What are Pokemon God Packs?

Pokemon God packs are ultra rare booster packs containing only holofoil rare cards or better. They exceed normal odds to deliver an incredible god-pack collecting experience.

Defining a True God Pack

By definition, a Pokemon God pack contains 10 cards that are all holofoils, secret rares, full arts, or ultra rares. None of the common or uncommon cards that usually appear in regular booster packs will be found in a god pack.

The name comes from their similarity to the insanely lucky "god packs" found in trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. Pokemon collectors have adopted the term for these miraculous all-holofoil packs.

The Origins and Lore Behind God Packs

Within trading card game communities, god packs have taken on an almost mythological status. According to gaming news site Kotaku, they originated as early as Magic: The Gathering‘s Alpha set in 1993.

Reported god packs were so rare that some questioned if they were real or just an urban legend. But as more surfaced, they became an acknowledged prize for TCG collectors.

Pokemon Company International has printed only a handful of official god packs. According to fan site PokeGuardian, the first occurred in the Japanese 2019 set Tag All Stars. Just seeing one opened ignited a frenzy in the community.

The Incredible Rarity of God Packs

So exactly how rare are these exceptional packs? Hobby experts estimate the pull rates to be around 1 god pack per 10 booster box cases.

A Pokemon booster box contains 36 packs. So you would have to open approximately 360 packs to have a chance at a god pack. And that‘s still at long odds around 1 in 300 boxes by some estimates.

By contrast, normal Pokemon pack odds give you just a 1 in 3 chance of pulling a holo rare card in any individual pack. This shows just how improbably lucky it is to score an entire god pack.

God Pack Odds Compared to Normal Packs

This table illustrates just how far god pack odds skew from normal:

Rarity	Normal Pack Odds	God Pack Odds
Common	6 per pack	0 per pack
Uncommon	3 per pack	0 per pack
Rare (Holofoil)	1 per 3 packs	10 per pack

As you can see, god packs deliver an exponential boost in high rarity card odds.

Reactions to Insane God Pack Value

When opened, Pokemon god packs elicit disbelief and envy across the community. As one Redditor u/qu33nofwhat put it:

"The people who pull these are punching air for days. So lucky!"

It‘s easy to see why, as a god pack‘s market value regularly exceeds $1000+. Graded Gem Mint PSA 10s can push individual holofoils over $100 in value each.

A Skyridge pack from the early 2000s containing multiple Charizards and Crystals could be worth $10,000 or more. Even modern sets see incredible value like Tag Team All Stars.

History of Pokemon‘s Most Coveted God Packs

Here are some of the most celebrated Pokemon God packs from collectors:

• Skyridge (2003) – Contained 2 Crystal Charizards worth $15k+ each PSA 10
• Aquapolis (2003) – Pack with multiple Crystal Pokemon and Gold Stars
• EX Deoxys (2005) – Gold Star Rayquaza and other Ex holos
• Majestic Dawn (2008) – Pulled a rare Glaceon lvl.X card
• HeartGold & SoulSilver (2010) – Shiny Charizard and more ultra rares
• Tag All Stars (2019) – The first official God pack release

These lucky collector stories have fueled the legend of god packs. As Pokemon‘s value continues rising, so does the appetite to find these fabled grail packs.

Why Certain Cards Drive Up God Pack Value

Within the Pokemon TCG, 1st Edition Base Set chase cards like Charizard have always commanded a premium. But why? Rarity, nostalgia, art and utility in gameplay all contribute.

Specific examples like the Skyridge Charizard crystal holo variant have a gorgeous sparkling art style. Being 1 of only 100 PSA 10s in existence, its scarcity and grade boost value too.

The same goes for Gold Star cards, the Ex series, or moderns like Rainbow Rare Charizard. Any pack containing multiple of these high demand cards sees a big multiplier effect on overall value.

Just How Much Are God Packs Going For?

Recent Pokemon God pack sales give a sense of their immense value:

• Skyridge 3 Crystal Holo Pack – $13,000 (PSA 9)
• EX Deoxys Pack with Gold Stars – $3,200 (Raw)
• Tag All Stars God Pack – $1,500 (PSA 9)
• EX Team Rocket Returns Pack – $5,100 (PSA 10)

Again, these represent pure luck lottery odds to pull and insane value. Even modern pack prices demonstrate the premium collectors will pay.

Expert Tips: Avoiding God Pack Scams

When dealing with high value Pokemon seals, caution helps avoid scams:

• Inspect carefully for tampering like tears or re-gluing
• Only buy from reputable, high-feedback sellers
• Ensure costly packs are properly insured
• Have expensive cards graded by PSA or BGS
• Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true

Finding a god pack takes luck. But smart collecting means you can safely buy, sell and protect them.

To Grade or Not To Grade?

For maximizing god pack value, professional grading is recommended. Services like PSA and BGS encapsulate cards and grade their condition on a 1-10 scale.

Gem Mint 10‘s demand huge premiums – sometimes 10X or more compared to raw cards. The downside is cost ($20+ per card) and wait times up to a year.

The choice depends on rarity. A PSA 10 1st Edition Charizard or Crystal Ho-Oh will recoup costs. Modern pulls may not justify grading costs unless a 10.

The Collector‘s High of the God Pack Thrill

For Pokemon fans, few thrills compare to seeing that impossible booster pack turn up all foil. The adrenaline rush hits as you tally up the mind-blowing value.

Everyone dreams of defying the long odds and landing a god pack. On the rare chance it happens, the bragging rights are almost as good as the market value. Until your next attempt at chasing that collector‘s high, that is!

Advice For Responsible God Pack Investing

Hitting a jackpot god pack may convince you to invest deeper in Pokemon. But be sure to set a prudent budget.

The Pokemon market fluctuates, especially for modern sets. Don‘t over-index by spending lavishly on unproven packs. Successful investors also diversify beyond Pokemon into other TCGs.

Above all, remember investing in sealed products is inherently risky with no guarantees. Collect what you like first and treat investing as a side benefit.

Conclusion

Pokemon god packs represent the holy grail for fans and collectors. The lucky few who uncover one are vaulted to almost legendary status. These ultra rare packs will likely only gain prestige and value as the Pokemon hobby continues growing.

Just be sure to set reasonable expectations. With odds as long as 1 in 300 booster boxes, a god pack is far from guaranteed. But the allure of a $10,000+ jackpot will always drive avid collectors to keep up the chase.