# How many Illustration Rares are in Mega Evolution?

> Mega Evolution has 32 Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares.
>
> Source: https://www.nomekop.app/faqs/how-many-illustration-rares-in-mega-evolution — NOMEKOP, an independent Pokémon TCG binder tool
> (not affiliated with Nintendo / The Pokémon Company). Figures as of June 2026.

**Mega Evolution has 32 Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares.**

## Illustration Rares in Mega Evolution

Illustration Rares (IR) and Special Illustration Rares (SIR) are the full-art, scene-style cards collectors chase hardest. Mega Evolution packs 32 of them into its 188 cards: 22 standard IRs and 10 larger-art SIRs. That puts the full-art count at roughly 17% of the set — a meaningful share of why Mega Evolution is fun to open.

## The Mega Evolution full-art cards to hunt

- [Mega Lucario ex (#179)](/card/me1-179) — Special Illustration Rare (~$242.26)
- [Mega Gardevoir ex (#178)](/card/me1-178) — Special Illustration Rare (~$206.16)
- [Mega Venusaur ex (#177)](/card/me1-177) — Special Illustration Rare (~$185.80)
- [Mega Latias ex (#181)](/card/me1-181) — Special Illustration Rare (~$97.51)

## Star Pokémon with full-art cards in Mega Evolution

The marquee Pokémon getting the IR/SIR treatment here, with their prints:

- **Mega Lucario** — Mega Lucario ex (#77), Mega Lucario ex (#160), Mega Lucario ex (#179), Mega Lucario ex (#188)
- **Mega Gardevoir** — Mega Gardevoir ex (#60), Mega Gardevoir ex (#159), Mega Gardevoir ex (#178), Mega Gardevoir ex (#187)
- **Mega Venusaur** — Mega Venusaur ex (#3), Mega Venusaur ex (#155), Mega Venusaur ex (#177)
- **Mega Latias** — Mega Latias ex (#100), Mega Latias ex (#163), Mega Latias ex (#181)
- **Mega Absol** — Mega Absol ex (#86), Mega Absol ex (#161), Mega Absol ex (#180)

These cards drive much of Mega Evolution's secondary-market value and help push a full master set to 310 cards. The rarest card overall, Mega Lucario ex (#188) (Mega Hyper Rare), sits just above them on the rarity ladder.

## IR vs SIR in Mega Evolution

If you're prioritising, the 10 Special Illustration Rares are the scarcer, pricier tier — full-bleed art and lower pull rates — while the 22 standard Illustration Rares are more attainable but still some of the best-looking cards in Mega Evolution. Together those 32 full-art cards are the heart of the set's chase and the reason a master set climbs to 310 cards.

Figures are from the pokemontcg.io dataset (TCGplayer pricing), as of June 2026.