Re-entering the hobby back in 2019, I remember finding Hidden Fates and finding nostalgia I hadn’t felt since my childhood. Ever since then I’ve solely focused on modern as it was exciting, the captivation of alt arts and the exciting market had me stay in that realm until recently re-exploring the WOTC era and buying holos to complete sets.
I ran into lot of new content creators having some weird anti vintage sentiment and I don’t understand why.
Videos I ran into with titles like
“Why modern pokemon cards trump vintage”
“Vintage pokemon cards are boring”
Don’t get me started on Reddit
Post 2020, a slice of the hobby focuses way too much on stonks, and I blame the content creators. More and more I see the younger generation focused on the cards monetary value rather than the card itself. And I see people creating videos who have no business being in front of the camera.
Is it nice to make money off shiny cardboard? Sure, but everything I’ve been seeing the last few years has created so much noise that they don’t realize that vintage is the 90’s. Most of us here started with vintage. Not that long ago.
I tend to avoid places like Reddit/Facebook and don’t watch any Pokemon card YouTubers but if I had to guess I feel the negative sentiment toward vintage and hyping of modern comes from the younger collector base that “feels they missed the boat” on the older cards. The consequent hyping/stonking of modern may stem from a desire to either partake in that past glory or elevate modern to a similar status.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with disliking vintage or modern. However, I find more often than not that a lot of the folks with these extremist beliefs have never collected what they supposedly hate.
There’s also a “young vs. old” mentality in the Pokemon sphere, which I think might be fueled by growing intergenerational angst. Feels a bit like the “OK Boomer” meme (Gen X/Millennial vs. Baby Boomer), but applied to Pokemon (Gen Z vs. Gen X/Millennial).
Anyway, I find that most noise in the hobby is tied to clout chasing, envy, or jealousy, so I tend to ignore it.
My gf and I tend to frequent collectible conventions that feature everything from Pokemon, Lorcana, Yugioh. You name it they have it. Most conventions are the same as far as what they offer.
And the one thing I see frequently are kids ripping packs open and screaming
“This is worth $20!”
“Let’s go sell this!”
“Let’s gooooooooo”
And maybe it’s just the way I grew up and I know others can relate, but I never once thought about the card’s value. Did I know Charizard was the chase in base set Japanese/English. Yes, I knew it was popular, but I treated the holo the same way I treated a lesser popular holo in that set like Poliwrath all the same. In a sleeve, straight to my binder.
I just think the innocence and admiring of the cards art such as it’s dimensions, its focal point, the message the art is trying to convey in the new generation is gone, and that YouTube has ruined it.
I will say I sincerely appreciate @smpratte box opening he seldomly does, as he is one of the few YouTubers that genuinely looks at the commons and uncommons where I think that falls flat with the newer fans
modern is just so much more interesting to so many more people compared to vintage. The main people doing vintage are the ones who grew up with it, but we have had 20+ years since wotc. Modern is just the most popular and frankly always will be. Even going to a card show or a card store, its overwhelmingly modern cards. People like what they like. I’d also argue the art on modern cards is just far superior to the old cards. If you grew up with them (like I did), then they will always have a soft spot, but its no surprise people would rather open up something from the last 5ish years and care about cards more from the last 5ish years. (prices of packs ignored ofc)
The barrier of entry for modern is basically nonexistent while vintage requires more knowledge and knowhow of the hobby that the average collector doesnt have.
I largely agree with your sentiment, and I think it (sadly) extends well beyond Pokemon cards, but your experience could be somewhat skewed by your environment.
Purely anecdotal, but I’ve been told by a family member who works in a charity shop (thrift store) that sometimes sells small bundles of random Pokemon cards that kids will beg for their parents to buy them, and pour over each and every card, call out specific Pokemon they know, and seemingly not be that fussed by rarity.
I have noticed a lot of what you’re talking about over the past few years. Lots of videos and hot takes about vintage and trying to talk it down or say it will never grow in value from here, etc. I think though it’s unwise to look at vintage or modern in a “black and white” lens. I think that you can find value and enjoyment in both eras of cards and the focus should be on collecting and less on ‘investing’ or else you could be disappointed with what you own. I collect mainly vintage, but I have also picked up some modern cards of ones I had a genuine interest in or found enjoyment in owning.
What the market decides these cards are priced at in the short or longer term is really anyone’s best guess. To try and say modern is going to outperform vintage or vice-versa is simply unknown and very speculative to me, with only vintage having a lot more longer term market data to work with (i.e. trends, sales, etc). It’s entirely possible modern or vintage could outperform each other at different times, but to say one is totally certain in this regard is foolish to me.
Anyway, I don’t think anyone can say or know that modern will blow up like vintage did so to me it’s like apples to oranges basically, not 1:1 at all. They both have pros & cons and each card/set has unique attributes that determine it’s market value.
If this is true then why is there hate? There are so many people punching the clouds about vintage. It’s just so unnecessary and one sided. I don’t know anyone who hates modern. The main criticism is just about the high speculation, which has nothing to do with the collectibility/enjoyment of modern cards. Honestly I can’t think of any other hobby that has such a weird boogey man complex with vintage.
They’re right. Anything printed before Sun & Moon is boring, dated, and only collected by uncool people. Under no circumstances should you buy vintage cards.
dunno. I don’t really see the hate. I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, but usually its just people mad that cards are worth something, but thats not unique to vintage.
It could be people saying vintage sucks to get a rise out of people who like those cards, but again, its not like people don’t do that with modern cards. I don’t really have an answer.
I don’t see a problem with kids being excited by the value of their cards and/or knowing what their cards are worth. Whether a kid is excited by the art or by the value of their card is not my business. They should enjoy the hobby how they would like, even if it was different from what I experienced as a kid.
The balance/distance you have is healthy! I see more of the hate since it’s somehow aimed at me at times, even though I’ve bought every new set since the beginning. Anyway it’s just an unfortunate part of the poor content culture in pokemon.
See I don’t really know what you mean by vintage hate. Is it just people shitting on cards you post or is it people trying to get on your nerves? Is it unique to you or do you see it elsewhere? I know people will intentionally be dicks in youtube or IG comments, but do you see it in areas that aren’t tied directly to you or cards you have? I browse the reddit quite a lot and i rarely see this type of negativity unless the post is inherently focused on high value graded cards.
blissful ignorance is me haha
just trying to get more info on what the hate is for these cards
I see your point. I am more on the side of all I see are kids valuing the card for the money rather than the Pokemon, and just wish it was more of the latter. It may be a sentimental to thing to me more than anything.
this sort of behavior has been a thing for as long as i can remember regardless of the topic. people love to pile onto things to feel superior. it says more about them than what they’re talking about.
i do it too, but i am always trying to be more mindful of not bashing on other people’s joy
I think he takes it seriously than most because he gets messages in his inbox from eBay and DM’s and that really takes a toll on your mental health, vs you and I are just probably reading it online and ignoring it. I’m sure he is too, but you can only take so much negativity.