showing off his Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box stash in a house. It looks like 300 ETBs. That would be around 300 x $150 USD per box = 45 000 USD. Supposedly one pack is being sold at 24 (USD?) each. Normally one pack is 5 or 6 USD (or CAD).
I Think I Will Be Skipping Out on Prismatic Evolutions
As of around January 10, 2025, the pull rates of Prismatic Evolutions does not seem very good. One popular Poketube Pokerev has bought many Elite Trainer Boxes and opened 200 packs in this video. He did not get as many Special Illustration Rare cards as he wanted.
I do think that this set is good for players. More Teal Mask Ogerpon ex copies available, more Terapagos ex copies available. There are other playable cards to go up in supply. Collectors don't card or even know about playable cards so the price of those would go down.
Since supply is low and the prices are high on the Elite Trainer Boxes, I am skipping out on this set. No sealed product from this set for me. I will buy certain playable cards and maybe art cards as singles.
