Before you go crazy with responses, I agree that this card rightfully is a grail of the hobby. With the estimate of under 50 copies released (correct me if I’m wrong), and its age and history, it deserves its price and prestige that it has today.
However how I wonder how much of its reputation has only been built up through the years because of the older collectors that have been in the hobby for so long. What I mean by this is that the only reason the illustrator is considered the most expensive card is because of its awareness. I dont know much about trophy cards, but I am sure there are other trophy cards that are as old, if not older, and may have less copies available.
If that were the case, then really the only reason the illustrator is more expensive is because of demand. However I think I can safely assume that majority of us did not participate in the competition for the card back when it was given out, so could the source of the demand just be from its owners “hyping” up the card throughout the years, over other trophy cards in its league?
Yeah why did the unpopular opinions thread get deleted? I look away and it’s just gone? Who the hell had to go and ruin a really great thread, and why wasn’t a warning issued instead?
Yes it is compared to other cards that are actually more related to Pokemon history like the 97 Pika trophies. But you could say the same with 1st ed chorizord, it’s a crap card that got hyped to oblivion. Still as a rare card sucker like me, I can say that humanity never chase the real deals, and always hype crap (not saying illustrator is crap, it0s just another example that older, rarer and more historical doesn’t reflect most wanted or expensive by the masses)
You can’t even go by wallets. Sometimes unaccepted offers are just as pertinent as long as you can trust the offerer and the decliner. I’ve been offered higher than the current known high 3 times and all three are well known to everyone.
A very well known public figure of our hobby posted the opinion that (specifically) female Pokemon content creators should hide or get rid off their tattoos.
Whenever you consider if something is overrated or underrated, you should always consider it a 100% subjective viewpoint that has no relevance to others or the wider community in general. This doesn’t just go for Pokemon but literally every single fanbase for every single thing there is.
If something is popular there will always be those who:
Genuinely a fan based off the aesthetics regardless of the details (rarity/price)
Genuinely not a fan based off the aesthetics regardless of the details (rarity/price)
Used to be a fan but is no longer one because it is popular
Is a contrarian who will always seek to go against the opinion of the general public/community
Is a counter-contrarian who will always seek to pick the side opposite in response to contrarian voices
These points can be translated to movies, music, cars, food, drinks, artwork. Literally anything.
You will find people who look at famous pieces of artwork and legitimately experience strong, deep emotions in response to seeing the work and can ‘read’ the effort, emotions, meaning, and intention of the artist. Then you get people like myself who look at famous pieces of work and the response is ‘Neat’ and then move on.
My point is that a discussion on whether a card is over or underrated is ultimately pointless because organic interest can only be grown when the details surrounding a thing are unknown.
Four star did delete it even though it showed no more than a 20 year old in a bikini. At least he notified me via pm. Never should have deleted the whole thread or any part of it.