Trading Card Buying Guides

The newest sets, decoded. CardPop buying guides break down every fresh trading card release — the latest Pokémon expansion, the current AFL Teamcoach range and the newest Topps drop — and call out the chase cards actually worth hunting.

• Mega Evolution: Pitch Black — Pokémon TCG, released 17 July 2026. Pitch Black is the fifth Mega Evolution-era expansion, leaning into shadowy artwork and tying straight into Pokémon Legends Z-A. Mega Darkrai ex headlines a stacked chase list of Special Illustration and gold Hyper Rares.
• AFL Teamcoach 2026 — AFL Footy, released 31 March 2026. The 2026 Teamcoach range packs base, Silver and Gold cards alongside the insert series collectors actually chase — Star Powers, Wildcards and Card Craft. Boxes run 36 packs of 9, so there’s plenty to hunt.
• Topps Series 2 2026 — Baseball, released 10 June 2026. Series 2 celebrates 75 years of Topps with one of the strongest rookie classes in years, headlined by Roman Anthony. Chase the flagship rookies, 1952 Topps variations and the short-print insert battery.
• Topps Basketball 2025-26 — Basketball, released 23 October 2025. Topps’ return to NBA hardwood lands a 300-card base set led by a stacked Cooper Flagg rookie class. Chase the first-ever Victor Wembanyama Spurs autographs, fully licensed LeBron autos and the Golden Mirror short-print variations.