Sealed Pokémon glossary: every term explained
"Sealed" covers every Pokémon product still closed in its original packaging: booster boxes, collection boxes, boosters, tins… Since the hobby borrows heavily from English and Japanese, the vocabulary can be confusing. Below, we've grouped by category the terms you'll come across in our shop and elsewhere, with our own definitions.
Basic formats
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Booster | The pack of random cards, the basic unit of any set. In French, a booster from current sets contains 10 cards; a standard Japanese booster contains 5. |
| Booster box (or display) | The box holding the boosters of a single set, as it arrives in shops. In French, a booster box contains 36 boosters; in Japan, a standard booster box has 30. |
| High Class Pack | A Japanese special-set format, with richer-than-usual boosters, often focused on the alternate-art cards of a given period (for example Terastal Fest ex or MEGA Dream ex). |
| Case | The shipping carton containing several identical booster boxes or collection boxes, sealed by the publisher or distributor. |
| Expansion (or set) | A series of cards released together, with its own name, symbol and code (ME05, SV08, M6…). |
| Series (or block) | A group of sets sharing the same theme and logo, for example the Scarlet & Violet (SV) series or the Mega Evolution (ME) series. |
| Special set (".5") | A set outside the main release rhythm, often themed (151, Prismatic Evolutions, 30th Celebration), generally sold in collection boxes rather than booster boxes in French. |
Collection boxes and retail products
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ETB / Elite Trainer Box | Short for Elite Trainer Box. A large storage box containing boosters (9 for recent main sets), card sleeves, Energy cards, dice, a guide and often a promo card. A classic for getting started. |
| Pokémon Center ETB | A version of the ETB sold by the official Pokémon Center shop, with more boosters and specific markings. |
| Premium Trainer Box | A rough Japanese equivalent of the ETB: a storage box with boosters and accessories. |
| UPC | Ultra-Premium Collection: a high-end box, often with metal or special promo cards, lots of boosters and exclusive accessories. |
| Premium collection / collection box | Mid-range boxes built around a featured Pokémon: promo cards, sometimes a figure, a pin or a poster, and several boosters. |
| Booster Bundle | A small set of boosters (6 in the current French range) with no accessories, in simple packaging. |
| 3-pack / 3-booster blister | A blister of three boosters, often with a promo card or an accessory. |
| Blister | Card-and-clear-plastic packaging that shows the contents: one or two boosters, sometimes a promo card. A 2-pack contains two. |
| Checklane | A blister designed for checkout displays, usually one or two boosters. |
| Tin / Pokébox | A metal box containing several boosters and one or more promo cards. French speakers often call it a Pokébox. |
| Mini Tin | A small metal box with around two boosters and a collectible design, often available in several variants. |
| Battle Deck | A ready-to-play 60-card deck built around a featured Pokémon. The best product for learning the rules. |
| Trainer's Toolkit | A box designed for building your first deck: basic cards, Energy cards and a few boosters. |
| League Battle Deck | A box aimed at competitive players, containing an optimised deck and accessories. |
| Gem Pack | A booster range unique to the Chinese market, with its own cards and finishes. |
Condition and authenticity of sealed products
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sealed | A product still closed in its original packaging, just as it left the factory. |
| Shrink wrap (shrink, film) | The plastic wrapped around a booster box or collection box. Its appearance (seams, patterns, tension) is an important clue to authenticity. |
| Repack | A product put together by a third party from boosters or cards, not by the publisher. Not necessarily fraudulent if it's advertised as such, but it isn't original sealed product. |
| Resealed (rewrapped) | A product that has been opened, often searched, then closed up again to pass as new. It's the main scam in the sealed market. |
| Weighing (pesée) | The practice of weighing boosters to guess which ones contain a thicker card. |
| Counterfeit | A fake product imitating a genuine one. See our checklist for spotting a fake booster box. |
| Dent, crushed corner | Packaging defects: they don't affect the contents, but they matter to a collector who displays their boxes. |
Opening and cards
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hit | A rare or sought-after card found when opening, the one that makes your day. |
| Pull / pull rate | To "pull" a card; the pull rate is the estimated frequency with which a rarity appears. The Pokémon Company doesn't publish official rates: the figures in circulation are community estimates. |
| God pack | An exceptional booster in which all, or nearly all, the cards are rare cards from the same series. Very rare and not present in every set. |
| Holo / reverse | A holographic card has a shiny illustration; a reverse holo, conversely, has the rest of the card shiny. |
| Full art | A card whose illustration covers the whole surface. |
| IR / AR | Illustration Rare (in English) or Art Rare (in Japanese): in French, "illustration rare". A full-illustration card, often showing a Pokémon in its environment. |
| SIR / SAR | Special Illustration Rare (English) or Special Art Rare (Japanese): in French, "illustration spéciale rare". Among the most sought-after cards in recent sets. |
| ex | A powerful Pokémon that gives the opponent two Prize cards when it's Knocked Out (three for Mega Evolution ex, at the heart of the current series). |
| Promo | A card distributed outside boosters, in a collection box, at an event or through a special promotion. |
| Grading (gradation) | Assessment of a card's condition by a specialist company, which encases it in a slab with a grade. See our guide getting your cards graded. |
Collector's vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vintage | Cards and products from the game's early years, starting with Base Set. |
| Out of print | A product the publisher no longer reprints. See why out-of-print booster boxes are sought after. |
| Reprint (réimpression) | A new production run of a product or set. |
| Pre-order | Reserving a product before its release. Our guide prereleases and pre-orders explains how it works. |
| Master set | A complete collection of a set, all versions included (regular, reverse holo, alternate art, promos). |
| Acrylic case | A rigid transparent case that protects a sealed booster box or ETB. See our sizing guide. |
Where to find these products
Booster boxes, ETBs, 3-packs, tins, Battle Decks: all these formats are gathered in our Pokémon section, which you can filter by language (French, Japanese, Chinese). Add products to your request list and we'll get back to you. New to the hobby? Start with our first-purchase guide.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a booster box and an ETB?
A booster box contains only boosters (36 in French). An ETB contains fewer boosters, but adds a storage box and playing accessories. Full comparison in booster box or ETB.
Is a repack a counterfeit?
Not necessarily: the cards may be genuine. But the product wasn't assembled by the publisher, and you don't know what has been taken out. A "resealed" product, on the other hand, is designed to deceive the buyer.
Are pull rates official?
No. The Pokémon Company doesn't publish them. The figures you read online are estimates based on community openings.
Are SAR and SIR the same thing?
Yes, it's the same rarity under two names: SAR in Japanese, SIR in English, "illustration spéciale rare" in French.