Checking In From The Farm…
Some EX sets feel nostalgic.
EX Team Rocket Returns feels dangerous.
This set brought back Team Rocket after years away from the spotlight — but now the artwork was darker, the Pokémon were corrupted again, and the EX era power creep made everything feel more intense.
And honestly? Modern collectors are finally starting to realize how special this set actually is.
Low print era. Fan favorite Pokémon. Gold Stars. Rocket branding. EX cards. Reverse holo stamps.
This set has almost everything collectors chase today.
One Of The Best Booster Pack Eras Ever
These packs FEEL like the mid-2000s Pokémon era.
Dark color palettes. Aggressive artwork. Team Rocket logos everywhere. Even sealed collectors who do not open packs anymore still hunt these down because the display presence is so strong.
What Was Happening In Pokémon At The Time?
This set released in 2004 during the EX era while the anime was deep into Hoenn.
The Pokémon Company was experimenting more with storytelling and tone. Team Magma, Team Aqua, and eventually Team Rocket all returned in different forms during this period.
Meanwhile the card game itself was becoming much faster and more strategic than the original Wizards era.
EX Pokémon were huge threats with massive HP and powerful attacks — but giving up two prize cards made them risky.
That tension is part of what made this era so memorable competitively.
The Card Everyone Keeps Coming Back To…
Dark Dragonite is one of those cards that quietly keeps gaining respect.
The artwork is incredible. The dark holo background pops in person. And Dragonite remains one of the safest long-term collector Pokémon in the hobby.
Stamped reverse holo versions especially feel undervalued compared to modern scarcity.
Rocket’s Scizor ex Might Be A Sleeper
Rocket’s Scizor ex checks a LOT of boxes:
- Scizor collector demand
- EX-era silver borders
- Rocket branding
- Lower PSA populations than modern chase cards
This feels like exactly the kind of card people “discover” later and suddenly start chasing hard.
Torchic Gold Star Changed Everything ⭐
Gold Stars were still NEW at the time.
Collectors today sometimes forget how shocking these cards felt when they first appeared.
Pull rates were brutal.
And Torchic Gold Star has become one of the most beloved Gold Stars in the hobby.
Low PSA 10 populations plus huge collector demand make this one of the true centerpiece cards from the EX era.
Torchic says: “This card probably isn’t getting cheaper long-term.” 🐔
Don’t Ignore The Reverse Holos
EX stamped reverse holos are still one of the coolest niche collector markets in Pokémon.
A lot of collectors ignored them for years.
Now people are realizing:
- many are genuinely hard to find clean
- they look incredible in binders
- they often have lower populations than the main holos
Dark Tyranitar stamped reverses especially feel like they still have room to grow.
The Market Today
EX Team Rocket Returns sealed product has become extremely difficult to find.
- Booster boxes rarely surface
- Heavy packs command huge premiums
- Stamped reverses are drying up
- Gold Stars remain centerpiece grails
This set also benefits from something important:
It appeals to BOTH vintage collectors and EX-era collectors.
That overlap matters a lot long term.
Competitive Play Then vs Now
Back in the day, this set absolutely impacted competitive play.
Dark Electrode and Rocket’s Admin. especially saw serious use.
Compared to modern Pokémon, the game was slower and more tactical — but the foundations of modern competitive strategy were forming here.
Looking back now, you can really see the bridge between old-school Pokémon and the modern game.
Building The Collection?
PokeFarm TCG focuses on collector-friendly pricing and helping people enjoy the hobby without losing the fun.
Back To The Farm
EX Team Rocket Returns feels like one of those sets people will look back on and say:
“I should have paid more attention when prices were lower.”
The artwork is dark. The nostalgia is strong. The sealed supply is thin.
And honestly… this set still feels underappreciated compared to what it could become.
