Pokemon TCG holy grail worth $30,000 discovered buried in man’s closet

A lapsed Pokemon TCG fan reminded about a long-buried part of their collection discovered a small, extremely rare fortune in their closet.

Released on May 30, Destined Rivals is 2025’s first major expansion and marks the return of Team Rocket to the forefront of the TCG. The iconic criminal organization, not featured in a main set since 2004’s Team Rocket Returns, has only appeared sporadically otherwise, including in limited edition products.

One of those, an attaché case branded with Team Rocket’s logo, was released in 2016 to commemorate the Pokemon franchise’s 20th anniversary. Two exclusive promos, Here Comes Team Rocket! and Giovanni’s Scheme, were included in the case, which was only released in Japan.

Fast-forward eight years, and the bundle, especially when sealed, has become a highly sought-after collector’s item that’s listed for anywhere between $30,000 to $40,000 on sites like eBay.

Man finds unopened Team Rocket 20th anniversary bundle

“The new set [Destined Rivals] reminded me I had this buried in my closet. Does anyone have an idea of what it’s worth?” a user on the PokeInvesting subreddit asked. The user was immediately inundated with responses making them aware of the collection’s value.

“I got it in 2017 for my birthday and opened it, but I was too scared to open anything more,” the owner continued, adding, “Its been sitting in its box ever since and I got reminded that I had it with the new Destined Rivals set.”

Following advice from other users in the thread, they’ve since decided sell the find through an auction website.

While the two look familiar, it’s worth noting that the above and a similar-looking Team Rocket case released in 2025 alongside Destined Rivals are not the same. The latter doesn’t include any promo cards, comes filled with various accessories, and is far, far cheaper.