How many cards fit into an Elite Trainer box (ETB) depends on whether you have sleeves on your cards or not. Without sleeves, you should be able to fit about 550. Card sleeves double the width of a card, so you’ll be able to fit around 275 cards.
If you’re more interested in calculating your storage by packs instead, then you can expect to fit about 50 packs of cards in an ETB.
Let’s discover how many cards come with the Elite Trainer box, what type of card to expect, and how big the box is.
How Many Cards are in an Elite Trainer Box?
You should expect your ETB to have roughly 125 cards. The type of cards can fluctuate from one ETB to another, but the basic breakdown is:
- Eight 10-card booster packs
- 45 Pokemon energy cards
Special editions of ETB will have different booster packs and limited edition cards that reflect the box’s theme. An example would be about 136 cards total, with an essential breakdown being:
- 10 Pokemon 4-card booster packs
- Five additional Pokemon booster packs
- One special foil card
- 45 Pokemon energy cards
To check the current price and availability of Pokemon Elite Trainer Boxes, click here to view the selection on Amazon.
How Many Bulk Cards Fit in an Elite Trainer Box?
For an ETB, bulky cards or cards with card sleeves will cut your storage in half. If you can fit 550 normal-sized cards without sleeves, then you’ll on;y be able to fit about 275 cards that are bulky or have sleeves. However, this depends on how you organize your cards and what kind of sleeves you use.
How Big is a Pokemon Elite Trainer Box?
Pokemon ETBs are 7.4 by 3.4 by 6.8 inches and weigh about 2 pounds. However, this size can change depending on the type of box, such as special editions having slightly different dimensions to accommodate a change in the number of cards per box.
Are Pokemon Elite Trainer Boxes Worth Buying?
It’s all well and good to know how many cards you can fit in an ETB if you’ve already bought one but is it worth buying one if you’re just getting started or want to expand your Pokemon card collection?
If you’re new to Pokemon cards and are ready to commit to starting your collection and learning the rules of the game, then getting an ETB is an excellent idea. Each box comes with a player’s guide to the game, damage counter dice, counters for poison and damage, a completion-legal coin-flip die, and an impressive number of cards.
You’ll have everything you need to learn the game and join competitions if you want to while having a nice box to store all your stuff in and carry with you. The booster packs even have online codes, so you can move your battles online if you want to.
It’s also an excellent investment if you already know a thing or two about Pokemon cards but want the extras for competitions or expend your collection to build a deck you enjoy.
Best of all, ETB will give you a lot without a hefty price tag. You can usually buy them for about $39.99 US, though this can change depending on where you live, what shop you’re buying from, and whether it’s a special edition.
For comparison, buying eight booster packs individually costs about $32 US, and you’re less likely to end up with cards that work together.
How Do You Store Cards in an Elite Trainer Box?
Storing your Pokemon cards in an ETB is a great way to keep them protected, all in one place and easier to take with you. However, that doesn’t mean your cards are completely safe, as they can still experience damage if you don’t store them correctly.
How you store your cards will somewhat depend on whether you keep them to play and interact with or as collector items. Collectors have a whole other set of rules regarding storage, so you may need to research before buying rare cards.
But if you only want to keep your cards in playable condition for as long as possible, then here are some tips:
Use Penny or Card Sleeves
Penny or deck sleeves are your first line of defense against damage. Luckily, ETBs come with 65 card sleeves, usually with a specific image that matches the box’s theme.
Stack Cards Vertically
Put your cards vertically instead of stacking them on top of each other. Cards on the bottom of the pile can warp or have crimping if they sit under the weight of different cards for a long time.
Store the Box out of Sunlight
Keep your ETB out of the sun. Direct sunlight is the worst, but even displaying your box in a room with windows can warp the box over time which can deform the cards inside.
Don’t Stack Elite Trainer Boxes
Do not stack your Elite Trainer boxes. There’s a reason when you order multiple Elite Trainer boxes that they come in shallow shipping boxes in a line instead of stacked on top of each other.
The weight of the top boxes will warp the boxes underneath, so if you have multiple Elite Trainer boxes, store them in the line next to each other or if you need to stack them to save space, then buy some narrow food storage containers to put each box in so the weight isn’t on the box itself.
Final Thoughts
Pokemon Elite Trainer boxes come with over 100 cards of various packs and types, which can be an excellent way to expand your collection or get into Pokemon cards without spending a lot of money.
The boxes are a fantastic way to store your cards even as you add them to your collection, as they can fit over 500 cards without sleeves. It can protect them and make it easier to travel with them if you decide to go to tournaments or want to show off your collection.
It’s also an excellent value, with the box’s contents being around $50 US, while the selling price can be as low as half that, depending on where you buy it.