So simple question, not sure if there will be a simple response… I’ve been purchasing PSA 10 1st edition common base set cards… been spending from $55 - 110 a piece. I’ve got about 7 now and a 1st Edition PSA 10 red cheeks… I feel good about them… I was going to try to complete the base set 1st editions in 10… but now I hesitate to set that goal with the price of holos… what do you guys think is the safer bet to invest in… psa 10 commons or psa 7 - 8 - 9 holos? What will be more desirable in the future? Any thoughts on to why I should spend 500 on a psa 9 or 300 on an 8 vs 3 - 5 PSA 10 commons?
Thanks 
Just hold a psa 8 holo and a psa 10 non-holo close to your heart. Whatever one sparks more joy, go with that one.
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How are you defining investing? When are you planning to sell?
Next week. If it doesn’t triple the price in that timeframe it’s getting binned
If you will hold them for 10 years go for PSA 9 holos
thanks for the response guys. I don’t know how long I’ll hold them. You never know with life when you’ll have to sell, or need the money for another opportunity. I can see PSA 10 commons doubling in price… but I can also see the 8 or 9 holos doing that as well… I think the 10’s are more scarce… do you guys think population will be a major contributor in the future? Like a caterpie has half the population of (insert name) holo 9psa… but it’s a caterpie… I guess no one knows… but I wish there was something that would make me feel as if the right decision was being made… I like all the cards so buying what I like is out of the equation.
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Neither are really scarce but the holos are definitely more in demand. I’d predict the holos to have a higher ROI just because I see a bigger crowd of people wanting PSA graded base set 1st edition holo sets over the crowd of people wanting PSA 10 nonholo sets
I think both will increase over time but that’s my opinion on which set of cards I think would do better
May take you longer but just focus on both.
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Rule of thumb is go with the more expensive card because it will be even pricer later. Case and Point, I bought a PSA 7 first ed zard in 2014, but I wish I just said screw it and bought the PSA 9. The 9 is now almost completely out of reach unless I want to dump 6k.
Thank you. I’m close to pulling the trigger on a PSA 9 1st edition charizard… there’s A LOT of them in the population so kind of hesitant because if people need to start selling then… well… I’m 30, married for under 2 years… just got our first house in Orlando… Only been working for 7 months (cool job though… I teach game production at Full Sail) so… 6K is a lot for me… but I feel I’d kick myself in 10 years if I don’t get it… by the way Gary, I love the story about your son and the Charizard… takes me back to 99-2000. My dad and I went every Tuesday to Books a million for the Pokemon trading / playing. I never played… I was always about trading up haha. My dad traded an oil painting for a Japanese Birthday Pikachu for me… at the time it was thought to be one of the rarest cards… My dad got me a PSA 10 version for a gift last Christmas because my old one had long been sold/traded (can’t remember) Anyway you seem like a great guy and it’s nice to talk with you. My wife and I are about to turn a room into a studio and will be starting a Pokemon channel. Maybe one day we can see your collection first hand.
To be honest I think you should wait until you are in a more secure financial position to spend $6k on a Pokemon card. Base Charizard will always be available even if it becoems more expensive. You can always get in a few years when you’ve been working longer and saved more. Or get a PSA 8
Maybe we’ll film something on your channel:)
Btw…in 99/00 those Jpn bday pikas cost hundreds:) They are actually cheaper now😏
If we get to the point where you’re a guest on our channel, then we’ll know we’re doing something right. I look forward to it! Yeah… but, the birthday Pikachus are still fetching decent money. They seem to be more desirable than their English counter part… which is nice. Good to see an original Japanese card that’s more desirable than the English version. But yeah, the PSA 10 I have was cheaper than a raw one was back then. I’ve been curious… on Pawn Stars, if you would have gotten the price you asked for, would you have hesitated? Also did the appraiser actually look through the cards? On the final cut he just glanced at them and gave a price…lol
Yes, he researched them a day earlier. I wasn’t worried about Rick paying that price and had he offered 400k, which was possible value for the time, I would have declined.
No doubt in my mind that your appearence on the show is a huge part of why the Pokemon collectable market is where it is now. It made me unearth my 20 year old box of WOTC holos.
The fact that you’re trying to collect cards that you think other people will want in the future is a major problem. You’re not really collecting Pokemon cards because you like them, you’re collecting cards because you think other people will like them i.e. you want them to have high value in the future i.e. you want to “profit”.
Cards are worth money because people want to collectthem, not invest in them. Flippers, investors and other “money” collectors ruin the hobby for themselves and everyone else. They experience neither the joy of true investing/ROI (there are far better investment options out there), nor do they experience the personal satisfaction of collecting because they’re always worried about the dollars and cents behind what they own.
Before you buy a Pokemon card (or any collectible) you should ask yourself the following question: “If this card is worth $0 tomorrow, would I still be happy with my purchase?”
If the answer is ‘no’ then you’re in this for all the wrong reasons.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with investing in Pokemon even if you don’t have a personal interest or emotion tied to the card. I’m sure people don’t have a personal attachment to gold or any mutual fund they hold.
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I wouldn’t be happy if any of my purchases were worth $0 tomorrow, dont think that means I’m in this for the wrong reasons. I don’t plan on selling a majority of my cards, but it’s nice to know they hold some value/ have appreciated over the years.
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You do understand that you can happily collect while also understanding the value of the cards you are collecting, right?
Seems like you are just projecting your own opinions on to everyone else and telling everyone that they have to think like you think, which is a far bigger problem than “flippers, investors and money collectors.”
The people who are solely in this for the money are not going to last anyway, so why bother getting so worked up about it?
If this is purely about money you’re better off investing in the stock market.
Otherwise, have you considered shadowless psa 9 Holos? You can get some for 100 dollars
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