Pokémon Celebrations and its Classic Collection explained
Pokémon's 25th anniversary Celebrations: its 25 cards, the 25 Classic Collection remakes and the sets they copy, its nine products, and how to tell reprints.
By the Rip.fan Editorial Team.
Published 6 min read
Celebrations is the set Pokémon released for its 25th anniversary, launching October 8, 2021, in nine products. It comes in two parts: a 25-card main set whose booster packs hold four foil cards each, and a 25-card Classic Collection of close remakes of older cards, which Pokémon’s notices illustrate with Base Set Charizard, Umbreon ☆ and Tapu Lele-GX. Because the remakes keep their original card numbers, a Celebrations Charizard and a 1999 Charizard share a number, and so does a third Charizard from 2026.
When did Celebrations come out?
It began launching on October 8, 2021. Pokémon announced the set on June 24, 2021 with that start date, its product schedule gives October 8, 2021, and its launch notice of that day said Celebrations had begun arriving at participating retailers around the world. Two products came later, on October 22, 2021 (see the product table below).
It sits between Evolving Skies (August 27, 2021) and Fusion Strike (November 12, 2021). It belongs to the Sword & Shield series, and both of its parts carry the code CEL. Our guides to Evolving Skies and Pokémon card eras cover the years around it.
What is in a Celebrations booster pack?
Four cards. All four have foil treatments and a 25th anniversary logo, and the set’s characters run from Pikachu to Zamazenta, with Professor Oak among the familiar faces. For pack counts, check the printed contents on the box or the seller’s listing.
Which cards are in the main set?
Twenty-five, numbered 1 to 25, and every one of them is holofoil. Grouped by rarity label, with the V and VMAX cards sorted by name:
| Rarity | Cards | Numbers | Which cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 12 | 1 to 4, 10, 12 to 14, 17, 19, 20, 22 | Ho-Oh, Reshiram, Kyogre, Palkia, Zekrom, Xerneas, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Groudon, Yveltal, Dialga, Lugia |
| Holo rare | 5 | 5, 11, 15, 21, 23 | Pikachu, Mew, Lunala, Solgaleo and a Professor’s Research Supporter showing Professor Oak |
| Pokémon V | 4 | 6, 8, 16, 18 | Flying Pikachu V, Surfing Pikachu V, Zacian V, Zamazenta V |
| Pokémon VMAX | 2 | 7, 9 | Flying Pikachu VMAX, Surfing Pikachu VMAX |
| Ultra rare | 1 | 24 | A second Professor’s Research (Professor Oak) |
| Secret rare | 1 | 25 | A second Mew |
Two names repeat. Mew appears at 11 and 25, credited to different illustrators (Yuu Nishida and Saki Hayashiro). Professor’s Research (Professor Oak) appears at 23 and 24, and the ultra rare at 24 is credited to Ken Sugimori. Pikachu (5), Zacian V and Zamazenta V are credited to Mitsuhiro Arita, and all four Flying and Surfing Pikachu cards to aky CG Works.
What is the Classic Collection?
A 25-card subset of close remakes of well-known cards from the Pokémon card game’s history. CGC’s article on the subset, posted May 30, 2023, adds that it includes examples of older card types such as baby, Dark and Shining Pokémon. CGC’s own registry set for it counts 27 cards, the 25 plus two commemorative metal cards featuring Charizard and Pikachu.
Every remake traces to a single earlier card that matches its name, illustrator and card number. The 25 come from 20 sets, grouped here by series, with each card’s number from Rip.fan’s Classic Collection page:
| Series | Original sets (year) | Classic Collection cards |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Base Set (1999), Wizards Black Star Promos (1999), Team Rocket (2000) | Blastoise (2), Charizard (4), Dark Gyarados (8), Imposter Professor Oak (73), Venusaur (15), the Pikachu promo CGC calls Birthday Pikachu (24) and a Team Rocket Trainer card (15) |
| Gym and Neo | Gym Challenge (2000), Neo Genesis (2000), Neo Revelation (2001) | Cleffa (20), Rocket’s Zapdos (15), Shining Magikarp (66) |
| EX and POP | Team Magma vs Team Aqua (2004), an EX set named for Team Rocket (2004), Legend Maker (2006), Dragon Frontiers (2006), POP Series 5 (2007) | Gardevoir ex δ (93), Mew ex (88), Rocket’s Admin. (86), Team Magma’s Groudon (9), Umbreon ☆ (17) |
| Diamond & Pearl to HeartGold & SoulSilver | Great Encounters (2008), Rising Rivals (2009), Supreme Victors (2009), HeartGold SoulSilver (2010) | Claydol (15), Donphan (107), Garchomp C LV.X (145), Luxray GL LV.X (109) |
| Black & White to Sun & Moon | Black & White (2011), Next Destinies (2012), XY (2014), Roaring Skies (2015), Guardians Rising (2017) | M Rayquaza-EX (76), Mewtwo-EX (54), Reshiram (113), Tapu Lele-GX (60), Xerneas-EX (97), Zekrom (114) |
Base Set gives the most, with four cards. The years are the original sets’ release dates.
In card number order. Images from Scrydex.
How do you tell a Classic Collection card from the original?
Not by the number. Each remake carries the original card’s number, so the Charizard reads 4/102, the Base Set figure. Four different cards share the number 15: Venusaur, Rocket’s Zapdos, Claydol and the Team Rocket Trainer card. Check these instead:
- The logo. The Celebrations reprints of Base Set cards carry a 25th Anniversary logo; the 1999 cards carry no set symbol at all. Our guide to vintage Pokémon sets covers Base Set’s own printings.
- The 2026 reprint. Rip.fan’s page for the 30th Celebration: Classic Collection lists a Charizard at 4/102 too, so a 4/102 Charizard can be the 1999 card, the 2021 remake or the 2026 remake. Our 30th Celebration guide explains that newer subset.
- The set name on a listing or label. The remakes are filed as Celebrations: Classic Collection, apart from the main set and from the original sets. On a graded card, check the set name on the label and look up the cert number; our guide to checking a graded card’s cert shows how.
What products did Celebrations come in?
Nine, as Pokémon announced them in June 2021, regrouped here by date:
| Date | Products |
|---|---|
| October 8, 2021 | Elite Trainer Box; Mini Tins; Special Collection, Pikachu V-UNION; Collection, Dragapult Prime; Collections, Lance’s Charizard V and Dark Sylveon V; Deluxe Pin Collection |
| October 2021, no day given | Collector Chest |
| October 22, 2021 | Premium Figure Collection, Pikachu VMAX; Ultra-Premium Collection |
Many of these products include promo cards that pair newer Pokémon with older card forms, among them Pokémon Star, Light Pokémon and Delta Species (δ) Pokémon. Our guides to Elite Trainer Boxes, Pokémon promo cards and Pokémon sealed products explain the formats.
How do you check Celebrations card prices?
The main set and the Classic Collection have separate pages in Rip.fan’s Pokémon price pages, each with number, rarity and NM market price. Sort the Classic Collection page by number and the four cards at 15 sit together. The card price lookup searches by name, set or number, so add the set name when you search for a remake, and the price changes page compares prices between Rip.fan’s weekly checks.
These are past raw-card prices, and they say nothing about where prices go. If you plan to grade, our guide to deciding whether to grade a card covers the costs.
What should you check before buying?
- Which list. A Celebrations main-set card is numbered within 25; a Classic Collection card carries an older set’s number.
- Which Mew or Professor Oak. Mew is 11 or 25, and Professor’s Research (Professor Oak) is 23 or 24, each pair by different illustrators.
- Which anniversary. The 2021 set marks the 25th anniversary; 30th Celebration is a different set from 2026.
- Sealed product and genuine cards. See our guides to spotting resealed Pokémon packs and spotting fake Pokémon cards.
The Pokémon hub has the rest of our coverage, and our guides to Brilliant Stars, Astral Radiance and Silver Tempest cover the Sword & Shield sets that followed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most valuable card in Celebrations?
On October 21, 2026, Mew (25) had the highest Near Mint market price in Celebrations, at $60.64. Next came Surfing Pikachu VMAX (9), at $5.99.
What is the top-priced Rare Holo V card in Celebrations?
On October 21, 2026, Surfing Pikachu V (8) led the Rare Holo V cards of Celebrations, with a Near Mint market price of $3.82.
Which Celebrations Rare costs the most?
It was Lugia (22), at a Near Mint market price of $0.94 on October 21, 2026.
What do the Mew cards in Celebrations cost?
Celebrations has 2 Mew cards, and on October 21, 2026, their Near Mint market prices were $2.97 for 11 (Rare Holo) and $60.64 for 25 (Rare Holo).
Which Celebrations: Classic Collection card has the highest price?
Charizard (4) led Celebrations: Classic Collection on October 21, 2026, with a Near Mint market price of $142.11.