First Partner Illustration Collection: Grading Guide
Nine illustration rare starter cards. Three regions. One promo booster pack that gives you exactly three of the nine — randomly.
The First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 releases March 20, 2026 as part of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebration. At $14.99 MSRP, the value proposition is straightforward: illustration rare-style promos of beloved starters, illustrated by fan-favorite artist Saboteri, with regional Easter eggs hidden in every card.
The real question isn’t whether to buy. It’s which cards are worth sending to PSA or CGC — and which ones you should just enjoy in a binder.
What’s in the Box?
Each First Partner Illustration Collection contains:
- 1 promo booster pack — 3 of 9 illustration rare-style promo cards (random)
- 2 Pokémon TCG booster packs (from Scarlet & Violet expansions)
- 1 sticker sheet featuring first partner Pokémon
MSRP: $14.99 / £14.99 Release date: March 20, 2026 Available at: Pokémon Center, Target, Best Buy, TCGplayer, and other major retailers.
All Nine Promo Cards
Every card in Series 1 is illustrated by Saboteri — the artist behind Mega Froslass ex from Ascended Heroes and Phanpy from Surging Sparks. Each illustration includes background details specific to the card’s home region: Gym Badges for Kanto, Poké Tech for Sinnoh, and Z-Crystals for Alola.
Kanto Starters (Generation I)
| Card | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | First starter in the Pokédex. Consistent collector demand across all generations. |
| Charmander | The most iconic starter in Pokémon history. Every Charmander promo commands a premium. |
| Squirtle | Fan favorite with strong nostalgia pull. Slightly less demand than Charmander but still highly collectible. |
Sinnoh Starters (Generation IV)
| Card | Notes |
|---|---|
| Turtwig | Niche collector base. Gen IV nostalgia is growing but hasn’t peaked yet. |
| Chimchar | Fire-type starter, moderate demand. Less iconic than Charmander or Litten. |
| Piplup | Quietly popular. Piplup has a strong following in Japan that’s growing internationally. |
Alola Starters (Generation VII)
| Card | Notes |
|---|---|
| Rowlet | Breakout fan favorite. Rowlet’s popularity rivals some Kanto starters among younger collectors. |
| Litten | Fire-type with strong design. Evolves into Incineroar — a competitive favorite that drives secondary interest. |
| Popplio | Underdog of the set. Lower demand historically, but that makes gem mint copies rarer in the graded market. |
These are exclusive promos — you can only pull them from this product. No alternate source, no reprints planned. That exclusivity matters for long-term graded value.
Grading Watch List
Not every promo card is worth the $20-50 grading fee. Here’s how we’d prioritize these nine cards, based on historical demand patterns for starter promos, current market dynamics, and the general rule that fire-type starters outperform.
Grade Immediately
Charmander — Every Charmander promo in PSA 10 or CGC 10 commands a premium over its peers. The combination of Saboteri’s art, 30th anniversary exclusivity, and Charizard-line collector demand makes this the clear #1 target. If you pull a clean copy, send it.
Bulbasaur — The original #001. Bulbasaur has quietly become one of the most collected starters across all promo sets. 30th anniversary context adds weight. Grade it fresh out of the pack before surface wear accumulates.
Rowlet — The surprise pick. Rowlet’s collector following has grown significantly since Legends: Arceus. Among the three Alola starters, Rowlet promos consistently outperform at auction. A PSA 10 of this card could age very well.
Grade if Gem Mint Condition
Squirtle — Strong demand, but slightly behind Bulbasaur and Charmander in the Kanto pecking order. Worth grading if your copy is flawless. A PSA 9 of Squirtle won’t carry the same premium as a PSA 10 — so only send perfect copies.
Piplup — Growing international popularity. If graded demand for Gen IV starters increases (and it’s trending that way), early PSA 10 copies will be ahead of the curve. Only grade if centering and surfaces are clean.
Litten — Incineroar’s competitive relevance keeps Litten relevant. Grade if your copy is genuinely gem mint. Otherwise, the grading fee may not justify the return.
Hold for Your Collection
Turtwig, Chimchar, Popplio — These three have the lowest standalone demand among the nine starters. They’re beautiful cards worth collecting, but grading fees may exceed the premium a graded copy commands over raw. Best enjoyed in a binder or display — unless you’re building a complete graded set, in which case grade everything.
Why 30th Anniversary Promos Matter for Grading
Anniversary promos have a strong track record in the graded market. The 25th anniversary celebrations in 2021 produced promos that now trade at significant premiums in PSA 10.
What makes the First Partner Illustration Collection different:
- Exclusive promos — no alternate source for these cards
- Illustration rare-style artwork — the most collectible card style in modern Pokémon TCG
- Single artist (Saboteri) — creates a cohesive set that appeals to art collectors, not just card collectors
- Random distribution — 3 of 9 per pack means completing the set requires multiple purchases, reducing supply of any individual card in perfect condition
- 30th anniversary stamp — milestone products hold value better than standard releases
The random 3-of-9 distribution is particularly important for grading. Unlike a guaranteed promo (one per box), the odds of pulling a specific card in gem mint condition from a single pack are low. Supply of gradeable copies will be limited from day one.
Series 2 and Series 3: What’s Coming Next
Series 1 covers three of the nine Pokémon generations. The remaining six are expected across two more series releasing later in 2026:
| Series | Expected Timing | Predicted Regions | Starters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | March 20, 2026 | Kanto, Sinnoh, Alola | Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Rowlet, Litten, Popplio |
| Series 2 | Summer 2026 (predicted) | Johto, Unova, Galar | Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble |
| Series 3 | Fall 2026 (predicted) | Hoenn, Kalos, Paldea | Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly |
Series 2 and 3 regions haven’t been officially confirmed — these are predictions based on the generation pattern and the 2026 TCG release calendar. Series 2 would likely follow the Chaos Rising expansion in Summer 2026.
Grading implications: If you plan to build a complete 27-card graded set across all three series, start with Series 1. Early-series promos from multi-part anniversary releases tend to carry a slight premium as the “first” in the set.
Tracking First Partner Cards After Release
Once the set drops on March 20, here’s what to watch:
- PSA 10 and CGC 10 prices for each of the nine promos on eBay and TCGplayer
- Raw card prices — the gap between raw and graded tells you whether grading is profitable
- Sell-through rates — which cards actually sell vs. sit listed
- Population reports — how many copies PSA and CGC grade over the first 60 days
If First Partner cards get tokenized on Courtyard, Phygitals, or other RWA trading card platforms, Caggy will track them automatically across all four marketplaces. Tokenized promos from anniversary sets have historically listed quickly — the 25th anniversary promos appeared on Courtyard within weeks of release.
For context on how tokenized card tracking works across platforms, see our graded card portfolio tracking guide.
Browse Pokémon cards on Caggy →
PSA vs CGC: Which Grader for These Promos?
Both PSA and CGC are solid choices for modern Pokémon promos. The decision comes down to your goals:
- PSA — higher liquidity, stronger resale premiums on most Pokémon cards. PSA 10 commands a larger premium over PSA 9 than CGC equivalents. Best if you plan to sell.
- CGC — faster turnaround times (typically), subgrades for centering/surface/edges/corners. Better for personal collection where you want detailed condition data.
For a deeper comparison of grading companies and how grades affect value across RWA platforms, see our platform comparison guide.
Turnaround tip: Grading companies get slammed after major releases. If you’re serious about grading First Partner cards, submit within the first two weeks. Waiting months increases handling risk and delays your ability to sell or list.
FAQ
When does the First Partner Illustration Collection release? March 20, 2026. Preorders are live at Target, Amazon, Pokémon Center, Best Buy, and TCGplayer. MSRP is $14.99 per collection.
How many promo cards are in the set? Nine total — three from Kanto (Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle), three from Sinnoh (Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup), and three from Alola (Rowlet, Litten, Popplio). Each pack contains 3 of the 9, randomly selected.
Are these illustration rares? They’re illustration rare-style promos, exclusive to this product. They feature the same art style and quality as illustration rares from mainline sets, but they’re technically promo cards — not pullable from booster packs of any standard expansion.
Who illustrated the cards? All nine cards are illustrated by Saboteri, known for Mega Froslass ex (Ascended Heroes) and Phanpy (Surging Sparks). Each card features regional Easter eggs — Kanto Gym Badges, Sinnoh Poké Tech, and Alola Z-Crystals in the backgrounds.
Will there be more series? Yes. Series 2 and 3 are expected later in 2026, likely covering the remaining six generations (Johto, Hoenn, Unova, Kalos, Galar, Paldea). Official dates and regions haven’t been confirmed.
Should I grade all nine cards? Not necessarily. Grading fees ($20-50 per card depending on service level) can exceed the premium for lower-demand starters. Prioritize Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Rowlet. Grade Squirtle, Piplup, and Litten only if they’re gem mint. Hold the rest raw unless you’re building a complete graded set.
How can I track these cards across platforms? If First Partner promos get tokenized on RWA marketplaces, Caggy aggregates listings from Courtyard, CollectorCrypt, Beezie, and Phygitals into a single view — with price tracking, portfolio management, and cross-platform price comparison.
Published: March 5, 2026 Sources: The Pokémon Company, IGN. Grading recommendations based on historical promo performance and market patterns. This is not financial or investment advice. Grading outcomes depend on card condition. Consult grading company guidelines before submitting.