Ancient Origins: the 2015 Pokémon set explained
Pokémon's XY Ancient Origins of August 2015: its cards block by block, its 14 full-art Pokémon-EX, and the three Shiny cards numbered inside the total of 98.
By the Rip.fan Editorial Team.
Published 7 min read
Ancient Origins is the August 2015 expansion of Pokémon’s XY series. Its UK release was August 12, 2015. The set has 101 entries: 98 numbered up to the printed total, 2 numbered above it and a second Hex Maniac entry numbered 75a. All 11 Pokémon-EX of the main run have full-art versions, and the set adds three Shiny full-art cards: Primal Kyogre-EX, Primal Groudon-EX and M Rayquaza-EX. Those three sit at 96 to 98, inside the printed total, yet they are labeled secret rare, so a secret rare in this set is not always numbered above the total.
When did Ancient Origins come out?
On August 12, 2015 in the UK. On July 1, 2015, Pokémon said booster packs and two theme decks would be in UK stores that day.
Roaring Skies came before it, reaching UK shops on May 6, 2015. BREAKthrough followed: Pokémon announced it on September 23, 2015, for November 4, 2015. Our guide to Pokémon card eras places the XY series in the longer history.
How many cards are in Ancient Origins?
The number blocks run like this:
| Numbers | Cards | What they are |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 68 | 68 | Pokémon, including 8 Pokémon-EX and 3 M Pokémon-EX |
| 69 to 81 | 13 | Trainer cards: 4 Items, 4 Tools, 3 Supporters and 2 Stadiums |
| 82 to 83 | 2 | Special Energy cards |
| 84 to 94 | 11 | Full-art Pokémon-EX |
| 95 | 1 | Full-art Supporter: Steven |
| 96 to 98 | 3 | Shiny full-art Primal Kyogre-EX, Primal Groudon-EX and M Rayquaza-EX |
| 99 to 100 | 2 | Above the printed total: Energy Retrieval and Trainers’ Mail, both Items |
A second Hex Maniac entry numbered 75a makes 101. The set has no basic Energy cards. Steven at 95 has no regular card in this set; a Steven card with the same illustrator credit, Megumi Mizutani, is in Roaring Skies at 90.
Which new cards did Ancient Origins add?
| New cards | Where they sit |
|---|---|
| 11 new Pokémon-EX, 3 of them Mega Evolution | 11 within 1 to 68: 8 Pokémon-EX and 3 M Pokémon-EX |
| The Megas Sceptile, Ampharos and Tyranitar | M Sceptile-EX 8, M Ampharos-EX 28 and M Tyranitar-EX 43 |
| 14 new full-art Pokémon-EX, the three Shiny cards among them | 14: 11 at 84 to 94 and 3 at 96 to 98 |
| 14 Trainer cards, one of them full art | 14: 13 at 69 to 81 and Steven at 95 |
| Two new Special Energy cards | 2: 82 and 83 |
| Hoopa’s first card, as Hoopa-EX | Hoopa-EX at 36, with a full-art version at 89 |
The 14 Trainer cards do not include the lettered entry 75a, the two Special Energy cards or the two Items above 98.
Capital EX cards carried on into XY, where they tied in with Mega Evolution. Our guide to Pokémon ex, EX and GX cards explains the labels.
Which Shiny cards sit inside the total?
The three Shiny cards at 96 to 98. A secret rare is a card whose number is higher than the set number, and in Ancient Origins only Energy Retrieval at 99 and Trainers’ Mail at 100 fit. Cards 96, 97 and 98 are secret rares as well, and on Rip.fan’s price pages all five carry the label Rare Secret. So a number at or under 98 does not on its own tell you a card belongs to the main run.
Pokémon described the three as full-art Shiny versions, with artwork not seen before. All three are credited to 5ban Graphics. The same names appear in earlier sets:
| Name | Ancient Origins | Earlier cards with the name |
|---|---|---|
| Primal Kyogre-EX | 96 | Primal Clash 55 and 149 |
| Primal Groudon-EX | 97 | Primal Clash 86 and 151 |
| M Rayquaza-EX | 98 | Roaring Skies 61, 76 and 105 |
The Ancient Origins M Rayquaza-EX is Colorless type, like the Roaring Skies cards at 76 and 105, while 61 in Roaring Skies is Dragon type. Read the set name in any listing for these three names.
Which Pokémon-EX have full-art versions?
All 11, in the main-run order:
| Pokémon-EX | Main run | Full art | Full-art illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sceptile-EX | 7 | 84 | Ryo Ueda |
| M Sceptile-EX | 8 | 85 | 5ban Graphics |
| Kyurem-EX | 25 | 86 | Ryo Ueda |
| Ampharos-EX | 27 | 87 | Ryo Ueda |
| M Ampharos-EX | 28 | 88 | 5ban Graphics |
| Hoopa-EX | 36 | 89 | 5ban Graphics |
| Machamp-EX | 37 | 90 | Ryo Ueda |
| Tyranitar-EX | 42 | 91 | Ryo Ueda |
| M Tyranitar-EX | 43 | 92 | 5ban Graphics |
| Giratina-EX | 57 | 93 | Ryo Ueda |
| Lugia-EX | 68 | 94 | Ryo Ueda |
Three Tool cards in the Trainer block carry the names of the Mega lines: Ampharos Spirit Link at 70, Sceptile Spirit Link at 80 and Tyranitar Spirit Link at 81. Our guide to Mega Evolution cards shows how these M Pokémon-EX differ from the Mega ex cards of 2025 on.
In card number order. Images from Scrydex.
What sits above 98?
Two Items, Energy Retrieval at 99 and Trainers’ Mail at 100. Neither has another card in this set. Energy Retrieval also appears in Primal Clash at 126 and Trainers’ Mail in Roaring Skies at 92, each with the same illustrator credit as here.
Which names appear on two cards?
Eight names in the main run appear on two cards each: Vespiquen (10 and 11), Entei (14 and 15), Volcarona (17 and 18), Gyarados (20 and 21), Baltoy (31 and 32), Golurk (35 and 41), Metagross (49 and 50) and Porygon-Z (66 and 67). On Rip.fan’s price pages, four of the pairs split between Rare and Rare Holo: Entei 14 is Rare and 15 Rare Holo, Volcarona 17 is Rare Holo and 18 Rare, Gyarados 20 is Rare and 21 Rare Holo, and Porygon-Z 66 is Rare and 67 Rare Holo. The two Golurk cards are different types, and the number tells every pair apart.
Do other sets print cards out of 98?
Yes, one. Emerging Powers also has a printed total of 98. A card reading 36/98 could come from either set, so check the set name in a listing and the set symbol on the card.
What products held Ancient Origins?
The set came in 10-card booster packs and two 60-card theme decks, named Stone Heart and Iron Tide. Our guide to spotting resealed Pokémon packs covers the signs of a sealed product that was opened and sealed again.
How do you check Ancient Origins card prices?
Ancient Origins has its own page in Rip.fan’s Pokémon price pages, under the XY series heading, abbreviated AOR. It lists the set’s priced cards, each with its number, rarity and NM market price. Filter it by Rare Holo EX for the 11 Pokémon-EX of the main run, or by Rare Secret for the five cards at 96 to 100, three of them inside the total. Rare Ultra takes in the full-art cards at 84 to 95. Sort it by name to see each Pokémon-EX beside its full-art version.
For a single card, the card price lookup searches by name, set or number and shows which printing each price is for. The price changes page compares prices between Rip.fan’s weekly checks.
What should you check before buying an Ancient Origins card?
- Which set. Primal Kyogre-EX, Primal Groudon-EX and M Rayquaza-EX also come in Primal Clash and Roaring Skies, so read the set name as well as the number.
- The number itself. Cards 96/98 to 98/98 are labeled secret rare, so a number inside the total does not by itself mark a main-run card.
- The full-art version. Hoopa-EX 36/98 and 89/98 are different cards. Our guide to Pokémon card finishes explains full art.
- Genuine cards. Our guide to spotting fake Pokémon cards walks through checks that leave a card unharmed.
The Pokémon hub has the rest of our coverage. Our guide to Furious Fists covers an earlier XY set.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable card in Ancient Origins?
On October 21, 2026, M Rayquaza-EX (98/98) had the highest Near Mint market price in Ancient Origins, at $1,172. Next came Primal Kyogre-EX (96/98), at $449.74.
What is the top-priced Rare Ultra card in Ancient Origins?
On October 21, 2026, Lugia-EX (94/98) led the Rare Ultra cards of Ancient Origins, with a Near Mint market price of $221.36.
Which Ancient Origins Rare Holo costs the most?
It was Gyarados (21/98), at a Near Mint market price of $38.30 on October 21, 2026.