Why you should buy Pokémon singles — A collector and player's perspective

"Which booster packs should I purchase to obtain the cards I need to build a decent deck or to add value to my collection?" is one that new players and members of the hobby often ask. There is no proper response to this question other than "none." You may spend all day buying sealed Pokémon cards, yet you might not get what you're looking for.

In fact, you may make significant financial savings if you buy Pokémon singles that you need from a reputable online vendor or a card store in your neighborhood. Singles are individual Pokémon cards rather than sealed packs of Pokémon TCG items.

To delve deeper in the matter, we will compare and contrast the experience of opening booster packs versus purchasing individual cards.

Pokémon Single VS Sealed Trading Card Packs

So based on what I've learned from collecting Pokemon cards for the last 20 years, I wanted to share some of my opinions with you. In addition, I'd want to provide some perspective on the cost of collecting trading cards, whether sports cards, Pokémon cards, or any other kind of TCG.

Now, we can't deny that this is an expensive hobby, and you shouldn't let social media trick you into thinking otherwise. You must realize that people can continue removing the seals on sealed items and obtaining pursuit cards as if there were no tomorrow.

What they don't tell you is that they often get financial support from a sponsor & their community, have wealthy parents, are secret lottery winners, or something similar. I'm not one to decide, but most of us do not have an extra thousand dollars that we can use to purchase Pokémon products every time a new set or box is released.

Why Should You find Pokémon Singles?

This is a challenge I've had to overcome myself through the years. When you are responsible for ensuring that the money you spend is a wise investment, especially if you are on a strict financial budget, it forces you to choose between purchasing valuable Pokémon singles or opening booster packs to increase your card collection.

Reasons to want to shop for some singles instead of sealed items include:

Avoiding Financial Stress

Now I found myself in the position of a newbie enthusiast who needed help when I came back into the hobby. I remember having this issue specifically when I was chasing so desperately for a Charizard in Sword & Shield singles. I just kept opening ETB after ETB because I was so hooked on the thrill of trying to get my hands on any Charizard card.

I was hoping to eventually be able to pull it off like many other individuals I see on social media. However, in the end, I was unsuccessful and got away with nothing. At this point, I've spent about a thousand dollars on ETBs, yet all I've ended up with is a pile of bulk and lots of doubles.

What stung me the worst was the realization that I might have avoided this situation if I had simply purchased the rare Pokémon cards I was looking for. It would not have been difficult for me to purchase two of those Charizards instead of the multiple Shining Fates Elite Trainer Boxes.

Chasing Specific Pokémon Cards

Let's look at a more recent example from my time collecting Sun & Moon. In this particular instance, I drew my chase card, which turned out to be an Dragonite GX secret rare from Unified Minds, which is undoubtedly one of the playing cards that costs a good amount of money from that set.

It only took me two boxes, which is quite fortunate. However, if we look at the figures again, we can see that these specific Pokémon cards cost around 70 dollars. This means it would have been cheaper for me to purchase it as a single item rather than two booster boxes, which cost me 340 dollars at the time.

The point here was that, trying to get specific cards out of sealed packs, I had to buy more. In my case, it didn't take me long to get what I was looking for, but most of the time luck does not fall on the opener's side.

Get Your Favorite Card Quickly

The most important thing I've learned from this is if you're going to spend that 200, 300, or 500 bucks eventually to get that ultra rare Sylveon VMAX. You may as well go ahead and purchase that single Chase card directly. Instead of merely purchasing booster boxes or endless booster packs, which could not earn you anything, this comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

The Decision is Yours

I completely understand that there is a thrill to the chase, and it's a little like an addiction because you're searching for that high and the pleasure of ultimately pulling that crazy expensive card.

If I opened the a booster pack and got my most wanted Umbreon VMAX from evolving skies, I would be over the moon (excuse the pun). In the end, if I don't pull the Chase card I'm searching for, I'll go ahead and purchase it myself and end which would result in my spending not only on the packs but also on the cost of the card.

If we think about this logically, you will always be ahead if you just buy the cards you want, maybe not directly at launch when prices are high but sometimes thereafter. 

Concluding Remarks

If you are looking for the most value for your money, you should acquire the Pokémon cards you want directly rather than going through Chase, particularly in the long term. Don't let yourself be tricked by social media; don't base your happiness or goals on what you perceive other people to be doing online. This is particularly important if you are investing into your collection. Purchase Pokémon trading cards at a price that is within your financial means, and do it while enjoying the adventure of building your collection.

Since this is a short post, please let me know in the comments section below whether you find this accurate. Do you like to collect single cards, or do you get more excited about opening packs in the hope that you may find one of the elusive chase cards?