New 'Pokémon' 30th Anniversary TCG Deal Almost Sounds Too Good To Be True

Published Oct 5, 2026, 11:02 AM EDT Patricia is the former editor-in-chief of Kotaku, where she spent a decade writing and editing. Prior to that, she served as the Culture Editor at Polygon, and as a reporter at The Verge. Hernandez specializes in Pokémon TCG, Nintendo, and offbeat internet culture stories. The cheapest way to buy a Pokémon 30th Anniversary ETB comes from an unexpected place Illustration: cobcris for Polygon Sign in to your Polygon.com account For collectors, the only thing harder than finding Pokémon 30th Anniversary trading card products is purchasing the collection for a reasonable price. Nearly every major retailer that carries Pokémon cards charges above the manufacturer's suggested retail price, whereas local card shops are starting to make scalper prices sound like a steal. Amid this chaos, there's one retailer that is unexpectedly offering a deal on 30th Anniversary products that's so good, it almost sounds like a scam. Somehow, it isn't. That retailer is none other than Dollar General. The value-oriented store chain has begun to stock 30th Anniversary products such as the Elite Trainer Box ($50), EX-Boxes ($25), and the Poster Collection ($16). That's cheaper than stores like Target, GameStop, and Barnes and Noble — and significantly cheaper what you'd find at Dick's Sporting Goods. At first glance, Dollar General's prices match Best Buy's, which is generally considered to be the best price you can get on Pokémon TCG outside The Pokémon Company itself. What sets Dollar General apart, at least until December 24, 2026, is a specific deal on toy products. The deal states that customers can get 25% off a toy purchase of $75 or more. The retailer also runs a weekly Saturday deal: $5 off purchases of $25 or more; you'll need to create an account or download DG's official app to redeem it. Why is Dollar General's Pokémon discount so good? If you run the numbers, that means that you can ostensibly purchase two ETBs for $70 — or less than a single ETB would cost at Target. Prior to taxes, and assuming you're purchasing the ETBs on Saturday, DG's stacked deal works out to just under $4 per pack. The deal is still fantastic on all other days of the week as well, but the problem is finding a local Dollar General with actual stock. Unfortunately, the retailer's official website tends to be wrong about stock allocations. Rather than visiting a DG based on where the website says there's stock, you might want to call the store first. Alternatively, you can also stop by in person to ask about Pokémon TCG. While you'll probably strike out, you might be able to gather intel on when your store restocks. Taking advantage of DG's deal may still be a gamble. In my city, for example, store employees are sometimes accused of purchasing Pokémon products for themselves, or saving them for friends and acquaintances. While these accusations are difficult to prove, the practice is seemingly rampant across all retailers. The major difference is that Dollar General does not impose strict purchasing limits, and it sells TCG products for a great price — so scalpers have extra incentive to clear out those shelves.