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Destined Rivals Grading Guide: Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex & Best Cards to Submit (2026)

Destined Rivals' 244 cards make it the biggest Scarlet & Violet-era set — and Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR is one of 2025's defining chases. The cards worth the grading fee.

PreGradeCards Research Team Published Sep 29, 2026 Updated Sep 29, 2026 4 min read

Pokemon Destined Rivals trading cards featuring Team Rocket Mewtwo card artwork spread on a collector's desk

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The Short Answer

Destined Rivals (May 30, 2025) is the largest S&V-era set: 244 cards — 182 main + 62 secret rares
Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR #231 (~$455 raw) is the flagship chase — grade any clean copy
Cynthia's Garchomp ex SIR #232 (~$234) and Ethan's Ho-Oh ex #230 (~$152) round out the top tier
62 secret rares means chase density is low — most hits are mid-tier SIRs worth $30-100
Trainer's Pokemon theme (Team Rocket, Cynthia, Ethan) gives the set unusual collector breadth
Grade top chases at PSA Standard; mid SIRs only after a strict defect screen

The Biggest Set of the Scarlet & Violet Era

Destined Rivals (set code DRI) released May 30, 2025 with 244 cards — 182 main-set plus a massive 62 secret rares, the largest S&V-era expansion. Its theme pairs two beloved eras: Team Rocket's Pokemon (Mewtwo ex, Nidoking ex, Moltres ex — the first Rocket cards in over a decade) against Trainer's Pokemon led by Cynthia's Garchomp ex and Ethan's Ho-Oh ex.

The huge secret-rare pool means the chase odds are diluted — but the top of the set is genuinely strong. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR #231 runs ~$455 raw and is one of 2025's defining chase cards. This guide covers what deserves the grading fee and what doesn't.

Set Structure and Identity

Released: May 30, 2025 (English)
Size: 244 total — 182 main set + 62 secret rares
Theme: Owner's Pokemon — Team Rocket's Pokemon (Mewtwo, Nidoking, Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno) vs. Trainer's Pokemon (Cynthia's Garchomp, Ethan's Ho-Oh, Misty's, Team Rocket's Giovanni)
Rarities: Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, Hyper Rares, Ultra Rares across the 62-card secret tier

The nostalgia engine is powerful here — Team Rocket returning after years away drove heavy ripping, and the Mewtwo SIR's artwork (dark, cinematic) became the era-defining pull.

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Top Chase Cards to Grade

Card	#	Est. Raw	Verdict
Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR	231/182	~$400-455	Grade — flagship chase
Cynthia's Garchomp ex SIR	232/182	~$230-234	Grade
Ethan's Ho-Oh ex SIR	230/182	~$150-152	Grade strong copies
Team Rocket's Nidoking ex SIR	233/182	~$95-100	Screen first
Team Rocket's Moltres ex SIR	229/182	~$90-94	Screen first
Team Rocket's Crobat ex SIR	234/182	~$60-63	Marginal

Mewtwo ex SIR: at ~$455 raw, grading is near-automatic on clean copies — the PSA 10 premium on the era's flagship Trainer card runs well into four figures, and even a 9 retains solid value because it's a generational Mewtwo.

Cynthia's Garchomp: Cynthia is among the most-collected trainers; Garchomp ex SIR holds ~$230+ raw. Grade clean copies.

Ho-Oh ex: Johto nostalgia plus Ethan — steady $150 tier. Grade screened copies.

The Mid Tier — Most of the 62 Secret Rares

62 secret rares means most Destined Rivals SIRs/IRs land in the $5-60 range. At ~$20-70 all-in grading cost, the math only works if the card grades a 10 and comps show a graded premium that clears the fee.

Under $40 raw: nearly always skip — fee exceeds realistic graded premium
$40-100 raw: grade only flawless copies; CGC Economy ($20) is the margin-preserving lane
$100+ raw: grade after screening; PSA or CGC Standard both work

Check specific card comps at our population tool before submitting — Destined Rivals pops are still growing, and thin-pop mid-tier SIRs sometimes carry surprising premiums.

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Destined Rivals Screening Notes

Print quality was average: mid-2025 S&V-era printing produced the usual spread — off-center copies, minor edge whitening, occasional press lines on textured cards.
Dark artwork: the Team Rocket cards lean dark — whitening on dark-bordered art is extremely visible to graders. Check edges under angled light.
Textured SIRs: roller lines across the embossed texture are a known S&V-era defect — tilt-check every SIR.
Pack-fresh isn't defect-free: always inspect before assuming a clean pull grades a 10.

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Does Grading Destined Rivals Pay?

Yes: the three lead chases (Mewtwo, Garchomp, Ho-Oh) plus clean copies of the Rocket legendary birds (Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno SIRs when comps support) — these carry generational-demand premiums.

Marginal: $40-100 SIRs — only flawless copies, only at CGC Economy pricing, only when comps confirm a graded premium.

No: IRs and the bulk of the secret-rare pool — fee exceeds card economics.

Run each candidate through the ROI calculator with live comps before committing fees.

How to Submit

Screen every candidate — centering, edges, surface, corners.
Tier by value: Mewtwo/Garchomp → PSA Standard ($59.99) or Priority; mid SIRs → CGC Economy ($20) or SGC Standard ($50).
Declared value — Mewtwo ex PSA 10 comps can exceed $1,000, pushing it into PSA Priority's $1,500 cap; see the declared value guide.
Standard packing: penny sleeve → Card Saver I → team-bag sandwich → tracked shipping.

Full process: PSA submission guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most valuable card in Destined Rivals?

Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex Special Illustration Rare (#231/182) is the most valuable Destined Rivals card at roughly $400-455 raw. It's followed by Cynthia's Garchomp ex SIR #232 (~$234), Ethan's Ho-Oh ex SIR #230 (~$152), Team Rocket's Nidoking ex SIR #233 (~$100), and Team Rocket's Moltres ex SIR #229 (~$94).

Is Destined Rivals worth grading?

The top chase cards are — Mewtwo ex, Garchomp ex, and Ho-Oh ex SIRs all carry enough raw value to justify grading fees on clean copies. Most of the set's 62 secret rares sit below $60 raw, where grading only pays at a perfect grade with confirmed premium comps.

How many cards are in Destined Rivals?

244 cards total — 182 in the main set plus 62 secret rares, making it the largest expansion of the Scarlet & Violet era. It released May 30, 2025 in English.

What is the pull rate for Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR?

Specific SIR pull rates in late S&V-era sets run roughly 1 in 300-500 packs depending on set size. With 62 secret rares diluting the pool, a specific Destined Rivals SIR like Mewtwo ex is among the rarer pulls in the era — which is why the raw price stays near $450.

Should I grade Destined Rivals at PSA or CGC?

For the top chases ($150+), PSA typically returns the strongest resale premium. For mid-tier SIRs ($40-100), CGC Economy at $20/card preserves margin better than PSA's $59.99 Standard — but verify that your specific card carries a CGC premium before choosing the cheaper lane.

Sources & Further Reading

PreGradeCards Research Team Contributor

The PreGradeCards Research Team combines machine-learning engineers, grading analysts, and collector-education specialists to produce accurate, data-driven guides on AI card grading, professional grading standards, and collecting strategy.

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