Articles
Best Pokémon Cards From 151 Set: 2026 Buy Guide
The Pokémon 151 set turned a nostalgia play into one of the strongest chase-card sets since Scarlet & Violet launched, and collectors are still hunting the same handful of cards three years later.
TL;DR
Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare is the anchor pull of the entire 151 set and the card most collectors chase first — Buy if you can find one at a fair grade. Mew ex and the Pikachu ex 132/165 single round out the short list of best pokemon cards from 151 set that hold value into 2026, while sealed Pokémon 151 booster boxes remain the safer way to chase them without paying singles-market premiums. Skip anything marked as a reprint or bundled "151-style" mixed lot unless the listing shows a verified set number.
Why this matters
The English 151 set dropped in September 2023 as a 165-card tribute to the original Kanto Pokédex, and it became the rare modern release that appealed to both nostalgia collectors and pull-rate chasers at the same time. That dual appeal is exactly why prices on the top cards haven't crashed the way most Scarlet & Violet sets do after 18 months.
Going into 2026, the set sits in an unusual spot: old enough that supply has thinned from years of case breaks, new enough that grading submissions are still climbing. That combination is what makes a ranked buying guide useful right now instead of six months ago or six months from now.
How we ranked these
The list below weighs three things: rarity tier (Special Illustration Rare and Special Art Rare cards sit above standard ex and Illustration Rares), collector demand signals from the broader 151 secondary market, and long-term holding logic versus short-term flip potential. Cards get a Buy / Hold / Wait / Skip verdict, not a blanket recommendation — a card can be a great pull and still be a bad buy at today's asking price.
Grading population matters too. A raw card and a PSA 10 of the same print are functionally different assets once you're talking resale, so the notes below call out which cards are worth grading versus which are better left raw for display.
The ranked list
1. Charizard ex (Special Illustration Rare) — the chase card
This is the card the entire set is built around, full stop. It's the SIR pull that drove opening volume through the roof in late 2023 and it's still the first card any collector asks about when 151 comes up in conversation in 2026. Anyone building a 151 master set treats this as the centerpiece, and it's the one card in this list where paying a premium for a clean, well-centered copy makes sense. Buy — this is the card the set's reputation rests on.
2. Mew ex (Special Illustration Rare) — the set mascot
Mew is the literal cover star of 151, and its SIR print carries almost as much cultural weight as Charizard's without quite matching the resale ceiling. It's a cleaner buy for collectors who want the set's signature card without competing at Charizard-level prices. Buy for display collectors, Consider for pure resale plays.
3. Pikachu ex 132/165 — the accessible SAR
A graded Pikachu ex PSA 10 is the practical entry point into 151's chase tier for anyone who isn't spending Charizard money. The 132/165 print number identifies it clearly against reprints, and a PSA 10 slab removes the centering guesswork that sinks a lot of raw 151 pulls. Buy if the grade and price line up — this is the card most new 151 collectors regret not grabbing early.
4. Venusaur ex and Blastoise ex — the starter pair
These two get grouped because they move together: same rarity tier, same collector logic, same reason to own them (completing the original three-starter run alongside Charizard). Neither commands Charizard-level attention, which is exactly why they're a more patient buy. Consider — good long-term holds, not urgent pulls.
5. Zapdos ex — the legendary bird sleeper
Zapdos ex gets overlooked next to the starter trio, but it's the strongest of the three legendary birds printed in 151 and tends to be underpriced relative to its rarity tier. It's the card in this list most likely to be worth more attention in 2026 than it got in 2023. Hold if you already own one, Consider if you're building out.
6. Wigglytuff and Kangaskhan Illustration Rares — the fun pulls
These are lower on the rarity ladder than the SIR/SAR cards above, and they're priced accordingly. Great for a display binder, not the cards to chase if the goal is long-term value. Skip for investment purposes, Buy if you just want a complete 151 IR run for the shelf.
7. Mewtwo and Aerodactyl ex — the mid-tier holds
Both sit in a middle band: not chase-tier, not filler. They're worth owning if they land in a booster box pull, not worth chasing individually at a premium. Wait for a fair-priced pull rather than paying up on the singles market.
Comparison table
| Card | Rarity tier | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charizard ex | Special Illustration Rare | Set centerpiece | Buy |
| Mew ex | Special Illustration Rare | Display collectors | Buy |
| Pikachu ex 132/165 | Special Art Rare | Budget chase pull | Buy |
| Venusaur ex / Blastoise ex | Special Illustration Rare | Starter completionists | Consider |
| Zapdos ex | Special Illustration Rare | Undervalued hold | Hold |
| Wigglytuff / Kangaskhan | Illustration Rare | Display binders | Skip (investment) |
| Mewtwo / Aerodactyl ex | ex / Illustration Rare | Booster box pulls | Wait |
Where to buy
- Buy sealed when you can. A Pokémon 151 booster box spreads your risk across a full case of packs instead of paying singles-market premium on one graded card.
- Check grading before paying SIR/SAR prices. Centering issues are the single biggest reason raw 151 pulls get rejected at grading, so a pre-graded PSA 10 is worth the premium over a raw copy of the same print.
- Avoid mixed "151-style" lots. Sellers bundling unrelated Kanto-themed cards under the 151 name are a common spam pattern in this niche — confirm the actual set symbol and card number before buying.
FAQ
What's the best card from the 151 set? Charizard ex in Special Illustration Rare is the consensus best pull from 151 — it's the card the set's entire reputation is built on and the one collectors ask about first.
Is Mew ex better than Charizard ex for collectors? Mew ex is the set's mascot card and a strong SIR pull, but Charizard ex still commands more collector attention and a higher resale ceiling as of 2026.
How much does a 151 booster box cost in 2026? Pricing on sealed 151 product varies by retailer and print run availability — check current listings directly rather than relying on older price references.
Is Pikachu ex 132/165 worth grading? Yes, if the card is well-centered — a PSA 10 removes ambiguity around print quality and tends to hold value better than a raw copy of the same print.
Are 151 reprints as valuable as originals? No. Reprint runs and mixed "151-style" lots do not carry the same collector demand as the original 2023 print run, and buyers should confirm the actual card number before paying SIR/SAR prices.
What's the safest 151 card to hold long-term? Zapdos ex is arguably the most underpriced relative to its rarity tier, making it a reasonable long-term hold compared to the higher-attention Charizard and Mew prints.
Should new collectors start with singles or sealed product? Sealed product spreads risk across more pulls, while singles let you target a specific card immediately — new 151 collectors are usually better served starting with a sealed box.
Does grading population affect 151 card value? Yes. As more copies get submitted and graded through 2026, PSA 10 population reports shift, which is why checking current population data before buying a slab matters.
One last thing
Most collectors chase Charizard ex and stop there, but Zapdos ex is the card in this set most likely to look underpriced in hindsight — it's the same rarity tier as the starters and Mew, just without the marketing attention, which is exactly the gap a patient buyer can use in 2026.