It's old news by now that card game stock can be more of a pain than a Psyduck's headache, so tracking down where to buy Pokemon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 (a limited run in honor of Pokemon's 30th anniversary) isn't likely to be easy. But it should be - and that's why I'm tracking down offers here.
I've been keeping an eye on Poke-stock for well over a year now, so I'd like to think I've learned a trick or two along the way. That's why I'm rounding up my best guess on where to buy Pokemon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 below, with suggestions for the most likeliest retailers to still have stock after listings go live. I've also included recommendations for the stores you should keep on checking, because they often receive extra copies of the best card games when everyone else has run out.
Where to buy Pokemon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 in the US
Following a rush of stock last week, it's trickier to buy the First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 again. However, don't panic; I'm seeing sets at Amazon and Walmart right now.
Amazon
Walmart
Miniature Market
Target
Best Buy
TCGPlayer
eBay
Pokemon Center
Where to buy Pokemon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 in the UK
Pokemon TCG Perfect Order pre-orders are beginning to creep out from the woodwork at the likes of Zatu, but it remains difficult to know if they're actually in stock or not. All I can recommend is keeping an eye on those listings over the next week.
Zatu Games
Smyths Toys
Wayland Games
Amazon
Magic Madhouse
TCGPlayer
eBay
Pokemon Center
Pokemon First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 FAQ
Still a bit unsure of what this thing is? It's a box set containing a pack with three of nine possible promo cards (each featuring a starter 'mon from different eras), two booster packs, and a sticker sheet. That means folks are likely to be tracking this down with more fury than Team Rocket going after your best Pokemon.
When does the Pokemon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 come out?
This limited box set for the 30th anniversary of Pokemon is due to launch on March 20, 2026. However, pre-orders are likely to kick off long before that... and availability is sure to be low after it's out.
Why are Pokemon cards so hard to buy?
Any new (or even new-ish) release for the Pokemon TCG is near-impossible to get in store, and that's for a couple of reasons. Wild popularity takes some of the blame, but dastardly resellers are responsible for more. They scoop up as many products as they can to sell on at a drastically inflated price, forcing real fans to pay through the nose. It's gross.
Production could also be an issue here. When there's this much demand and too few items to go around, it creates a problem. Fortunately, it feels as though The Pokemon Company is working to solve the issue - it's acquiring a US card game distributor.
Will there be a Pokemon First Partner Illustrated Collection Series 2?
Considering how this release is notably called "Series 1" and doesn't feature all the starter Pokemon, I'd say it's almost guaranteed that a follow-up is on the way. We don't have an official announcement or any timeframe though, so fans will just have to wait for the time being.
For more tabletop goodness, don't miss the best board games or the best tabletop RPGs.
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