Getting Started with Pokémon TCG Collecting

By the Cardarium Team · Updated August 2026

The Pokémon Trading Card Game started in 1996 and now includes tens of thousands of cards. This guide explains how the cards are organised and how to begin a collection.

Sets and expansions

Every Pokémon card belongs to a set, also called an expansion. A set is a group of cards released together with a shared name, logo, and symbol printed on each card. New main sets are released a few times each year. Smaller products such as promotional cards, special collections, and starter decks are released alongside them.

Sets are grouped into eras. An era is a longer period of the game that matches a generation of the video games. Scarlet and Violet is a recent era. Sword and Shield came before it. Browsing by era is the simplest way to understand the timeline. The set pages on Cardarium are organised this way.

Booster packs, decks, and singles

There are three common ways to get cards. A booster pack is a sealed pack of random cards from a set. A theme deck or starter deck is a ready to play group of cards built around a strategy. Singles are individual cards bought on their own, which is the fastest way to get a specific card.

Many collectors use a mix of these. They open packs, then buy the specific singles they still need. Knowing which cards you are missing makes the second step easier.

Choosing what to collect

You do not need to collect every card. Collecting everything is a very large task, so most collectors choose a focus. Common options are:

• A favourite Pokémon. Collect every card that features one Pokémon, such as Pikachu or Charizard, across all sets.
• A single set. Choose one set and complete it.
• An era. Collect cards from one period of the game.
• A card type or rarity. Collect only rare cards, or complete the common cards in a set.
• An illustrator. Collect cards drawn by one artist.

English or Japanese

The Pokémon TCG is printed in many languages. The two most common for collectors are English and Japanese. Japanese sets are released first and are structured differently. English sets often combine several Japanese sets into one larger set. Cardarium also covers the Chinese sets, a younger and smaller catalogue that reorganises Japanese releases rather than translating them directly. For more detail, see the guide on English versus Japanese cards.

Condition and storage

Card condition affects value, especially for older or rare cards. Collectors describe condition on a scale from Near Mint down to Damaged. A cleaner card has a higher condition and usually a higher value.

Protecting cards is simple. Plastic sleeves prevent scratches. Toploaders and binders keep cards flat and prevent bends. Sleeving valuable cards as soon as you open them is a good habit.

Tracking your collection with Cardarium

A tracker helps once a collection grows. On Cardarium you can browse any set, mark the cards you own, and see how close each set is to completion. Your collection is saved in your browser, so there is no account and no data leaves your device. When buying singles, you can open a set and see which cards you still need.

To start, choose one set or one Pokémon and mark the cards you already own. Browse the English sets or Japanese sets to begin, or read how to read a card on Cardarium.