Pokémon Trading Cards Have Become a Hotly Speculated Market for Millennials
The world of Pokémon has been around since the late 90s, captivating millions with its iconic characters and engaging gameplay. However, in recent times, the trading card aspect of the franchise has taken an unexpected turn – it's become nearly impossible to get your hands on newly released cards due to a surge in reselling and scalping.
While collecting Pokémon cards as a hobby has always been a part of the franchise's appeal, the rise of online marketplaces like Amazon and social media influencers has transformed the trading card game into a speculative stock market. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, featured a rare special illustration Charizard that was being valued at over £600 before anyone had even found one.
As a result, adults are snapping up all available cards they can get their hands on, making it virtually impossible for kids who genuinely want to collect them or play the game associated with the cards. Online, buyers can only request to purchase Pokémon cards through Amazon, entering an opaque raffle system that leaves many in the dark.
In-store, resellers are queuing for hours outside shops, hovering around shelves as they're being restocked, and buying up every item before anyone else can even see it – all with the ultimate goal of selling boxes at inflated prices later on. This behavior has led to a toxic environment, with some stores experiencing customers threatening violence or other forms of aggression.
"It's become quite unpleasant at times," says Ben Thyer, owner of BathTCG, an independent shop specializing in trading card games. "We've even seen people who buy our products and list them immediately on Facebook, while still in our carrier bags, or sell it right outside the shop." As a result, some shops have had to limit their stock or stop selling booster packs altogether.
The hype around potentially making hundreds of pounds from opening a pack has led to a volatile market where people use apps like Collectr to track card portfolio price fluctuations. Some resellers are even resorting to devious tactics such as selling fake cards or opening and resealing packs after swapping out rare cards.
However, there are signs that the resale market is starting to correct itself, with prices of singles coming down and sealed products becoming more accessible. While some shops have adjusted their booster pack pricing to reflect perceived value, BathTCG remains committed to protecting its customers by keeping prices reasonable.
"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," Thyer explains. "Once the bubble bursts and everything goes back to normal, hopefully people will remember that we protected our community and looked after our players – that we ensured our local customers got cards at reasonable prices."
The world of Pokémon has been around since the late 90s, captivating millions with its iconic characters and engaging gameplay. However, in recent times, the trading card aspect of the franchise has taken an unexpected turn – it's become nearly impossible to get your hands on newly released cards due to a surge in reselling and scalping.
While collecting Pokémon cards as a hobby has always been a part of the franchise's appeal, the rise of online marketplaces like Amazon and social media influencers has transformed the trading card game into a speculative stock market. The latest set, Phantasmal Flames, featured a rare special illustration Charizard that was being valued at over £600 before anyone had even found one.
As a result, adults are snapping up all available cards they can get their hands on, making it virtually impossible for kids who genuinely want to collect them or play the game associated with the cards. Online, buyers can only request to purchase Pokémon cards through Amazon, entering an opaque raffle system that leaves many in the dark.
In-store, resellers are queuing for hours outside shops, hovering around shelves as they're being restocked, and buying up every item before anyone else can even see it – all with the ultimate goal of selling boxes at inflated prices later on. This behavior has led to a toxic environment, with some stores experiencing customers threatening violence or other forms of aggression.
"It's become quite unpleasant at times," says Ben Thyer, owner of BathTCG, an independent shop specializing in trading card games. "We've even seen people who buy our products and list them immediately on Facebook, while still in our carrier bags, or sell it right outside the shop." As a result, some shops have had to limit their stock or stop selling booster packs altogether.
The hype around potentially making hundreds of pounds from opening a pack has led to a volatile market where people use apps like Collectr to track card portfolio price fluctuations. Some resellers are even resorting to devious tactics such as selling fake cards or opening and resealing packs after swapping out rare cards.
However, there are signs that the resale market is starting to correct itself, with prices of singles coming down and sealed products becoming more accessible. While some shops have adjusted their booster pack pricing to reflect perceived value, BathTCG remains committed to protecting its customers by keeping prices reasonable.
"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," Thyer explains. "Once the bubble bursts and everything goes back to normal, hopefully people will remember that we protected our community and looked after our players – that we ensured our local customers got cards at reasonable prices."
I mean, what's next? Collectors gonna start buying up all the rare Pokémon and just hold onto them till they pop? 
It's like a real-life game of Monopoly, but with millions of pounds on the line. The whole thing is kinda ridiculous – kids can't even get their hands on new cards because adults are hoarding them for profits. And don't even get me started on these fake card sellers... 
and those stores queuing up outside just waiting for new shipments to restock is wild 
some ppl are even selling fake cards 
I mean, it's wild how much hype around Pokémon cards has gotten... like, what's the point of buying them all just to resell? 
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Just keep it simple, folks. The value of a Pokémon card should be based on its rarity and demand, not some fancy app telling you whether to buy or sell 
