The hunt for one of the rarest creatures in the Pokemon world is finally on! As part of its 9th Anniversary Party, Niantic has officially released Shiny Gimmighoul into Pokemon GO for the very first time. This elusive, golden ghost is the treasure every trainer will be seeking during the event, which runs from Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 10 AM to Sunday, July 6, at 8 PM local time.
Catching this rare variant requires a bit of strategy and coordination with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on the Nintendo Switch. This guide will break down everything you need to know to add a Shiny Gimmighoul and its evolution, Gholdengo, to your collection.
How to Find Shiny Gimmighoul: Gold PokeStops and the Coin Bag
Shiny Gimmighoul is not a wild spawn you’ll find just by walking around. It can only be encountered through two specific methods, both of which require you to link your Pokemon GO and Nintendo Switch accounts.
Method 1: The Gold PokeStop
This is the primary way to hunt for the shiny variant. Shiny Gimmighoul will only appear at Gold PokeStops. While these may appear randomly during the event, the only guaranteed way to create one is by using a Golden Lure Module.
How to Get a Golden Lure Module:
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Link your Pokemon GO account to a Pokemon Scarlet or Violet game.
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Send five Postcards from your Pokemon GO Postcard Book to your Switch game.
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After the fifth postcard, you will receive one Golden Lure Module.
Keep in mind that you can only hold one Golden Lure Module at a time, so use it before you try to earn another.
Method 2: The Coin Bag
The Coin Bag acts like a special incense that exclusively attracts Roaming Form Gimmighoul to your location for 30 minutes. While it can spawn a shiny, its main purpose is to help you encounter Gimmighoul daily.
How to Activate the Coin Bag (Daily):
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Link Your Accounts: In Pokemon GO, go to Settings > Connected Devices and Services > Nintendo Switch. In Scarlet/Violet, open the menu, go to Poke Portal, and select Mystery Gift > Connect to Pokemon GO.
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Send a Postcard: Open your Postcard Book in Pokemon GO, select a postcard, and choose the “Send to Nintendo Switch” option.
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Activate: Once the postcard is received on your Switch, the Coin Bag will become available in your Pokemon GO inventory. Tap it to begin your 30-minute encounter session.
You can repeat this process once per day to use the Coin Bag.
How to Evolve Gimmighoul into Gholdengo
Evolving Gimmighoul is a unique task that doesn’t involve candy. Instead, you need to become a true treasure hunter.
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Requirement: Collect 999 Gimmighoul Coins.
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How to Get Coins: You can only obtain Gimmighoul Coins by spinning Gold PokeStops.
This requirement is the same for evolving both a regular and a Shiny Gimmighoul into Gholdengo. Start spinning those Gold PokeStops to gather the treasure you need!
Quick Tips for Success
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Shiny Gimmighoul is exclusive to encounters from Gold PokeStops and the Coin Bag.
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Link to Scarlet/Violet is essential for both methods.
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Send 5 Postcards to get a Golden Lure Module to create your own Gold PokeStop.
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Send 1 Postcard daily to activate your 30-minute Coin Bag.
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Spin every Gold PokeStop you see to collect the 999 Gimmighoul Coins needed for evolution.
Happy hunting, trainers! May your PokeStops be golden and your Gimmighouls be shiny.
