How many Pokemon cards are there? All sets released so far

While the Pokemon TCG doesn’t have the busiest release schedule out there (that title would likely go to Magic: The Gathering), it does provide a constant stream of new cards, products, and expansion sets for fans to get excited about.

That’s been the case ever since the cards were released initially, meaning that there are a lot of expansion sets to work through if you’re a collector. It can feel hard to keep track of how many cards there are in the mix, especially with Rarities like Illustration Rares and Hyper Rares to consider.

Here, you’ll find a guide to the current number of Pokemon cards, expansion sets, and release dates, looking at how many English-language Pokemon cards actually exist and which expansion sets feature the most cards.

Contents

• How many Pokemon cards are there in total?
• All Pokemon card sets released so far

The Pokemon Company / Game Freak

Alongside the regular Pokemon card sets are special releases like Celebrations.

How many Pokemon cards are there in total?

Considering every release that’s happened since writing this article, we estimate that there are a total of 16,339 Pokemon trading cards released in English. This immense number was calculated by adding up every officially released card so far, ignoring promo cards, booster toppers, and the like.

It’s important to note that our estimate is just for the English-language sets, too. Expansion sets in other languages – like Stellar Miracle – have not been included in our line-up.

The Pokemon Company

Examples of fan-favorite Pokemon card Booster Packs.

All Pokemon Trading Card sets released so far

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of every Pokemon TCG expansion set so far, looking at their official names, card numbers (including all Rarities and Secret Rares), and Western release date. 

First generation sets

Second generation sets

Third generation sets

Fourth generation sets

Fifth generation sets

Sixth generation sets

Seventh generation sets

Eighth generation sets

Ninth generation sets

What about all the promotional Pokemon cards?

The section above contains every official Pokemon expansion set on the books in 2024 so far, but we’ve left out niche exclusives like event promo cards, ‘box toppers’, or movie promotional cards. There are heaps of them dotted throughout Pokemon history, and we wanted to focus on the official releases.

That’s not to say that they’re not worth your time as a collector, though – if you come across an Ancient Mew while digging through online listings, it’s worth adding to your collection if you can stomach the undoubtedly high price tag.

If you want to add some event promos and rare pieces to your collection, it’s worth checking out pre-release events and card shows. This is a great way to find cards with rare stamps or interesting holofoils, and these promo cards can become valuable collector’s pieces down the line.

If any of the expansion sets in the list above appealed to you, why not check out our list of the rarest cards or best Booster Packs to find your next grail card? You may end up stumbling across a rare find during your next card shop visit.