Burning Shadows ETB (2017): Contents and MSRP
By Dexhaul Team · October 21, 2026 · 5 min read
The Burning Shadows Elite Trainer Box contains 8 Sun and Moon Burning Shadows booster packs, 65 Tapu Koko-GX card sleeves, 45 Basic Energy cards, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin die, two quick-start guides, and a player's guide booklet. It launched August 4, 2017, as part of the Sun and Moon series' third expansion (SM03, per Bulbapedia). The set contains 169 cards total across the main numbered list and Secret Rares.
What's inside
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burning Shadows booster packs | 8 | 10 cards per pack |
| Card sleeves | 65 | Tapu Koko-GX artwork |
| Basic Energy cards | 45 | Mixed types |
| Damage-counter dice | 6 | Standard 10-sided design |
| Competition-legal coin die | 1 | Replaces flipping a coin in tournament play |
| Quick-start guides | 2 | One per player |
| Player's guide booklet | 1 | SM03 set guide |
| Original MSRP (USD) | $39.99 | SM-era standard retail price |
One detail that stands out: the ETB's sleeve art features Tapu Koko-GX rather than Necrozma, which appears on the box itself. This split was a deliberate choice for the Sun and Moon era; the sleeve design often highlighted a different headliner than the box art Pokémon, giving collectors two distinct focal Pokémon from the same product.
On this page 7 sections
MSRP and price per pack
| Price point | Amount (USD) | Per pack | Source / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch MSRP (2017) | $39.99 | $5.00 | SM-era standard retail price |
| Current low (sealed, independent) | $108.99 | $13.62 | Observed October 21, 2026 |
| Current mid-range (sealed) | $138–$260 | $17.25–$32.50 | Observed October 21, 2026 |
| Premium sealed copies | $345–$631 | $43.13–$78.88 | Observed October 21, 2026; condition/provenance premium |
The $5.00 launch pack cost was standard for Sun and Moon era ETBs; SWSH-era boxes moved to $49.99 (a 25% increase) starting in 2020. Burning Shadows packs now trade well above the MSRP equivalent on the secondary market, largely because of demand for the three distinct Charizard GX printings in the set.
Pokémon Sun & Moon Burning Shadows Elite Trainer Box
$108.99 USD · observed October 21, 2026
Notable Pokémon in Burning Shadows
Burning Shadows is best known for containing three separate Charizard GX cards, a distinction no other SM-era set shares. The regular Charizard GX (11/147) is a full-art Rare GX; the Full Art Secret Rare (150/147) gives it a textured background treatment; and the Rainbow Rare (170/147) renders it in a distinctive multicolored foil finish. Pulling any of the three from an ETB pack is a meaningful find from a 2017 product.
Necrozma GX also appears in two forms in this set: Dusk Mane Necrozma GX and Dawn Wings Necrozma GX, each with Full Art and Rainbow Rare variants. The set is one of the few SM expansions where a single Legendary Pokémon's two forms both appear as GX headliners in the same product, giving collectors a natural pairing to pursue.
Other Pokémon GX in the set include Marshadow GX, Tapu Koko GX, Golisopod GX, Darkrai GX, and Machamp GX. Serebii's Burning Shadows card list confirms all 169 cards including the 22 Secret Rare slots above number 147.
How it compares to nearby ETBs
| ETB | Set | Launch MSRP | Packs | Launch date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burning Shadows | SM03 | $39.99 | 8 | Aug 4, 2017 |
| Hidden Fates | SM11.5 | $39.99 | 10 (8 Hidden Fates + 2 SM) | Aug 23, 2019 |
| Champions Path | SWSH3.5 | $49.99 | 10 (special set) | Sep 25, 2020 |
Burning Shadows launched two years before Hidden Fates and three before Champions Path, and it was the last Charizard-focused ETB at the $39.99 SM price point. Both later sets carry higher secondary premiums because of Shiny Charizard-GX (Hidden Fates) and Charizard V (Champions Path), but Burning Shadows holds its own as the set where Charizard GX first appeared in English.
Release timeline
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| August 4, 2017 | Burning Shadows (SM03) release; ETB at retail | Bulbapedia |
| 2017-2019 | In-print phase; MSRP $39.99 at major retailers | |
| 2019 onward | Out of print; secondary market only | |
| October 2026 | Current prices: $108.99-$631.00 sealed | Observed October 21, 2026 |
Who it's for, and who should skip it
The Burning Shadows ETB suits collectors who want to own a piece of the Sun and Moon era's most card-dense Charizard set in sealed form. The three-Charizard-GX structure is a genuine collector talking point, and Necrozma's dual-form GX representation makes this one of the more storied SM-era boxes.
Skip it if the goal is opening packs for competitive singles. At $13-$32+ per pack equivalent today, the expected value from random packs falls short of buying the specific cards on the singles market. An in-print Elite Trainer Box provides far more packs per dollar for active players.
A gift angle: Q4 and vintage sealed
For a Pokémon collector who grew up with the Sun and Moon era, a sealed Burning Shadows ETB is a meaningful shelf piece. Price ranges are wide, so check the listings at the holiday gift guide alongside current ETB options to match both the occasion and the budget. Independent sellers list from $108 upward as of October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- How many packs are in the Burning Shadows Elite Trainer Box?
- The Burning Shadows ETB contains 8 Sun and Moon Burning Shadows booster packs, each with 10 cards. Booster boxes for this set contain 36 packs and are a separate product.
- What sleeves come in the Burning Shadows ETB?
- The ETB includes 65 card sleeves featuring Tapu Koko-GX artwork, not Necrozma (which appears on the box). The sleeve count of 65 covers a standard 60-card deck plus five spares.
- What is the MSRP of the Burning Shadows ETB?
- The Burning Shadows ETB launched at $39.99 USD at retail in August 2017, the standard Sun and Moon era Elite Trainer Box price. It is no longer in print; sealed copies currently trade on the secondary market between $108.99 and $631.00 from independent sellers.
- Does the Burning Shadows ETB contain Charizard GX?
- The set contains three Charizard GX cards, including the first English Charizard GX ever printed: the regular Rare GX (11/147), a Full Art Secret Rare (150/147), and a Rainbow Rare (170/147). Any of the three could appear in a Burning Shadows booster pack. Pulling one is not guaranteed; the odds depend on pack luck across the eight packs in the ETB.
- Is the Burning Shadows ETB worth buying in 2026?
- As a sealed collector's item, yes, if the Sun and Moon era is meaningful to you or the person you're buying for. For opening packs to collect singles, no: at $108-$260+ sealed, the per-pack cost far exceeds buying specific Charizard GX cards directly from single-card sellers.
Browse sealed Burning Shadows and other Elite Trainer Boxes from independent shops at DexHaul's Elite Trainer Box collection. DexHaul is an independent search engine, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Pokémon Company International.
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