What is a promo card in Pokemon?

A promo card, short for promotional card, is a Pokemon card released outside regular booster packs: handed out at events and tournaments, or packed into special products. The best known are Black Star Promos, which carry a black star with the word PROMO on it in place of a regular set symbol.

Each era has its own Black Star Promo set, from Wizards Black Star Promos in 1999 to the SVP and MEP Black Star Promos, and each has its own numbering, such as SWSH050. Other promos are reprints of set cards, some with a stamp.

Before you buy one

• Search by the promo number. "Promo" or "black star promo" on its own pulls in promos from every era, so look up a Black Star Promo by its number, such as SWSH050 or SM01. These numbers have no set total after them, so a search for "050/" finds nothing.

• Check the photo, not only the number. A promo reprint can look like the set card. TCGplayer notes that some deck-exclusive and league promos keep the original set symbol and card number but change the rarity, and a reprinted holo can have a different foil pattern.

• Find the stamp yourself. For a stamped promo, such as the gold "W" Wizards stamped on seven early cards, look for the stamp in the photo.

ChaseBoard's catalog includes the Black Star Promo sets, so you can add a promo by name or promo number. Its watch reads its own number written as SWSH050, SWSH 050 or SWSH50, and you can edit its search words, for example down to the Pokemon's name and the promo number.