Rarity doesn’t guarantee value: Factors like condition, demand, and significance affect card values, not just rarity.
High-grade isn’t easy: Even cards fresh from packs may not achieve perfect 10s due to minute imperfections.
Misprints don’t ensure windfalls: Only significant misprints or factory errors are more likely to attract higher offers.
Pokémon market volatility: Card values can fluctuate unpredictably, making investing risky and emphasizing the importance of collecting for enjoyment.
Storage and maintenance matter: Proper care preserves condition and value; invest in protective sleeves, top-loaders, or binders to keep your collection safe
This is a big one. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve seen “ERROR” or “MISPRINT” on eBay listings in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, only to find that: 1) it was not an error at all, or 2) it was an error, but something so minuscule that it would never attract a premium.
EU is a pretty harsh zone to be in and participate in this hobby. Be it in terms of getting products, grading cards, lack of exclusive promos, cannot participate in illustrator contests, no card signing events etc. I guess, except for Japan and North Americas, every other zone seems harsh.
What do you mean? Whenever I tell mine about my cool new purchase she says “cool…” and can’t contain her excitement so she goes back to doing whatever she was doing.
No I will not grow out of Pokémon, it’s not just a phase. When I have my mid life crisis my purchase will probably be a Pokémon card. Not a car or something else people do… this tough pill is for my family/friends who ask why I’m 30 and collect all things Pokémon
The fact that almost all of us dream of a timeline where we’re sent back to 1999 with all of the knowledge we have now to experience all of the magic again, but the reality is that we only progress further and further away from it into a dark void of death.
