What Is Pokemon Bulk?
Pokemon bulk is the large volume of low-value cards that collectors accumulate. Here is what counts as bulk, what does not, and a plain-English glossary of the terms you will run into.
Pokemon Bulk, Defined
Pokemon bulk is the large volume of low-value cards left over after you have taken out the cards worth selling individually. Because each card is worth only a few cents, bulk is bought and sold in quantity: by the thousand for the most common cards, and by the card for the higher-value categories.
What Counts As Pokemon Bulk?
At Poke Pleb Collectibles, the bulk we buy falls into these groups:
- Commons
- Uncommons
- Rares
- Holos
- Reverse holos
- EX
- GX
- V
- VMAX
- VSTAR
- Illustration Rares
- Trainer Gallery
- Galarian Gallery
- WOTC bulk
We also buy full art V and Trainer cards, gold and rainbow secret rares, Amazing Rares, Radiant Rares, baby shinies, graded slabs (8 and up), and new ETB sleeves. The full list with rates is on our Pokemon bulk rates page.
What Is Not Bulk?
Cards that are worth meaningfully more on their own are not bulk: popular older cards in strong condition, high-demand modern cards, and sealed product. Those usually earn more sold individually, so check your collection for them before you sell the rest as bulk.
How to Tell Whether a Card Is Bulk
- Rarity symbol. Circle (common) and diamond (uncommon) cards are the foundation of most bulk.
- Foil pattern. Holos and reverse holos are worth a little more than plain cards, and they are priced separately.
- Special names. V, VMAX, VSTAR, GX, and EX cards are priced individually.
- Era. WOTC-era cards are a separate, higher-priced category.
Why Bulk Is Priced Per 1,000
Counting and pricing individual commons would not be practical, so bulk is priced in thousands. That is why the Pokemon bulk calculator asks for thousands on those categories and exact counts on the rest.
Pokemon Bulk Glossary
- Bulk
- Large quantities of low-value Pokemon cards, usually sold by the thousand or by the box rather than one at a time.
- Common, uncommon, rare
- The basic rarity tiers. A symbol near the card number shows the tier: a circle for common, a diamond for uncommon, and a star for rare.
- Holo
- A card with a holographic (foil) pattern in the artwork box. Holographic rares belong in this category.
- Reverse holo
- A card where the foil covers everything except the artwork. Each set has reverse holo versions of many cards.
- WOTC
- Cards from the original Wizards of the Coast era of Pokemon, roughly 1999 to 2003.
- 1st Edition vs. Unlimited
- WOTC cards printed in the first print run carry a 1st Edition stamp. Unlimited cards do not.
- EX / ex
- Pokemon-ex cards, which have appeared in several different eras of the game.
- GX
- Powerful cards from the Sun & Moon era.
- V, VMAX, VSTAR
- Higher-power cards from the Sword & Shield era. VMAX and VSTAR build on V cards.
- Illustration Rare
- A full-art card from the Scarlet & Violet era where the artwork tells a small scene.
- Trainer Gallery and Galarian Gallery
- Special subsets that appear inside certain Sword & Shield sets.
- Amazing Rare and Radiant Rare
- Two special rarities from the Sword & Shield era.
- Secret rare
- A card numbered beyond the set’s official card count, including gold and rainbow versions.
- Baby shiny (Shiny Vault)
- Shiny versions of non-V Pokemon from Shiny Vault subsets, often called baby shinies.
- Slab
- A card graded and sealed in a hard case by a grading company such as PSA or CGC.
- Buylist
- A published list of what a buyer will pay for specific categories of cards.
- NM and LP
- Near Mint and Lightly Played, two condition grades.
- G&S and F&F
- PayPal or Venmo Goods & Services and Friends & Family, two ways to send a payment.
Ready to Sell?
Follow our guide to selling Pokemon bulk, or go straight to the Pokemon bulk calculator.
Quick Answers
What is considered bulk in Pokemon cards?
Bulk is large quantities of low-value cards, mainly commons, uncommons, non-valuable rares, holos, and reverse holos.
Are holos and reverse holos bulk?
Often yes. They are worth more than plain commons, so they are priced separately: $50 per 1,000 cards versus $20 per 1,000 cards for commons, uncommons, and rares.
Is old Pokemon bulk worth more?
WOTC-era bulk is priced as its own category, at $250 per 1,000 cards for Unlimited and $5,000 per 1,000 cards for 1st Edition.
Ready to Sell Your Pokemon Bulk?
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