Over the last few months one of my colleagues and her partner have really started to get into Pokémon after they asked me to show them some of my collection, and quizzed me about general information around sets, promos, 1st edition cards, differences between Japanese and English, the process of selling Pokémon cards online etc. They’re now so into it that they’ve scheduled a trip to Japan, and have started to take part in the Play! local card tournaments in Edinburgh.
Today I way overshot my lunch break doing a Silver Bible show-and-tell with her:
It’s been nice to have an outlet at work for talking about the TCG and passing on some knowledge. A few of my other colleagues have started to show interest too, though I get the feeling that’s more of an expression of incredulity at the fact that “someone will pay £1000 for a Pokémon card!?” more than anything else.
Has Pokémon infiltrated your work or social circles because of your involvement, and what has come of it?
I have had two co workers who started late last year that are both young in their early to mid 20’s who grew up with Pokemon. One still collects and focuses on Totodile cards, the other grew up on Diamond and Pearl sets and doesn’t actively collect anymore.
He told me he still had his binder from his childhood though so I told him to bring it in and we could check it out over lunch. Everyone who passed through that day had a funny puzzled look on their faces which I knew would happen, it was pretty funny. A couple people came up and said “I heard Pokemon cards are super valuable now!”
A couple days before our break over the holidays right as we were getting ready to leave the Totodile collector hands me a small package. I open it and find a pack of Komiya sleeves from the Van Gogh collaboration! We were on the Pokémon Center all day the day of the horrendous release when everything came out and sold out before anyone knew what was happening. He was able to get himself a Pikachu figure that day and all my stuff either didn’t go through or got cancelled so it was really sweet of him to do that.
Yes! All of my friends at hockey bring it up now, but usually just as a joke. But it’s opened doors with others collectors, even if they only do sports they still understand and enjoy relating to pokemon. Some even end up watching my videos, which always makes me feel uncomfortable.
Reading the silver Bible at work though is so cool to see! I’m just glad something like that can happen now and be appreciated!
All my friends know though (they dont collect), and its always a big hit to bring a cool card to the hang out (although they are mostly interested in value more than anything else).
My friends know I collect. However, for them its more of a joke/they dont really understand the nature of collecting.
The coolest thing from work was during the Pokemon Go craze. My boss at the time was in his early 40s and knew nothing of Pokemon. I told him about Pokemon Go and how much fun it was. He’s still an avid player to this day and achieved the max level 50 rank.
My wife had no interest when we met. Weve been together 7 years and just last year she started quietly putting a pile of ones with artists she likes (sowsow was first) i never said anything and would just sleeve them for her, and one day i left a binder on her desk. Now she has a pretty impressive collection and we have a family board with her, our son, and my wants for cards. Shes always been super cool about listening to me rant about pokemon as well. Im almost always talking about something tcg related. Its annoying, but shes a saint.
My coworkers quickly showed me that none of them care so I literally never talk about it with anyone besides my wife, the dude who runs the local shop, and you guys.
I hide it as much as possible for fear of Charizard comments, however it’s difficult given I send all my packages to my workplace. That said I have a guy I’ve worked with for 7 years that heard I was collecting and started watching pack openings on youtube. He doesn’t collect, but is super supportive, and we’ll chat about it here and there. Last year I got him PSA graded Venusaur Base Set pack to display at his house and he was really stoked on it. He constantly wonders what cards are inside it, maybe one day he’ll crack it open and jump back in.
Mixed bag on my high school/college friends. Some are supportive, others just make the typical comments, some friends I purposely keep in the dark…
It’s great to be able to share your passion with friends, colleagues, family!
I’m most stoked that my childhood friend (who has always loved Pokemon, more so the gaming side of things), has in the last 6 months started getting into the TCG, and it’s so great seeing what interests him, and seeing that he is developing an appreciation and love for it too!
Ahh I’m an English invader I’m afraid! Though I have been here for nearly 10 years now so I don’t feel too bad about it.
I just think it’s remarkable that what is basically a media franchise for kids has such a strong ability even now to bring adults together over it, even if they didn’t grow up with it.
Basically my whole town knows, around 2500-ish people. Everyone wants me to buy their insane collection, it is usually mediocre at best. But now I probably own 75% of the cardboard in town.
YES and YES.
All my friends are somewhat to highly into the Pokemon TCG, this even became a must nowadays lol.
I found a job doing what I love, working at a major auctioneer for TCG.
My local colleagues are not very into it, but my overseas colleagues are regarded as some of the most knowledgeable people in the hobby.
So yes whole life is infiltrated by Pokemon.
’ It won’t last, brothers and sisters are natural enemies! Like Englishmen and Scots! Or Welshmen and Scots! Or Japanese and Scots! Or Scots and other Scots!’
Jk, I was also born south of the border! It is a great unifying genre that appeals across all age ranges, you’re right it is remarkable!
The only person I can say I definitely influenced is my fiancé. She liked Pokemon as a kid but felt like she had to grow out of it because it wasn’t cool. After meeting me and seeing how outward I am with my love of Pokemon she was able to reignite her love for it. Now, almost five years later, our house is filled with Pokemon memorabilia, we collect cards together and she’ll play the new games alongside me.
Sometimes I feel like Agatha. " Agatha is an elderly woman who is the third Trainer of the KantoElite Four in GenerationsI, III, and VII, and the oldest such known to date. As such, she serves as an inspiration for senior Pokémon Trainers all around the region." I have inspired many of my coworkers kids to learn how to play and collect. Of course that has lead to the adults collecting too. It is fun to go into work chat Pokémon before a meeting starts or when driving to sites. The most fun is when the kids have an early release from school and bring their binders in for trading! I always bring some special OG cards for them. I really appreciate having others in my life that share my enjoyment for the hobby.
One of my good buddies from the dojo found out I collect and asked me a ton of questions and then wanted to see my collection in person. His childhood favorites were Scyther and Scizor. I gifted him one of each and opened some packs with my partner and his. He’s now wicked into it.
The 2020 boom made me a bit louder about my collecting due to it becoming “cool,” and with that, a few other guys at work started getting into it too. Now there are three of us who regularly collect, and we send our cards in together so we can get our PSA submissions back at the same time to have some fun.
Huge fan of those not afraid to let their nerdiness breathe
