Rare Elite Trainer Box Bundles Now Available at Pokémon Center

Get ready, trainers! The Pokémon Center has just dropped a surprise release of Elite Trainer Boxes from some classic trading card sets. This unique assortment is hitting the shelves alongside some of the hottest modern Pokémon TCG products. While this isn’t part of the 30th anniversary celebration, those lucky enough to snag these boxes will definitely be thrilled.

Pokémon Center ETBs are something special. They come packed with extra booster packs compared to those from other retailers, and they’re priced more affordably than what you’d find at places like Target. Plus, the promo cards included in these ETBs feature a unique stamp, making both the unopened boxes and their promo cards highly sought after in the resale market, often fetching several times their original price.

The Pokémon Company typically doesn’t release ETBs more than a couple of times, and these drops usually happen close to the product’s release date. It’s even rarer to see ETBs for older sets, so expect these bundles to fly off the virtual shelves. Scalpers and their bots will be ready to pounce on this unexpected August 17 release.

Here are the confirmed bundles:

By the time you read this, the Elite Trainer Box bundles for Prismatic Evolutions, Destined Rivals, and the Lucario VStar Premium Collection may already be sold out. The Journey Together product is pricier and less popular, so it might stick around a bit longer. Regardless of what you’re after, be prepared to wait in line for several hours while the products are available.

If you’re new to this, here are a few tips for the drop. Try not to refresh your page too often, even if it goes blank. The page should refresh itself unless you encounter an error. Don’t worry if your timer seems off at the beginning; those numbers are just estimates and can change quickly. If you can, use a wired connection instead of mobile or Wi-Fi for a more stable experience.

If your checkout doesn’t go through, keep trying until you see a confirmation page. The Pokémon Company doesn’t allow multiple orders, so be patient. Confirmation emails might take a while to arrive, so it’s a good idea to take a screenshot of your purchase page for your records. You won’t be charged until closer to the release date. And unless you get flagged as a bot (error 17), there’s no need to stress too much. In a week, we might be back in another Pokémon Center queue. And if all else fails, the upcoming Delta Reigns set is just around the corner.