Black Star Promo cards are special promotional cards that are produced to promote a Pokémon event or a particular expansion series. These cards are identified by a black star at the bottom of the card with the word Promo written through it.
Black Star Promo Cards also have a unique identifier made up of letters representing the expansion set and a number.
The Charizard GX card pictured here has the number SM211. SM represents the Sun and Moon series and the card is the 217th promo card in the Sun and Moon Series.
The first Promo cards were introduced by Wizards of the Coast in July 1999 and were identified by a number in the bottom right hand corner. The Treecko card below is the 16th card issued by Wizards of the Coast.
There were a total of 53 cards issued by Wizards of the Coast until Nintendo took over production in 2003.
Nintendo carried on the tradition of producing Black Star Promo cards and to date have issued:
Nintendo Series – 40 Cards
Diamond and Pearl Series – 56 cards
HeartGold SoulSilver – 25 cards
Black and White Series – 101 cards
XY Series – 211 cards
Sun and Moon Series – 247 cards
Sword and Shield Series – 307 cards
Scarlet and Violet Series – 50 cards to date
Where Can I Find Black Star Promo Cards?
Black Star Promo Cards can not be found in regular booster packs, instead they are released in special collection sets or tins. Raichu SM213 was a promotional card included with one design of the Sun and Moon Hidden Fates Collector’s tins.
Black Star Promo cards are also issued at special events. Some are produced specially as prizes in Trading Card Competitions.
How Valuable are Black Star Promo Cards?
The majority of Black Star Promo cards fetch about the same price as their non-promo counterparts with art and holo cards worth more than non-art cards.
The first Promo Card produced in July 1999 depicts Pikachu and is numbered 1. This card would be expected to be worth a lot of money but currently sells for around $10.
Birthday Pikachu, produced by Wizards of the Coast in 2001, numbered 24 is worth considerably more at $200.
The most valuable Promo cards are the ones that have not been produced in huge quantities. Those that have been given as prizes at tournaments and World Championships are hard to come by and fetch a good price at auction.
Championship Arena, given as a prize at the 2005 World Championships has a market value of around $2,000.
You may also like:
Scarlet and Violet Promos Card List
Sword and Shield Promos Card List
Sun and Moon Promos Card List
X and Y Promos Card List
Black and White Promos Card List
Diamond and Pearl Promos Card List
Nintendo Promos Card List
Wizards of the Coast Promos Card List
