Honestly, if you grew up with a Game Boy in your hands, you know the Cubone trauma. We all remember Lavender Town. We all remember the ghost of Marowak. For nearly thirty years, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has leaned into that sadness, giving us card after card of a lonely little guy crying under a moon or staring at a skull.
But something weird just happened.
A cubone full art card finally exists, and it isn't what anyone expected. It isn't even in English. If you’ve been hunting through Scarlet & Violet—151 packs looking for a Secret Rare Cubone, you've probably been scratching your head. Why isn't it there?
Well, because The Pokémon Company decided to make it a region-locked treasure.
The Chinese Gem Pack Mystery
So, here’s the deal. While the rest of the world was opening the 151 set, collectors in China got something else entirely. In late 2024 and early 2025, Simplified Chinese "Gem Packs" (Volume 3, specifically) dropped a bombshell. They released five brand-new, region-exclusive Illustration Rares.
One of them was the first-ever physical cubone full art card.
It’s numbered CBB3C-04. If you look at it, the vibe is totally different from the usual "sad orphan" trope. It features Cubone in a lush, rocky field, and—wait for it—he has a friend. Another Cubone. For a Pokémon defined by loneliness, seeing two of them chilling together is basically the biggest lore shift we've seen in decades.
Collectors are losing their minds over this. Why? Because historically, China didn't get exclusive art. They usually just got late translations of Japanese sets. Now, they have the only physical version of one of the most beloved Gen 1 Pokémon’s best art.
Why You Won't Find It in Scarlet & Violet 151
A lot of people assume that because Cubone is part of the original Kanto crew, he must have a "Special Illustration Rare" in the 151 set.
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He doesn't.
In the English and Japanese 151 sets, Cubone only appears as a Common card (104/165). The art, done by Shinya Komatsu, is great—it shows Cubone pondering a bone in a field—but it’s not a full-bleed, textured art piece.
It’s a bummer, really.
The closest thing we have in the West is the Pokémon TCG Pocket mobile app. The digital "Genetic Apex" set actually features a gorgeous Cubone Illustration Rare by the artist sowsow. It’s cute. It’s vibrant. But you can't hold it. You can't put it in a top-loader. It’s just pixels.
The Market Reality: Price and Availability
If you want the physical Chinese cubone full art card, you’re going to have to open your wallet. Since it only comes in those tiny 4-card Gem Packs, the pull rates are brutal.
As of early 2026, raw copies are regularly hitting the $70 to $90 range on eBay. If you’re looking for a PSA 10? Forget it. Prices for graded copies are hovering around $250 to $300 because the "print lines" on Chinese Gem Packs are notoriously bad. Finding a "perfect" copy is like finding a shiny in the wild without a Charm.
- Set: Simplified Chinese Gem Pack Vol. 3
- Card Number: 04/07 (Simplified Chinese numbering)
- Artist: Unknown (Exclusive to the Chinese team)
- Release Date: September 2024
Is it worth it? Sorta depends on your goals. If you're a Cubone "master set" collector, this is your Mount Everest. If you're an investor, it’s a gamble. If The Pokémon Company ever decides to release this art in an English "Prismatic Evolutions" or a future "30th Anniversary" set, the Chinese version’s value might dip. But for now, it's the only game in town.
The "Fake" Full Arts on Etsy
Don't get scammed.
If you search for "Cubone full art" on Etsy or Mercari, you'll see a million "Custom" or "Proxy" cards. Some of them use the TCG Pocket art. Others use fan art of Cubone wearing a Charizard skull. They look cool, and they’re usually only $10.
Just know they aren't official. They won't hold value. They're just "waifu" style custom prints for people who want the aesthetic without the $80 price tag.
Collecting the "Sad Boy" Trio
If you can't afford the Chinese exclusive, you can still build a pretty killer "pseudo" full art collection for Cubone.
- The 151 Common (104/165): It’s five cents. Grab a Reverse Holo version for a buck and it looks nearly as good as a rare.
- The Vending Series 3 (Japanese): This is old-school cool. It has that hand-drawn, "unrefined" look that early Pokémon was known for.
- The Aquapolis Cubone: If you want "expensive but vintage," this is the one.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you’re serious about grabbing the real cubone full art card, here is exactly how you do it without getting ripped off:
First, search specifically for "Chinese Gem Pack 3 Cubone" or the card ID "CBB3C-04." Standard searches for "Cubone Full Art" will just give you the digital app screenshots or fakes.
Second, check the back of the card. Chinese Pokémon cards have the same back as Japanese cards (the classic blue and yellow design), not the English "Pokéball" back. If someone is selling an English-language version of this specific art, it is a fake. 100%.
Finally, watch the "Gem Rate." If you’re buying to grade, ask the seller for a video under a direct light. The Chinese Gem Pack cards often have vertical "roller lines" from the factory. A "Near Mint" listing might still only get a PSA 8 if those lines are deep.
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This card is a piece of history. It's the moment Cubone finally stopped crying and found a friend. For that alone, it's worth the hunt.