Pokemon Cracks Down on Early 30th Anniversary Card Sales

The Pokemon Company has contacted eBay regarding listings for unreleased 30th Celebration cards, leading the marketplace to remove products under its stolen property policy.

The upcoming Pokemon TCG: 30th Celebration set is scheduled for a simultaneous worldwide release on September 16, 2026. The foil expansion features classic reprints, 30 different Pikachu cards, and the introduction of the new Futuristic rare rarity. However, products and individual cards have surfaced on the secondary market weeks ahead of schedule, including a mystery RGB Mew card pulled during an unreleased pack opening on Whatnot in July.

eBay Takedowns Target Unauthorized Distribution

Collectors listing items early have begun receiving removal notices from the marketplace. On August 24, a collector named Danny MadTown Collect shared an email from eBay showing that an auction for a Sylveon ex Special Illustration Rare had been taken down.

According to the notice sent to the seller, The Pokemon Company International informed eBay that 30th Anniversary trading cards are not distributed or made available for public sale through authorized channels as of late August. eBay flagged the listing over concerns regarding provenance and authorized distribution, warning that the items may have originated outside approved manufacturing processes.

The affected collector stated they pulled the card from a binder collection won through a Facebook “Razzle” group and had no knowledge of issues surrounding its origin. PokeBeach reported that eBay has begun removing multiple in-hand listings for 30th Celebration cards and merchandise rather than standard preorders.

Official Purchasing Restrictions

Under eBay’s stolen property policy, property taken from a company without authorization is barred from listing. Violations can result in removed listings, warnings, selling restrictions, or account suspension.

The marketplace actions follow earlier measures from Pokemon, which introduced purchasing restrictions for specific Japanese 30th Celebration products to combat scalpers. While those restrictions targeted high-demand inventory, the latest eBay wave specifically addresses cards circulating outside approved distribution channels ahead of the September launch.