Platinum Series

The Platinum era, which ran from 2009 to early 2010, was a direct continuation of the Diamond & Pearl series and was heavily focused on competitive play. This era is defined by two major mechanics: Pokémon LV.X, which were cards that "leveled up" existing Pokémon with new abilities and attacks, and Pokémon SP (Special Pokémon).These SP cards, like Team Galactic's Pokémon, were powerful, fast, and supported by a strong engine of trainer cards. The era also introduced the Lost Zone, a new game area (like the discard pile, but permanent) that created unique strategies. For collectors, the Platinum and Supreme Victors sets are famous for their "SH" subset of cards featuring Shiny Pokémon.