Booster boxes are a great collection piece.

While ETBs, also known as elite trainer boxes, have their visual flare and look great on a shelving unit, booster boxes have so much more going for them. Here, I’ll propose three points as to why booster boxes are a solid choice to collect. This is not to discount ETBs, collection boxes, tins or sleeved boosters as a collection piece. Booster boxes are just better. For the purposes of this discourse, we’ll explore the world of the Pokémon TCG, a beloved curiosity among many.

Very little sliding

Due to the tight packaging format of booster boxes, there tends to be very little sliding of the booster packs within. This, in turn, results in less friction among the cards on the inside of the booster packs. Therefore, your pulls’ quality may grade better.

Compact for easy storage

Since booster boxes have booster packs arranged in rows one in front of another or one on top of another, they invariably offer a way to save space in small confined areas. This is in stark contrast to, say, ETBs, that have 9 or 10 booster packs stashed away inside a 7.25” x 6.5” x 3.25”. Further, since they have a compact design, you can store them beside and behind one another snug without damaging the boosters. The only weak spot is on top where lid seam can be destroyed through holding excess weight but other than that they are an absolute space saver.

Consistently guaranteed to hit

Many box breaks have shown that there is a pretty reliable chance that a certain number of a specific rarity will be hidden in a booster box. Sleeved boosters, being 144 per sealed carton, on the other hand prove to be rather chaotic and unpredictable when it comes to determining how much or a certain rarity you’ll obtain from opening them. Back in 1999-2000, Wizards of the Coast also packed booster boxes of Base Set and the Jungle and Fossil expansions with approximately 12 holofoil cards. Modern day box breaks show that some of them have slightly more, around 13-14, some only 11. So there was no true algorithm that ensured 1:33 (1 in 33) pack premium card odds as noted on the back of those booster packs.

All in all, booster boxes from all TCGs not only Pokémon are a fun addition to a collection whether for display or breaking down. We just wish Pokémon and other manufacturers would make them more rigid so we easily stack them and not have the lid seam pop. One can dream.