Metagross Collector's Guide 2026: Steven's SIR, Temporal Forces IR, and Every Entry Point
By Dexhaul Team · September 17, 2026
Metagross got its biggest TCG card ever in January 2026, and it came paired with the trainer who made the character famous.
Steven's Metagross ex is a Special Illustration Rare numbered 289/217 in Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes, released January 30, 2026. That set is the largest English TCG expansion ever printed at 295 cards total, beating the previous record held by Fusion Strike's 284.
The "Steven's" prefix places this card in a new category called Trainer's Pokémon, introduced in Ascended Heroes. Steven Stone was the Champion of Hoenn in the original Ruby and Sapphire games and Mega Metagross was his signature in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This is the first Metagross card in over 20 years of TCG printing to carry a trainer's name in its title.
That distinction drives the $109.99 raw price. Here is how the rest of the collection stacks up.
Why Metagross Has a Collector Following
Metagross (#376) is a Steel/Psychic pseudo-legendary. Gen 3 (Ruby and Sapphire, 2003) is its debut generation, and it evolves from Metang.
The biology matters to collectors because Bulbapedia's Metagross entry describes it as the result of two Metang fusing. Each Metang itself formed from two Beldum, so four Beldum total compose one Metagross, giving it four brains.
That four-brain architecture is the lore TCG artists keep returning to. The cross-shaped neural junction visible in virtually every card's illustration is a direct reference to that internal structure.
Collectors who care about the competitive game history, the trainer character lore, and the Mega Evolution mechanic all converge on this single character. That overlap across three distinct collector motivations is what sustains demand across every price tier.
Entry Tier: Under $10
Two cards sit cleanly at the bottom of the Metagross price ladder.
Metagross V from Sword and Shield: Chilling Reign (112/198) lists at $1.25 raw. That price surprises collectors who remember SW&SH V cards as a premium tier during 2021 competitive play.
The deflation is structural: SW&SH print runs were enormous and collector demand has shifted toward SV-era releases. Metagross V is undervalued for its age and art quality.
There is also no English SV-era Metagross V above it in the standard-set lineup. For a new collector, $1.25 is a clean starting point that leaves room to upgrade.
The other entry option is Metagross 080/071 from the Japanese SV5M: Cyber Judge set at $7.99. The above-set card number (080 exceeds the 071-card main set count) flags it as a bonus rarity card. There is no direct English equivalent in the same format, making it an import-only addition for collectors building a comprehensive binder.
Mid Tier: $35 to $80
Three cards anchor the mid-range, each from a different era and each with a different collector rationale.
Metagross 178/162 from SV05: Temporal Forces is the only English SV-era alt-art Metagross right now, priced at $35. The above-set numbering (178 exceeds the 162-card base set) identifies it as an Illustration Rare, not a full-art or SIR.
In an era where high-demand characters routinely get Special Illustration Rares with trainer pairings, Metagross received exactly one IR treatment in the standard SV-era set lineup. Collectors who want a modern SV alt-art Metagross in English have this single option.
M Metagross EX XY35 is a Black Star Promo distributed outside booster packs during the XY series, priced at $59. It never appeared as a main-set pull.
It came through promotional events, gift bundles, and retail exclusives. Collectors searching "Mega Metagross" often miss this, expecting the card in a booster-set search. That distribution history keeps raw copies at a premium more than a decade after release.
Rounding out the mid tier is the Metagross holo rare 11/107 from EX: Deoxys (2004–2005) at $52.36 raw. The EX era was the first TCG series to name sets after Pokémon rather than game mechanics.
EX Deoxys distributed at standard volumes, but two decades of attrition have thinned NM supply. A CGC 9 has been listed at $120.
Premium Tier: Steven's SIR and Graded EX Era
Steven's Metagross ex SIR 289/217 at $109.99 is the single highest-value Metagross card in English right now.
Ascended Heroes introduced Trainer's Pokémon as a distinct card category alongside a new rarity called Mega attack rare. Steven's Metagross ex is classified as a Special Illustration Rare: the full-bleed artwork format with the trainer-Pokémon pairing rendered across the entire card face. At 289/217 it sits well into the 78-card secret section of the set.
Those 78 secret cards include 22 SIRs, 7 Mega attack rares, and 14 ultra rares. All are premium above-set treatments in the largest English set ever made.
For collectors who prefer the Japanese predecessor, the MEGA Dream ex subset includes Steven's Metagross ex as a Special Art Rare (#245/193). Raw Japanese copies list from $39. A PSA 10 Japanese copy has been listed at $89, which can close or exceed the English raw gap depending on population.
For the EX Deoxys holo at the top of its raw range, grading to CGC 9 is the cleaner collection choice: authenticated condition certainty that a raw copy cannot offer.
The Non-TCG Option: Pokémon fit Plush
Pokémon fit is the only plush line to include Metagross as a seated figure.
Metagross's four legs and flat-disc body make the fit format a design challenge. The seated pose collapses the leg geometry into a compact footprint.
The result lists at roughly $21–$25 across sellers, cheaper than comparable pseudo-legendary fit entries for Dragonite or Tyranitar. Collectors building display-shelf pairings with the Steven's Metagross ex SIR often pick this up as the matching physical piece.
Which Entry Point Fits Your Collection
The Metagross collection breaks cleanly into three decisions based on what you are after.
If you want a modern SV-era English card with non-standard art, the Temporal Forces IR 178/162 at $35 is your only option. There is no English SV main-series SIR for Metagross: the Steven's Metagross ex SIR belongs to Ascended Heroes, a special set outside the numbered SV series.
If you want the character at its current premium ceiling, Steven's Metagross ex SIR from Ascended Heroes at $109.99 is the card. It is the first Metagross card to carry a trainer's name, from the largest English expansion ever released.
If the XY Mega Evolution era is your focus, the M Metagross EX XY35 Black Star Promo at $59 is the path. It requires active hunting rather than luck of the pull.
Browse current Metagross listings across independent shops at DexHaul's Metagross search. DexHaul is independent and not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or any of the sellers listed.