Crown Zenith was never supposed to be just another expansion. When The Pokémon Company released it in early 2023 as the grand finale of the Sword & Shield era, they basically handed us a love letter to the Galar region. It’s the kind of set that ruined other sets for people. Seriously. Once you’ve pulled three high-rarity cards from a single elite trainer box, going back to the dismal pull rates of a standard set feels like a chore. The Crown Zenith set list is massive, sitting at 160 cards in the main set plus a staggering 70-card subset known as the Galarian Gallery.
If you’re looking at the checklist today, you’re likely hunting for the "big four" gold cards. We’re talking about Arceus VSTAR, Dialga VSTAR, Palkia VSTAR, and Giratina VSTAR. These aren’t just shiny pieces of cardboard; they’re part of a connected mural by the artist AKIRA EGAWA. If you lay them out next to each other, the art actually flows from one card to the next. It’s genius. Most sets give you a "chase card," but Crown Zenith gave us a four-piece puzzle that costs a small fortune to complete.
The Galarian Gallery is the Real Star
Most people don't care about the first 160 cards. They’re fine, sure. You’ve got your standard holos and some decent competitive cards like Sky Seal Stone. But the Galarian Gallery? That’s where the magic is. It’s designated by a "GG" prefix on the card numbers.
The variety here is wild. You have simple, emotive illustrations like the Mareep (GG05) standing in a field, which honestly looks like something out of a Studio Ghibli film. Then you jump to the absolute chaos of the Mewtwo VSTAR (GG44), which depicts an epic battle against Charizard from Charizard's perspective. It’s a direct callback to the Charizard Ultra Premium Collection promos. Collectors lost their minds over this.
What's weird is how the pull rates work. Unlike a standard set where you’re lucky to get one "hit" per few packs, Crown Zenith is generous. It’s "weighted" to feel rewarding. You can pull a full-art Gallery card in the reverse holo slot. This means you can theoretically hit a rare VSTAR and a beautiful GG card in the exact same pack. It’s a dopamine hit that most modern sets like Scarlet & Violet base or Obsidian Flames struggled to replicate.
Understanding the Set Structure
Let's break down the weirdness of how this set is numbered.
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The main Crown Zenith set list ends at 159/159, with a secret rare Pikachu (160/159) that features a hoard of Pokémon in a "Where's Waldo" style. But then the Galarian Gallery starts at GG01 and goes to GG70.
- GG01-GG25: These are mostly non-V "Full Art" cards. Think Riolu, Swablu, and that gorgeous Diancie.
- GG26-GG34: These are the "V" cards.
- GG35-GG70: This is the heavy hitter territory. VMAX, VSTAR, and the Supporters.
The Supporter cards in this set are particularly notable. Friends in Sinnoh and Friends in Hisui are beautiful, but they don't hold a candle to the Irida or the Cynthia’s Ambition. The Cynthia card (GG69) is particularly haunting—it shows her looking over a graveyard of Pokémon, which is a bit dark for a kid's game, but the community absolutely ate it up.
Why Investors Keep Buying Crown Zenith
Prices haven't tanked. Usually, when a set has high pull rates, the singles market crashes because everyone has the cards. That didn't happen here. Why? Because the art is actually good.
Take the Giratina VSTAR (GG69). It’s an abstract, cosmic nightmare. It doesn’t look like a traditional Pokémon card. It looks like fine art. Because of that, even though there are a lot of them in circulation, the demand stays high. People aren't just buying them to play the TCG; they're buying them to frame.
Also, Crown Zenith was a "special set." You couldn't buy individual booster boxes of it. You had to buy "collection boxes," "tins," or "Elite Trainer Boxes." This limited the supply of loose packs. If you want to open Crown Zenith today, you’re looking at paying a premium for an ETB or hunting down the dusty Regieleki or Regidrago boxes in the back of a Target.
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The Misconception About "Secret Rares"
In most sets, the "Secret Rare" is the most expensive thing. In Crown Zenith, the secret rare is that Pikachu I mentioned earlier. But here's the kicker: it’s actually one of the easier high-end cards to pull. The real "secret" treasures are the Gold VSTARs at the end of the Galarian Gallery.
Don't get tricked by the numbering. A card being 160/159 sounds rarer than GG70/GG70, but in the world of Pokémon market value, the "GG" cards are king. The Giratina VSTAR is consistently the most expensive card in the Crown Zenith set list, often hovering between $70 and $100 depending on the grade and market fluctuations.
Key Cards to Watch For
If you’re digging through a collection or thinking about buying singles, keep an eye on these specific outliers.
- Entei, Raikou, and Suicune V: These three (GG36, GG37, GG38) are arguably the best the "Legendary Dogs" have ever looked. The Suicune, in particular, has this ethereal, aurora-borealis vibe that makes it a must-have.
- The "Simple" GGs: Cards like the Lumineon V (GG39) or the Glaceon VSTAR (GG40). They aren't the most expensive, but they are consistently popular because the art style is so distinct from the 3D-render style used in the main set.
- The Gold Mural: As mentioned, the Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus. If you find one, you basically feel obligated to find the other three. It’s a trap for your wallet.
The Legacy of Sword & Shield's Finale
Crown Zenith was the "mic drop" for the VMAX and VSTAR mechanics. Shortly after, the Scarlet & Violet era introduced "ex" cards and "Tera" types. Many players feel the art direction took a step back in the early S&V sets compared to the heights reached in the Galarian Gallery.
It’s a bit of a bittersweet set. It represents the pinnacle of what the Pokémon Company can do when they decide to prioritize art over just pumping out competitive staples. It’s why you see so many "God Packs" (packs with multiple hits) being shared on social media even years after the release.
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Honesty time: I’ve opened dozens of these packs. Sometimes you get a "dud" box, but it’s rare. Most of the time, you're going to see something shiny. That’s the legacy of this set—it made collecting fun again for people who were tired of "green code cards" and empty packs.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you're looking to dive into the Crown Zenith set list now, don't just go buying random packs.
- Check the "Per Pack" Value: Right now, buying the Sea Greymon or Shiny Zacian/Zamazenta boxes often yields the best value per pack compared to the inflated prices of Elite Trainer Boxes.
- Prioritize the Singles: If you just want the Gold cards, buy them as singles. The odds of pulling all four are astronomically low, even with the better pull rates. You’ll spend $500 on packs trying to find a $90 Giratina.
- Watch the Grading Pop: Because these cards are "textured," they are notorious for having "centering" issues. If you’re buying a raw card to get graded, look closely at the borders. The gold cards are especially prone to having thin borders on one side.
- Store Your GG Cards Carefully: These cards use a specific foil etching that can be prone to "silvering" at the edges if they rub against each other. Sleeve them immediately. Even the lower-value GG cards like the Turtwig or Poochyena are worth keeping in top-notch condition because they are part of a completed "Gallery" set that collectors value as a whole.
The market for this set isn't going anywhere. It’s cemented itself as a top-five set of the modern era, right alongside Evolving Skies and Team Up. Whether you're a player or a hardcore collector, the Galarian Gallery is the gold standard for what a sub-set should be.
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