I’m curious how e4 members decide what collection goals they want to tackle next.
Of course, there are so many different ways to approach collecting Pokemon cards, and everybody has a limited amount of money they can put towards achieving their goals.
What’s your current process for deciding what you want to collect next?
Do you just buy cards with art you genuinely like without a greater goal in mind? Do you prefer to collect all the cards for a specific Pokemon? Are you more into promos over set cards? Or are you optimising for financial growth in the future?
Right now I collect a bit too much at once to be completely honest, so I’ve decided to NOT add any new goals until I’ve completed some of my current collection goals 100%. To give an overview of everything I collect I can refer to this post (I’ve made a similar post somewhere on the Efour forum, but I’m unable to find it…).
Not much has changed after I made that post, except that my PSA cards have returned, so my Ancient Mew PSA-10 quintuplet is 100% complete, and I’ve also got an unlimited edition Pokémon Web booster pack with Moltres incoming, so only need the 1st edition version to complete that collection now.
For Seviper I still need just a single card; FA Supporter is still up-to-date with the latest English releases incoming; Yu-Gi-Oh rarities I’m missing a 1k+ USD TCG rarity that was released two weeks ago, but I did acquire some rare misprinted versions recently; National Index collection is still missing gen 8, but that’s fine for now; and Pikachu I’ve been able to find all Chinese cards, so roughly ~30 officially released Pikachu cards left to find.
Overall I’m pretty content with how my collection goals have progressed this year, although my bank account would disagree with that… But because of my many current goals, I won’t add any new goals anytime soon, if at all. Just keeping up with Pikachu, FA Supporter, Yu-Gi-Oh rarities, and the National Index collections is already hard and expensive enough.
@andrew, it changes over time (as more goals get completed), but I generally go after what I want instead of thinking about any potential financial gain. However, I prioritize goals/cards depending on what isn’t hyped at the moment. For example, I’m working on certain unloved species now because everyone else is focusing on hidden fates/darkness ablaze/WOTC/etc.
I like to collect by sets/species/trainers because there’s a limit to it if you’re doing one of each. If you’ve done all your goals, I suggest researching on some of your favourite trainers/gym leaders to collect their pokemon, gyms, and badges! (I just finished Jasmine & Clair)
I am quite busy with my current goals at the moment. However, my general strategy is to do research on various cards and try to collect the cards with art I absolutely love or I have nostalgia for. I really do not think about the financial gain because to me, my Pokemon cards are a luxury I enjoy owning.
For Pichus I used to always focus on the rare stuff first, but now I pretty much have all the rare stuff so I just buy anything which pops up that I still need.
For my Bandai Scale World collection I’m only focusing on the pre-order exclusives as the others will always be available and they take up quite a bit of space, too.
For everything else I just buy stuff I like the look of, although recently I’ve sold a lot of those as prices have skyrocketed. I’ve recently moved house and the last Pokémon thing I bought which wasn’t a Pichu or a Bandai Scale World pre-order or something I was planning on flipping was a mint unlimited Web series Zapdos back in March which is currently with PSA.
you should always have your future plans laid out. usually, i have a couple of next steps in mind for my collection, based on assumptions i make now. depending on how the future unfolds, whichever plan is closest to that reality is the direction i go.
in all seriousness, a lot of times your collecting goals change on a whim. after collecting vintage for a while, some of the new stuff might catch your eyes, maybe the new amazing rares? i’ve been keen on getting more harry potter and yugioh lately, which just happens because they are a bit more affordable and they give me a lot of joy. in pokemon, the same amount of joy would cost me 10x. so there, it came down to affordability and like substitutes.
on a slight tangent, i thought about collecting lego, because i have really enjoyed the toys. BUT lego is so space intensive, that i simply couldn’t find a strategy to collect and store it all, even though most sets are fairly cheap for a working adult with stable salary. i’ve bought about 10 sets so far, and i’m already alarmed by them. so i would imagine the amount of space could influence on what you decide to collect next. maybe when i get a larger place with ample 2nd and 3rd bedrooms that i can convert to a display or collection room, like many of those LEGO youtubers, i might consider LEGO as a collecting goal.
My collection goals are all over the place but that’s a big part of the fun for me personally.
If I really like something and I can afford it, I buy it. Some purchases are more considered and are a bit more “investment” oriented, but for cards I don’t see myself selling any time soon I just pick up what I like, when I like. I’m in no rush to complete anything in particular, I just love collecting cards!
I really just buy whatever I feel like in the moment. In the last couple of weeks I’ve purchased WotC and older Nintendo cards, but I’ve also bought some Darkness Ablaze. What everything had in common was that I 100% knew I wanted that card, artwork, or sealed product for my collection. I like to jump back and forth between older and newer cards just to keep it fresh. I feel like I’m in a good place right now.
Flow chart—
Identify random card(s) I aesthetically like since I’m not a set or sub set collector
Yes, I can find it
Yes, I can afford it
Yes, I think the current sale price is acceptable
Yes, it will likely be harder to find and more expensive later (ie, it’s a Pokémon card)
PRIORITIZE which card(s) to pursue first based on all the above
BONUS, Yes, I think it will hold or increase in value
BONUS 2, Yes I think it would easily sell quickly if I chose to sell it
BUY until budget depleted for that month
RATIONALIZE how the decision to spend money in this matter over other spending or saving or investing options makes any sense
Repeat
Edit: forgot to add, when I come across cards I like that are in my est. hugely undervalued or cheap, immediately purchase before someone else does. This sometimes depletes the budget unexpectedly and quickly, other times it’s a small % of my budget.
I have a great goal in mind that will take me likely a few more years until it´s finished. On the sides I´m collecting everything I come across that I´d enjoy to have in my collection, or that I think I could trade in the future towards a piece of the great goal. The main deciding factor is just if I really would like to have the item in my collection, it´s not necessarily bound to a certain collection theme or bigger goal.
For me personally, I usually set up a goal and then move on to something else. I started with ex power keepers ex’s psa 10’s, then did ex-team rocket returns ex psa 9’s and now im on to something else
I skip all the bulk and pick up just the chase cards and/or the best cards from the set. Starting with base unlimited. Followed by all wotc holo’s or better. Then I made my way thru ex era, Diamond and pearl/heart gold era, Black and White era, X and Y era, Sun and Moon, and lastly sword and shield.
Currently I’m expanding my graded collection now that my binder sets are complete. I’ve also been keeping up with modern. I’ve learned not to underestimate modern and buy mint cards not long after release.
After Wotc era regular holo’s don’t mean much so I pick what i like best from the era instead.
For example I picked ex’s from ex era. Level X’s from Diamond and Pearl. Primes from heart gold. Black and white/ X and Y full arts. Sun and Moon Gold cards and Rainbow Rares.
By skipping most of the set it lets you complete more while also picking up the best from each set.
But because of my many current goals, I won’t add any new goals anytime soon, if at all. Just keeping up with Pikachu, FA Supporter, Yu-Gi-Oh rarities, and the National Index collections is already hard and expensive enough.
