Pokémon Special Illustration Rares (SIRs): collector value guide

They are marked with two gold stars and correspond to the SAR rarity in Japanese sets. In the Scarlet & Violet ladder they sit above Illustration Rares, which carry one gold star, and below Hyper Rares, which carry three. Rather than being a single set, SIRs are a type of card that appears across almost every expansion released since 2023.

What sets an SIR apart is the artwork. These cards are numbered beyond each set's official count and feature full-card illustrations that often tell a small story, placing a Pokémon ex or a Supporter character in a detailed scene rather than a standard frame. They are effectively the successor to the alternate-art cards that made Sword & Shield sets such as Evolving Skies so popular, and many collectors regard them as the most attractive cards in modern Pokémon.

Every Scarlet & Violet expansion has its own SIRs, and the number varies a great deal. The special set 151, released on 22 September 2023, has seven, including the Charizard ex SIR at 199/165. Prismatic Evolutions, an Eevee-themed set from 17 January 2025, has 32, headed by the Umbreon ex SIR at 161/131. The rarity has continued into the Mega Evolution series, which began on 26 September 2025, so SIRs remain the main modern chase rather than a short-lived experiment.

Collectors chase SIRs for the same reasons they chased alternate arts: they are scarce in packs, visually striking and tied to popular characters. Value within the category varies enormously. A Charizard, Pikachu or Eeveelution SIR from a sought-after set can sit near the top of the modern market, while less popular Pokémon or Supporters may be modest. Condition matters too, since textured full-art surfaces show wear easily, and graded copies of the top SIRs are tracked closely by buyers.

• Character: Charizard, Pikachu, Umbreon and other Eeveelutions consistently lead the category.
• Set popularity: SIRs from in-demand special sets such as 151 and Prismatic Evolutions attract the most attention.
• Artwork: the most memorable, story-driven illustrations become community favourites regardless of the Pokémon featured.
• Pull scarcity: SIRs are among the hardest cards to pull in a set, so supply of each one is limited.
• Condition and grading: high-grade copies command a premium, and full-art surfaces make top grades harder to achieve.

• Look for two gold stars as the rarity symbol; one gold star means an Illustration Rare and three gold stars mean a Hyper Rare.
• Check the collector number, which will be higher than the set's official count (for example 199/165 for the 151 Charizard ex SIR).
• Confirm the exact set and number when buying, as popular Pokémon often appear in several sets and at several rarities, such as Pikachu ex at 057/191, 219/191, 238/191 and 247/191 in Surging Sparks.
• Japanese equivalents are labelled SAR and use different numbering, so make sure the listing matches the language you want.