eBay launches the 30/30 Collection for Pokémon Day — iconic trading cards start at original retail prices

Whether you've been there since the very beginning for Pokémon's reign or you recently caught the pocket monster-collecting bug, you know it's only gotten more popular over the years. Feb. 27 is Pokémon Day, an annual celebration of the launch of the original Pokémon Red and Green games in Japan. This year, the brand is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special livestream and a variety of events that multiple companies are getting in on as well: eBay, for example.

The massively popular ecommerce brand announced its own way of celebrating Pokémon today: The 30/30 Collection, a curated selection of Pokémon items representing 30 years of the brand's history. The 30-item selection includes a holographic 1996 Pokémon Trading Card Game Base Set Japanese Charizard, for instance, graded as a PSA 9.2. There's also a special 2021 Seiko Pokémon Special Model Blastoise watch, limited to 700 pieces. Those pieces and more will be available on eBay for auctions that start at their original retail prices.

But you can't just go run to eBay right now and score low prices on all of these curated Pokémon goodies. You'll have to wait to compete with other fans for The 30/30 Collection and join eBay on Feb. 27, Pokémon Day, to do that. The 30/30 Collection will be auctioned live from New York at 6 p.m. ET. at The Standard Biergarten in the Meatpacking District, so you can join the block party and auctions there, or participate online.

Either way, it's a chance for you to potentially score coveted Pokémon goodies at thousands of dollars less than their market value. If you've had your eye on a specific collector's card or other piece of Pokémon history, you may want to mark your calendars and clear your schedule for Pokémon Day.