Pokémon Cards Have Become a Stock Market Nightmare for Millennials and Kids Alike
Millions of Pokémon fans grew up in the 90s, playing Red and Blue games or trading cards with friends. But over the past year, the franchise has taken an unexpected turn: newly released cards are virtually impossible to get your hands on due to an insane rise in reselling and scalping.
While selling old cards to collectors is part of the hobby, Pokémon's resale market has skyrocketed to the point where even new cards are valued at hundreds of pounds before they're released. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard worth over £600 – a staggering price tag that makes buying and selling cards more like playing the stock market than collecting a beloved franchise.
Online retailers such as Amazon have introduced raffle systems to buy Pokémon cards, while resellers queue for hours outside shops to grab boxes before anyone else can see them. In some cases, customers have threatened violence or even attacked staff members who refuse to give in to their demands.
The situation has been exacerbated by social media influencers and YouTubers showcasing the "value" of rare cards, often at the expense of genuine fans like Pete Sessions' son Alfie, who's become aware of the value of Pokémon cards but is concerned about the perception that it's easy to make money from them.
Meanwhile, card-grading companies have created a new layer of complexity in the market. Cards can be sent for grading and sealing, potentially increasing their value – but at what cost? The card-grading industry has become a staple of the Pokémon scene, with hobbyists competing for rare cards that are worth tens of thousands.
Despite the company's efforts to print more cards, the demand far exceeds supply. But as the market begins to correct itself, prices are starting to drop, and consumers are beginning to realize that buying and selling cards is not always a straightforward or lucrative endeavor.
Some shops have adjusted their booster pack pricing to reflect the perceived value of Pokémon cards, but BathTCG remains committed to keeping prices reasonable for its customers. "We won't do it to our customers," says owner Ben Thyer. "It's hard as a business owner to say, 'I don't want to make more money,' but I don't want to be another one of those shops remembered for scalping."
As the market continues to evolve, fans and collectors alike will have to navigate this new reality – one that is less about collecting a beloved franchise and more about navigating the cutthroat world of reselling.
Millions of Pokémon fans grew up in the 90s, playing Red and Blue games or trading cards with friends. But over the past year, the franchise has taken an unexpected turn: newly released cards are virtually impossible to get your hands on due to an insane rise in reselling and scalping.
While selling old cards to collectors is part of the hobby, Pokémon's resale market has skyrocketed to the point where even new cards are valued at hundreds of pounds before they're released. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, had a rare special illustration Charizard worth over £600 – a staggering price tag that makes buying and selling cards more like playing the stock market than collecting a beloved franchise.
Online retailers such as Amazon have introduced raffle systems to buy Pokémon cards, while resellers queue for hours outside shops to grab boxes before anyone else can see them. In some cases, customers have threatened violence or even attacked staff members who refuse to give in to their demands.
The situation has been exacerbated by social media influencers and YouTubers showcasing the "value" of rare cards, often at the expense of genuine fans like Pete Sessions' son Alfie, who's become aware of the value of Pokémon cards but is concerned about the perception that it's easy to make money from them.
Meanwhile, card-grading companies have created a new layer of complexity in the market. Cards can be sent for grading and sealing, potentially increasing their value – but at what cost? The card-grading industry has become a staple of the Pokémon scene, with hobbyists competing for rare cards that are worth tens of thousands.
Despite the company's efforts to print more cards, the demand far exceeds supply. But as the market begins to correct itself, prices are starting to drop, and consumers are beginning to realize that buying and selling cards is not always a straightforward or lucrative endeavor.
Some shops have adjusted their booster pack pricing to reflect the perceived value of Pokémon cards, but BathTCG remains committed to keeping prices reasonable for its customers. "We won't do it to our customers," says owner Ben Thyer. "It's hard as a business owner to say, 'I don't want to make more money,' but I don't want to be another one of those shops remembered for scalping."
As the market continues to evolve, fans and collectors alike will have to navigate this new reality – one that is less about collecting a beloved franchise and more about navigating the cutthroat world of reselling.
i feel bad for ppl who are just trying to get their hands on the new set but it sounds like the market is crazy out of control rn 
i mean i get that rare cards can be valuable, but £600 for a new Charizard card? that's just wild 
and whats with all these ppl threatening violence over it? its like, chill guys its just a game 
. And what's with all these social media influencers promoting rare cards? It's like, can't we just focus on having fun playing games together without worrying about making a quick buck?! 
! Like, I get it, some people wanna make money, but come on, folks! 
. And those resellers, they're kinda crazy 
. I mean, who tries to attack shop staff? 
That's just whack 
.
. I'm sure there are some legit collectors out there, but then you got these social media influencers and YouTubers trying to make bank off the hype 
.
like literally u gotta be ready to drop 600 quid on a single card just to get ur hands on it 
ben from bath tgc is right tho, dont wanna be one of those shops that gets all greedy 
i think the company should just chill and print more cards, maybe thats the solution...or ppl can just start buying for fun again instead of trying to make a profit 
. i mean, what happened to just enjoying the game or collecting cards for fun without all the drama & stress? it's become too much of a game 
.
it was like a dream come true! you'd trade them with friends, share them with your siblings, just to see what other amazing things were out there 
people are getting so caught up in the hype that they're willing to pay crazy prices for something thats just a card lol... i mean what happened to the fun of collecting? it feels like its all about making money these days 
. I saw some crazy lighthouses along the way, like the West Quoddy Head Light – it was super windy and I almost dropped my coffee 
️! Anyway, back to Pokémon cards... have you ever tried collecting anything else? Like, I've been meaning to get into vinyl records for ages, but I never seem to find the time 
. Do you think it's weird that some people are making a living off reselling rare collectibles? I mean, I guess if someone's passionate about it... 
Maybe if card-grading companies slowed down their services and made them more accessible to collectors like Ben Thyer at BathTCG, we wouldn't see this crazy price hike?
