Alpha Investments goes Pokémon!

Even more people jumping into Pokémon?

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Saw this earlier today, great news for rest of us!

I was wondering if this would be posted here! The best part is when he says Pokemon is currently better than magic the gathering. :sunglasses:

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LOVE IT!

Cannot believe that - 1,000 of each EX Box Collection! He has a good point though; those boxes do seem fairly undervalued with everything that you get inside. Not sure if I would go out buying mass quantities of those boxes, but still, good for him! Makes me a little more at ease making all of the purchases that I have made over this weekend LOL

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Shaun Kauffman and I were talking about specialty boxes a few weeks ago. This was a really neat case of affirmation. The generations quarterly boxes are already turning a significant profit margin. That’s bananas.

I think the biggest point to these that most didnt’ know, including myself, was the print/restocking on these items compared to boxes.

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Yeah! I hope I didn’t make it sound like I thought it was obvious. Didn’t mean that by any means. Just cool when a conversation elsewhere comes up here.

I still think generations will be a fantastic investment down the road because it was printed for half the release time (1 year vs. 2 standard) and because it had no release except specialty boxes.

I actually love the comparison of the boxes to mutual funds. I don’t know why I never drew that connection. It’s super cool. I’ve used the same logic to invest in blisters but not those boxes.

The only thing I think he is wrong about is the codes. They’re not worth a dollar if you wait several years. So I wouldn’t bank on those. Other than that, the “free” promo is not to be underestimated. But I wouldn’t buy collection boxes at retail prices. You’d really have to get a fat quantity through some back channel to minimize the risk like he is talking.

I noticed the code bit as well. The multiple set boosters is something I think a lot of people overlook. They were right in front of us the whole time!! :laughing:

He is right though about space. Owning a case of booster boxes is easier to store than 6 of these boxes. I don’t know how shipping works either for these boxes. I never had to ship one out sealed.

You either make your own boxes or order them to size. If you’re doing hundreds or thousands, ordering boxes to size is an affordable route. Then ship them priority for $7 or so.

I’m not completely sold on the value of the boxes like these depending on a sealed state. Time will tell but I think it’s quite possible breaking them down would do pretty well and save on storage/shipping costs.

What makes this look lucrative is the fact he is buying at wholesale in phenomenal quantities.

For example, those Mythical boxes retail in Aus for $25. He said he is able to buy them for $7US including shipping. That’s nuts.

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_bubble

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The thing I would be worried about is that it seems that very few people actually collect these special collection boxes other than to resell in the future but at $7US it is a no brainer. Nothing inside those boxes appreciate in value other than the booster packs so would be tough to recommend this to a retail investor over a booster box.

His strategy only works if you live in US and are a big wholesaler so 0.01% of collectors could employ his strategy but is cool for someone like him sharing his investments openly and espeically endorsing Pokemon

That’s definitely a huge part of it! But I think that there’s also just a generally lucrative market for them in the long run. It is unique to be able to get such ridiculously low starting rates but the people who might consider getting in on it in the same way he is would also have access to those rates.

For me personally, the interest is less in the likelihood of me being able to take personal advantage of it and more related to what would occur in the market if several people started doing what he is doing in the same way. It’s an entertaining thought.

The promos appreciate in value! Those definitely can’t be ignored.

You’re right that his strategy only works for people with the same resources as him. What might happen, though, if several people with the same resources got into it? Could be interesting.

Suppose wholesale prices are worth it with any kind of small margin, I wander how he’ll ever move those so quickly though, like his 1,000 mega gyrados boxes, it’s not like MTG idk. All parts of that box could be redundant or at fluctuating value. Who here holds onto a 1000 of anything pokemon just curious, is that viable?

Not sure that is the sealed product I would invest in. Mythical Boxes & EX boxes at the prices he can get them for imo would be much smarter because of how Generations was distributed. I just don’t see these specific sets or individual boosters spiking that high. Its practically impossible for him to lose money at his cost, but I can’t see these reaching close to EX-series box/tin prices.

Most larger businesses buy around that quantity (1000), at least of booster boxes. They break a certain amount of product, sell some sealed, depends on their priorities.

If you look at the CP6 boxes, one of the major japanese stores sold around 1000 in about a week. I don’t know if you could move these gyarados boxes that quickly. However, I am sure larger stores are buying that volume.

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I think he is making a mistake… He must have some cost of holding those items. They take up SOO much space and he did mention it, but understated the effect and costs of it, IMO. 1,000 of each release will be appx $10k for each new item (at least for normal 4 pack tins/boxes). You could instead get ~20-25 cases of each booster box which store in a MUCH smaller space and I argue would appreciate much faster.

Prsonally, 80% of my eBay business lately revolves around turning and burning the product he is talking about sitting on for years. I do way better buying these as my source instead of buying booster cases. I sell the codes, promos, pins, figures coins and all that separately. If you have a good box, you can sell the code, jumbo/figure/pin/promo etc and all that off quickly and easily. It gets your per booster price down below $2 each (in some cases below $1 each!) which is more attractive than buying booster boxes. You can choose to open the packs or sell them in lots to make a profit without opening any cards at all. I think these items ARE AMAZING, but only for short term opening and flipping, not for long term investing. My long term money (very little of it though) is all in booster boxes.

Take booster boxes of the past few years. If you put $10k into each release since XY you now are sitting on $60,000 of out of print sets. XY base through Roaring Skies are OOP and Ancient Origins through Evolutions are still in print. Of your $60k out of print, you paid roughly $70-$75 per box (I’m assuming at that volume) and have boxes that now sell for (very conservatively):

XY Base $90
Flashfire $200
Furious Fists $110
Phantom Forces $180
Primal Clash $120
Roaring Skies $200

A couple sets that weren’t all that great, sure, but like he said, the diversification leads to a few good hits that make the bulk of your profit. The nice things about these, is I feel they are much more “liquid”. Actually, I don’t just feel that way it is just a fact. Way cheaper to store, handle and ship too. You pick up the phone and try selling 20 cases of boosters and you will have a lot more buyers on your hands than if you try to sell 1,000 dragonite ex boxes or whatever. Look further back to the black and white expansions. The only “stinkers” of the bunch (if you can call them that) would be Black White base, emerging powers, next destinies boxes that are still pulling $120+ each, and then you have gems like plasma freeze and storm as well as dark explorers that were huge hits netting you 3x or more. Ex box collections are not heavily traded from those eras. Nor are tins. I don’t think any tins or boxes from the XY or BW eras is performing better %age wise than the sealed boxes. Also with tins there is confusion and inconsistency some times in what actual packs they contain.

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Have you watched his video though @gottaketchumall?

I am watching this one right now:

He breaks the value down way better with this one. Sell the figure, sell the codes, sell the promos, sell the loose packs and profit. He breaks it all down how he pays $11 each box and then can easily get $18 + essentially breaking them down. But then he says how he is going to sit on them. Confuses me a little bit.

Keep in mind this guy has 3 businesses, and the trading cards appear to be more of a hobby. I think he mentioned in another video that he sells firearms and something to do with food, and the trading cards he mostly holds.