Chimchar Collector's Guide 2026: The 30th Anniversary Promo Map, TCG History, and Every Entry Point
By Dexhaul Team · September 23, 2026
The Chimchar 30th Anniversary promo (011/30th-P) exists in three separate language versions, across three separate product tracks, at three separate price points.
Most collectors searching for it are looking for one specific version. Many do not know the other two exist.
Chimchar (#390, Fire-type) is the Sinnoh starter introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in 2006. It evolves into Monferno at level 14 and into Infernape at level 36. As of September 2026, Chimchar has received dedicated 30th Anniversary promo treatment across Japanese, Chinese Simplified, and English Black Star tracks. This guide maps all three, adds the TCG era breakdown, and covers physical merchandise options currently available from independent sellers.
The Japanese M-P Sinnoh Booster Box
The Japanese 30th Celebration Card Set for the Sinnoh starters launched September 16, 2026 alongside the English 30th Celebration release. The product is a booster box in the M-P (Mystery Pack) promotional series, specifically labelled "M-P (Sinnoh)," containing Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup promo cards designated in the Japanese 30th-P promotional numbering system.
This is not the same product as the English 30th Celebration set. English buyers focused on the ETB and Booster Bundle miss it entirely. The M-P Sinnoh box is a Japan-domestic product reaching the US and Australian market only through importers.
Two listings are in stock through independent sellers right now: PokeNinJapan at $63.00 for the booster box format, and Fandom Tokyo at $94.00 for the card accessories bundle format. These are different presentations of the same promo content. The PokeNinJapan listing is the standard booster box. The Fandom Tokyo listing is the card accessories version, which typically includes card-specific display or storage components alongside the promo cards.
The Chimchar M-P promo card inside is numbered 011/30th-P in the Japanese system. This numbering is specific to the 30th Anniversary series and does not map to any standard set number.
Track Two: Chinese Simplified Standalone
The Simplified Chinese edition of the Chimchar 011/30th-P promo is a standalone card listing at $10.95 from KrystalKollectz. It carries the same 011/30th-P designation as the Japanese version but is printed in Chinese Simplified for the mainland China market.
For collectors building a multi-language promo set, this is the most accessible entry point in the 011/30th-P number. The Chinese Simplified edition is a single card purchase, not bundled into a booster box. That makes it the obvious choice if you want the promo art without committing to the full $63 Japanese box.
The card is not pullable from any booster pack. It is exclusively a promo card distributed through official Simplified Chinese retail channels and now available through secondary market importers.
Track Three: English Black Star Promo #041
The English market received its own Chimchar 30th Anniversary promo as Black Star #041, part of the "First Partner" promotional arc. This card is numbered consecutively with Turtwig (#040) and Piplup (#042), making the Sinnoh trio a three-card sequential run within the English Black Star system.
Buying all three as a set from Piece of the Game ($34.99 for the trio) is substantially cheaper than buying them individually from three separate secondary market listings, and it guarantees you have all three in comparable condition.
The Black Star promo is a holo treatment. The English artwork is distinct from the Japanese 011/30th-P and the Chinese Simplified edition. All three language versions share the same promo concept but were printed with different artwork and different numbering systems for their respective markets.
One practical note for buyers: the Black Star designation means this card is not tracked in the standard English set databases in the same way a set card would be. Searches for "Chimchar promo" on secondary market platforms return listings mixing the Black Star #041, the Japanese M-P, and the Korean reprint version. Check the card number on the listing before buying if the specific language track matters to you.
The TCG Era Breakdown
Outside the 30th Anniversary promo window, the Chimchar TCG catalog is thin by design. Chimchar is a stage-1 basic in a three-stage evolution line. In the Diamond and Pearl era (2007-2010), Chimchar appeared regularly as a common in sets including DP Base, Mysterious Treasures, and Great Encounters, priced in the $1-5 range raw. None of these carry meaningful rarity premium today.
Chimchar has not received a V, VMAX, VSTAR, or ex designation in any Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet era English set. The modern holo Chimchar market is entirely promo-driven. If you are searching for a rare Chimchar card in 2026, you are searching for a promo card or a DP era holo variant, not a standard SV set pull.
The Cosmos Holo variant (76/130 Miscellaneous Cards) at $25.00 raw is a distinct artifact from the black-label accessory era of TCG products. Cosmos holofoil is a non-standard holo treatment applied to promotional prints distributed through specific retail channels rather than booster packs. It is not a set card. For collectors building a complete Chimchar holo run, this is a separate acquisition target from the standard DP era holos and the 30th Anniversary promos.
Plush and Figure Options
The Banpresto Chimchar 9" plush at $34.99 from Awesome Cards, Collectibles & Games is the primary standalone plush in stock. Banpresto prize plush reaches Western retail through importers after its crane machine distribution cycle in Japan; the $34.99 price reflects import margins, not MSRP, because no Western MSRP exists for prize plush lines. At 9 inches, this is a display-scale piece rather than a pocket-size format.
The Chimchar Fit Plush ($24.99) is also available. The Fit line uses a seated compact pose designed by The Pokémon Company for shelf display without a stand. Chimchar's four-limbed crouch pose translates effectively to the Fit format's proportions, making it one of the cleaner character translations in the Sinnoh starter Fit lineup.
On the figure side, the Funko Pop Chimchar (#963) at $11.99-$14.95 from multiple sellers is the most accessible Chimchar figure in the current market. At this price point it is primarily a display piece rather than a graded collectible, and it represents the only major Western-market figure format that produced a standalone Chimchar unit.
Buyer Decision Map
If you want the 30th Anniversary promo without a language preference: the Chinese Simplified 011/30th-P at $10.95 is the cheapest single-card entry point. The English Black Star #041 at $10.00 is marginally cheaper and is the English-language equivalent. Both carry the promo art treatment.
If you want all three English Sinnoh starters as a matched set: the First Partner trio listing at $34.99 is the cleanest path. It guarantees consecutively numbered cards (#040, #041, #042) from a single seller in comparable condition.
If you want the Japanese M-P Sinnoh booster box as a sealed product: the PokeNinJapan listing at $63.00 is the standard format. The Fandom Tokyo listing at $94.00 is the card accessories bundle, worth paying only if the accessories themselves are in scope for your collection.
Plush collectors have two active options at $24.99 (Fit) and $34.99 (Banpresto 9"). The Fit is the more compact display piece. The Banpresto is the larger collector-scale format. Both are currently in stock.
Browse all available Chimchar products from independent shops at Dexhaul.