Pokemon 151 Card List: Complete Guide (2026)

The original 151 Pokémon cards represent a cornerstone of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, capturing the Nintendo magic and nostalgia of the franchise's early days. Released in the 1990s, these cards feature iconic characters like Charizard, Pikachu, and Blastoise, each with unique artwork and stats.

In this article, we'll share the Pokemon 151 card list including common and special illustration rare cards from the Pokémon universe.

Key Takeaways

• Pokemon 151 is a Scarlet & Violet 151 expansion, not the 1990s Base Set. It released September 22, 2023, and carries the MEW set symbol with card numbers formatted as XXX/165.

• The set holds 207 cards total — 165 in the base set plus 42 secret rares. A master set with reverse holos runs closer to 360 cards.

• Cards 001 through 151 follow Pokedex order exactly, which makes the checklist easy to work through. Twelve of those Pokemon appear as ex cards.

• The set exists because Kadabra returned to the Pokemon TCG after roughly two decades away. Without that, a complete Kanto set was impossible.

• Texture beats the light test when checking a 151 card for authenticity. Counterfeits have gotten good enough that a single test is no longer enough.

What Is the Pokemon 151 Set?

Scarlet & Violet 151 is a special expansion in the Scarlet & Violet series, released on September 22, 2023 in English and three months earlier in Japan. It carries the MEW set symbol, named for Mew — the 151st Pokemon in the National Pokedex and the card that closes out the numbered run at 151/165. Every card in the set is numbered out of 165, so a card reading 025/165 is Pikachu from this expansion, not a Base Set card from 1999.

That distinction matters more than it sounds. Plenty of card lists online mix the 151 set up with the original Kanto Pokedex or with 1st Edition Base Set cards. They are three different things. There are no 1st Edition stamps anywhere in the 151 set.

According to The Pokemon Company, the expansion features all 151 Pokemon originally discovered in the Kanto region, each redrawn with new artwork. Illustrators told evolution stories across cards, so Pikachu and Raichu share a visual thread, and Cubone's card leads directly into Marowak's.

Why the Set Almost Could Not Exist

Here is the part most card lists skip. Kadabra vanished from the Pokemon TCG for roughly twenty years after Uri Geller objected to the Pokemon's resemblance to his own persona. No Kadabra meant no complete Kanto set — you cannot print all 151 with a hole at number 64.

Geller withdrew his objection in late 2020. Pokemon 151 became the first set in TCG history to unite all 151 original Pokemon, and Alakazam ex sits three cards later as the payoff.

Complete List of the Original 151 Pokémon Cards

Cards 001–040

Cards 041–080

Cards 081–120

Cards 121–165

The remaining base set cards, 152 through 165, cover the set's Trainer and Energy cards. These include Erika's Invitation, Giovanni's Charisma, Bill's Transfer, and Daisy's Care — Trainer cards that reappear later in the secret rare tier with new artwork.

Secret Rares and Special Illustration Rares (166–207)

The 42 cards numbered past 165 are where the set gets expensive, and they are the tier newcomers most often overlook when planning a build. Serebii puts the set at 207 cards total: 165 normal and 42 secret.

These are alternate-art secret rares — new artwork for cards that already appear in the base set, not new Pokemon. The Ultra Rare block covers all twelve ex Pokemon plus four Trainer cards. The Special Illustration Rare tier is the chase, headlined by Charizard ex (199/165), followed by Blastoise ex, Venusaur ex, Alakazam ex, and Zapdos ex. Mew ex closes the set out in the Hyper Rare tier, which is a fitting place for the Pokemon the expansion is named after.

Base Set vs. Master Set: What Are You Actually Collecting?

This is the first real decision a 151 collector makes, and almost nobody explains it before someone starts buying.

Reverse holos exist for the commons, uncommons, and rares, but not for secret rares. That gap is why the master set number lands around 360 rather than doubling.

Two things worth knowing before committing. First, the secret rare tier alone adds a meaningful chunk to the total — the non-hyper-rare secret rares run into the low hundreds of dollars on their own, and prices on the chase cards move with demand. Second, completing the checklist by opening packs is dramatically more expensive than buying singles. Special Illustration Rare pull rates sit around one per two to three booster boxes. Collectors who want the experience open packs. Collectors who want the set buy singles.

Kanto Cards That Live Outside the 151 Set

Not every card featuring a Kanto Pokemon carries a 151 set number, and this trips people up when they are auditing a binder. Promo cards sit outside standard set numbering entirely. Promos are not part of the master set — they never count toward a 151 base set, full set, or master set, no matter how good they look next to one.

The Pokemon Futsal promos are a clean example. They came out of a partnership between The Pokemon Company International and The Football Association, and were distributed in England starting September 11, 2020. Three of them turn up regularly in Kanto and Eeveelution binders:

• The Eevee on the Ball promo card is the one with a genuine Kanto connection. Eevee is number 133 in the Pokedex and 133/165 in the 151 set, so collectors building Kanto displays often shelve this promo alongside the set even though it is a separate release.

• The Grookey on the Ball promo card is a Grass-type Basic from the same Futsal run.

• The Sobble on the Ball promo card rounds out the trio as a Water-type Basic.

Grookey and Sobble are Galar Pokemon, not Kanto, so they belong to the Futsal collection rather than any 151 conversation. We mention them because the three tend to be collected together, and because knowing what does not belong in your 151 binder is as useful as knowing what does.

How to Spot a Fake Pokemon 151 Card

Scarlet & Violet 151 is one of the most heavily counterfeited modern sets, and the advice that worked in 2023 does not hold up anymore. Prices well under market are the first red flag you will find. The light test — holding a card up to a flashlight to check for the black core layer — used to catch most fakes. Current counterfeits have started adding their own core layer and pass it.

Use a stack of checks instead of a single one:

1. Texture test. Run a fingernail across the card face. A real card has fine etched grooves, closer to a vinyl record than a photograph. Fakes feel smooth, glossy, or waxy. This is the most reliable single check.

2. Weight. Real cards land between approximately 1.7 and 1.8 grams. Anything meaningfully outside that window is suspect.

3. UV light. Counterfeit stock and inks fluoresce differently. Test against a card you know is real, ideally from the same era.

4. Card number format. A real 151 card reads XXX/165. Wrong format, wrong expansion.

No single test catches everything. Buying from a licensed retailer removes the guesswork entirely, which is the honest answer to a problem this widespread. Our Pokemon collection carries officially licensed cards and merchandise, and you can stack savings across multiple pieces through Buy More Save More.

FAQs

How many cards are in the Pokemon 151 set?

There are 207 cards in the Pokemon 151 set — 165 in the base set plus 42 secret rares. A master set including reverse holo variants comes to roughly 360 cards, giving collectors who love the original Kanto Pokemon plenty to chase.

What is the most valuable card in the Pokemon 151 set?

Charizard ex (199/165), the Special Illustration Rare, is the consensus chase card and the most valuable in the set. Blastoise ex, Venusaur ex, Alakazam ex, and Zapdos ex Special Illustration Rares follow behind it, though prices across the tier shift with the market. Collectors can track recent sales through marketplaces such as ebay rather than relying solely on asking prices.

Is Pokemon 151 the same as the original Base Set?

No. Scarlet & Violet 151 released in 2023 as part of the Scarlet & Violet series. The Base Set released in the 1990s. They share Kanto Pokemon and nothing else — the 151 set has all-new artwork, modern play mechanics, and no 1st Edition stamps.

How do I identify a Pokemon 151 card?

Look for the MEW set symbol and a card number formatted as XXX/165. Secret rares carry numbers higher than 165 while still reading out of 165, which is how a card like 199/165 exists. A set checklist can provide a useful link between each card number, rarity, and artwork variation.

Were Pokemon 151 booster packs sold on their own?

No. Individual booster packs were never sold at retail for this expansion. Packs came only inside products like Elite Trainer Boxes, Booster Bundles, tins, the Ultra-Premium Collection, and the Binder Collection. Before purchasing a listing, click through the product details to confirm exactly what is included.

Is it worth grading Pokemon 151 cards?

Only for the right cards. The community rule of thumb is to grade when a raw card is worth around one hundred dollars or more and the copy looks clean. The set has known print line issues, so pre-screen centering before paying a grading fee, since a middling grade on a modern card can be worth less than a clean ungraded copy after fees and turnaround. Grading can still be a great option for especially valuable cards in excellent condition.

Start Your Kanto Binder

Pokemon 151 earned its place by doing something no set had managed before — putting all 151 original Pokemon in one expansion, Kadabra included. Whether you are working through the 165-card base set or committing to the full 360-card master set, knowing the card numbers and rarity tiers is what keeps the project from getting expensive by accident.

Explore our Pokemon collection to find officially licensed cards, promos, and Kanto merchandise for your display.

References:

1. The Pokemon Company

2. Serebii