What is a Pokémon Prime card?
Prime is a rarity from the HeartGold & SoulSilver era. A Prime card has silver foil across the whole card and a close-up of the Pokémon inside a frame with a jagged, starburst edge, so it stands out from the regular rares next to it.
In play, a Prime is an ordinary Pokémon. It has no special rule, it evolves as usual and your opponent takes just one Prize card when it is Knocked Out. The official HS Triumphant rulebook describes Primes as Pokémon that "specialize in battling", with special card art and borders.
HeartGold & SoulSilver (February 2010)
Six Primes, including all three Johto starters.
HS Unleashed (May 2010)
How many Prime cards are there?
There are 26 English Prime cards. Each of the four HeartGold & SoulSilver sets numbers its Primes together, just before its LEGEND cards. Call of Legends, the last set of the era, has none.
A Prime often has more HP than the regular card of the same Pokémon. Feraligatr Prime has 140 HP, while the regular Feraligatr in the same set has 130. Tyranitar Prime has the most HP of any Prime at 160, and Celebi Prime and Mew Prime the least at 60.
HS Undaunted (August 2010)
Six Primes, among them Espeon and Umbreon.
HS Triumphant (November 2010)
Eight Primes, the most of any set.
How much are Pokémon Prime cards worth?
In late September 2026, the Cardmarket prices Pooka tracks put Umbreon Prime at about €210, Gengar Prime at about €190 and Tyranitar Prime at about €180. Celebi Prime, Mew Prime and Espeon Prime follow at €110 to €160.
Absol Prime sells for about €95. The rest are under €60, and Lanturn Prime is the cheapest at under €5.
Gengar Prime was reprinted in the 30th Celebration Classic Collection in September 2026 with its original number, 94/102.
