The complete First Partner Illustration Collection trilogy covers nine regions across three series: Kanto, Sinnoh, and Alola (Series 1), Johto, Unova, and Galar (Series 2), and Hoenn, Kalos, and Paldea (Series 3). Each region got its own dedicated collection built around three Illustration Rare promos.
With Series 3 now several weeks past its August 7 release, there's enough secondary market activity across all nine regions to attempt a real ranking.
Here's how all nine stack up, from strongest to weakest demand so far.
This kind of full-trilogy ranking is also useful for anyone deciding where to allocate a limited collecting budget across nine regions rather than trying to chase all of them at equal priority.
Kanto sits alone at the top of this ranking, almost entirely on the strength of its Charizard-adjacent Illustration Rare. No other region in the trilogy has produced a single card with comparable secondary market pull.
This isn't close — Kanto boxes have commanded roughly double what any other region has reached at peak pricing.
Hoenn currently leads Series 3 on broad nostalgia, Kalos rides Froakie's Greninja connection, and Sinnoh benefited from being part of the strong overall Series 1 wave even without its own standout chase card. All three sit clearly above the middle of this ranking.
None of these three has Kanto's singular chase-card advantage, but each has a genuine, identifiable demand driver of its own.
Alola benefited from Series 1's overall strength without producing a standout card of its own, similar to Sinnoh but slightly behind it in observed demand. Paldea, as the newest region in the entire trilogy, is still building the collector following that older regions have had years to establish.
Both are reasonable picks for a collector prioritizing value over hype, since neither commands the premiums the top tier does.
All three Series 2 regions have settled into the $20-35 secondary market range without a standout chase card to lift any of them individually. This is the clearest evidence in the whole trilogy that region popularity alone doesn't guarantee strong resale value.
For collectors buying based on price rather than resale potential, this tier is currently the most accessible entry point into the full nine-region set.
Tracking all nine regions means keeping each one organized and identifiable as the collection grows. EVORETRO's Ultimate Card Curator Set gives a full trilogy collection real room to expand.
For a simpler binder-based approach, EVORETRO's Regular 9-Pocket Card Binder keeps everything browsable in one place.
Series 3's three regions are still early enough in their secondary market life that this ranking is a snapshot, not a permanent order. Paldea in particular has real room to climb if Sprigatito's popularity continues translating into stronger demand.
Revisiting a ranking like this every few months, rather than treating it as fixed, gives a more accurate long-term picture of how the trilogy actually settles.
This ranking weighs observed secondary market pricing, community sold-listing data, and qualitative demand signals like social media chatter and community trading activity, rather than any single official source. No official sales data has been published by The Pokemon Company for any individual region.
That means this ranking, like most secondary market analysis in this hobby, is directional rather than precise, useful for broad decision-making, not for pinpointing exact values.
A pure value ranking is a useful tool, but it shouldn't be the only factor in deciding which regions to prioritize if you're collecting for enjoyment rather than resale. A lower-ranked region tied to your own favorite starter is still a perfectly legitimate pick.
Balancing value awareness with genuine personal interest tends to produce a more satisfying long-term collection than chasing rankings alone.
Kanto, largely due to its gold Charizard-style Illustration Rare.
Johto, Unova, and Galar, all from Series 2, which lacked a standout chase card.
Yes, especially for Series 3's still-developing regions like Paldea.
Yes, every region uses the same $14.99 price and 3-Illustration-Rare special booster structure.
Whether you're after Kanto's top-tier chase card or building the full nine-region set on a budget, knowing where each region ranks helps you buy smarter. Pick up EVORETRO's Ultimate Card Curator Set to keep the whole collection organized.
!
