Premise:
You have $1,000 to spend on graded cards with the goal of making money over a period of one year.
Rules:
- Members of e4 may post a card that they believe would increase in value over one year’s time. Please include the desired card grade and grader. Suggestions will only be available for 1 month (September 2023).
- No member may post more than two card suggestions. If you make two suggestions, please make two separate posts.
- Cards will be chosen by the like count on members’ posts.
- All purchased cards must total to no greater than $1,000 (before tax and shipping). I will purchase all cards from within the United States.
- No more than 20 cards will be purchased.
On October 1st, 2023, the cards with the highest likes will be purchased in order from highest to lowest like count. Cards will be purchased until the $1,000 USD or the 20 card limits are reached.
While $1,000 is the max, aim to recommend cards that are well below that price so that we have a nice variety of cards to follow.
I will provide quarterly updates on the market price of each card for one year. On September 30th, 2024, the market price of the cards will be estimated from the 5 most recent sales if available. If your card was chosen and had increased in value in one year’s time, you will receive an @smpratte token 
!
Note: Do not make suggestions that fall outside of the $1,000 limit. You may purchase cards listed in this thread to celebrate the contest, but please do not attempt to manipulate the market once the cards are purchased. This contest is supposed to be fun, so please do not harshly criticize the recommendations of others.
PWCC Auction:
On October 1st, 2024, the cards will be sent to the smpratte consignment service to be sold in auction on PWCC. All consignment fees resulting from the PWCC auction will go toward the operating costs of e4. Any value made beyond the initial $1,000 investment will be held for future iterations of this contest.
Follow Along!
2023 Purchased Cards:
| Card Name & Set | Card Grade | Purchase Price | Purchase Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Set Machop | PSA 10 | $32.75 | October 1, 2023 |
| Stamp Box FA Pikachu (Beauty Looking Back) | PSA 10 | $410.00 | October 1, 2023 |
| Stamp Box FA Cramorant | PSA 10 | $139.99 | October 2, 2023 |
| SV1a Magikarp | PSA 10 | $64.99 | October 3, 2023 |
| Sapporo’s Pikachu #005 Pokemon Center Promo | PSA 10 | $349.00 | October 3, 2023 |
2023 Q4 Update:
| Card Name & Set | Card Grade | Purchase Price | Current Market Price (2023 Q4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Set Machop | PSA 10 | $32.75 | ~$36 (10% gain) |
| Stamp Box FA Pikachu (Beauty Looking Back) | PSA 10 | $410.00 | ~$423 (3% gain) |
| Stamp Box FA Cramorant | PSA 10 | $139.99 | ~$132 (6% loss) |
| SV1a Magikarp | PSA 10 | $64.99 | ~$55 (18% loss) |
| Sapporo’s Pikachu #005 Pokemon Center Promo | PSA 10 | $349.00 | ~$333 (5% loss) |
2024 Q1 Update
| Card Name & Set | Card Grade | Purchase Price | Current Market Price (2024 Q1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Set Machop | PSA 10 | $32.75 | ~$24 (27% loss) |
| Stamp Box FA Pikachu (Beauty Looking Back) | PSA 10 | $410.00 | ~$370 (10% loss) |
| Stamp Box FA Cramorant | PSA 10 | $139.99 | ~$120 (14% loss) |
| SV1a Magikarp | PSA 10 | $64.99 | ~$52 (20% loss) |
| Sapporo’s Pikachu #005 Pokemon Center Promo | PSA 10 | $349.00 | ~$290 (17% loss) |
2024 Q2 Update:
| Card Name & Set | Card Grade | Purchase Price | Current Market Price (2024 Q2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Set Machop | PSA 10 | $32.75 | ~$39 (19% gain) |
| Stamp Box FA Pikachu (Beauty Looking Back) | PSA 10 | $410.00 | ~$353 (14% loss) |
| Stamp Box FA Cramorant | PSA 10 | $139.99 | ~$124 (11% loss) |
| SV1a Magikarp | PSA 10 | $64.99 | ~$64 (1% loss) |
| Sapporo’s Pikachu #005 Pokemon Center Promo | PSA 10 | $349.00 | ~$248 (29% loss) |
2024 Q3 Update:
| Card Name & Set | Card Grade | Purchase Price | Current Market Price (2024 Q3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Set Machop | PSA 10 | $32.75 | ~$39 (~19% gain) |
| Stamp Box FA Pikachu (Beauty Looking Back) | PSA 10 | $410.00 | ~$376 (~8% loss) |
| Stamp Box FA Cramorant | PSA 10 | $139.99 | ~$110 (~21% loss) |
| SV1a Magikarp | PSA 10 | $64.99 | ~$55 (~15% loss) |
| Sapporo’s Pikachu #005 Pokemon Center Promo | PSA 10 | $349.00 | ~$259 (~25% loss) |
Note: This contest is authorized by the administrators of e4.
