Pokémon Premium XY Trainer’s Collection Review

Every once in a while, The Pokémon Company comes out with something a bit different to commemorate a certain event, or just to surprise long time fans. Although the Pokémon X and Y collection seems like a thing of the past – especially with all the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon collections that have been released – Nintendo has resurrected the XY franchise with the Pokémon Premium XY Trainer’s Collection box tin. Although this set will come in well over $100 USD, to the right fan, there is a definite value here. The Pokémon Company doesn’t expect all Pokémon card fans to purchase this package, so expect it to be fairly limited in stores.

What’s Included

When you quickly run down the included content, you might wonder where your money is actually going to. Take a closer look, however, and you begin to see the value in the box. Not only are you getting two sets of tournament dice – one set in red, for Pokémon Y, and the other set in blue, for Pokémon X – but you are also getting two sets of Pokémon X and Y card sleeves (65 sleeves per pack), two deck holders that fit nicely into an exclusive Pokémon X and Y deck box, a metal – yes I said metal! – Pikachu coin full of detail, and of two packs of Pokémon X and Y cards.

Going live with a quick look at the #Pokemon Premium Trainer's XY Collection! Available soon at retail! https://t.co/l3dVKkpI9A

— Adam Roffel (@AdamRoffel) October 12, 2017

The real reason to purchase this package, however, is to score the 14 full art cards, the art of which is exclusive to this set. While the move sets might be similar to cards already available in the X and Y card universe, the lovely art you see below is EXCLUSIVE to this! Check them all out below!

Is it Worth the Purchase?

The ultimate question with this premium collection is whether or not the package is worth the purchase price. The easy answer is that it probably depends on your level of enthusiasm, what cards you might already have in your collection, and how much you value premium items. As a lifelong Pokémon fan, this is something I would personally want to add to my collection. After spending some time with the product, you quickly realize the quality that is used on everything included.

The dice closely resemble the die you get when purchasing an Elite Trainer box, but everything else is a grade above. The Pikachu coin included with this product not only has a cool design – Pikachu’s face on the front, tail on the back – but it’s also made of metal as opposed to hard plastic. This, all by itself, could potentially be a huge collectors item for long time fans, especially since this is the only way to secure that coin.

The other noticeable quality improvement was in the deck holders and deck boxes. When I read the outside of the box, I assumed I’d be getting two cardboard deck boxes with some cool Pokémon X and Y artwork, boxes that resembled the ones you get when purchasing premade decks at your local retailer. Instead, I got a thin – but durable – plastic box that could old two separate decks. Each deck holder could be removed from the box for easy access to the cards, and slid back into place when a match with a friend or a tournament was over. A magnetic clasp built into the box lid and the box itself means your contents will always be secure.

The sleeves included resemble those you would get in the Elite Trainer Boxes, so there isn’t anything extra special about them, unless you are looking to collect more designs. In that case, these X and Y sleeves are exclusive to this set, and therefore can only be found here. I wouldn’t quite put this on the ‘collectible’ level that the Pikachu coin is at, but for hardcore fans, it could still be a worthwhile investment.

Of course, the full art cards included with this set are the prized possession, with these works of art – yes, I’m calling them that – being exclusive to the Premium XY Collection. While you will find these Pokémon with the same move sets elsewhere, the art here is what’s going to make these cards incredibly collectible, and have some decent value in the near future.

Conclusion

To get the full enjoyment and value out of this box, I think you need to be a really big Pokémon fan. That being said, there is value here if you thoroughly enjoy everything included with this package. For my part, I really do. My Pokémon collection is beginning to take over drawers in my hobby room, and having the large box that all of this great content comes packed in will really help in organizing some of my Pokémon collection in one place. Likely, this box will hold all the cards that are worth money, or have some type of sentimental value to me. Overall, a solid product again from Pokémon, and one that, if you want it, you likely should pick it up as soon as possible!