Due to recent events, I was wondering what the most popular or annoying conspiracy theories in Pokémon are for you?
For me, it’s definitely pop control is real. Especially, that is real for all cards.
What other Theories are out there?
1 Like
One for me would be the Cert # perception on the market and how it can effect prices. I just think that no matter what cert #, you can find ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ grades no matter what. This idea that newer certs are better than old certs just doesn’t add up to me where it’s consistent enough to be a black/white difference between everything with every card out there.
7 Likes
Great thread idea! Some of my favorites:
- PSA grading is “harsher” or “easier” based on the cert number of the card
- eBay sellers are resealing modern boxes en masse
- Price increases are the result of “manipulation” by well-known collectors or E4
- E4 has a lot fewer active participants than you may think
- Certain people get preferential treatment at signature events
6 Likes
Some of my favourites:
The trade data for Graveller & Machoke gets mixed up over the link-cable. That’s why Machamp has Graveller’s four arms, and why Golem has Machoke’s reptilian face.
Togetic was meant to evolve into Lati@s. Togetic’s head spikes, long neck, wings & red/blue triangle patterns are all shared with the Lati@s twins. The old “specialness” of Togepi also points to it originally becoming something more legendary/powerful.
The third set of every generation is now a Charizard chase set.
There’s a secret supply of Illustrators hidden away in Japan, that are slowly being trickled out onto the market over the years.
14 Likes
Just had someone in a group I use claim prerelease is flooded with hits to hype and entice further purchases. Pretty sure that’s utter nonsense.
For vintage I think people seem to believe Shining cards are a lot rarer than they are in English, I’ve heard the pull rate was insane in JP (like many jp ccg/tcg), but in English pretty much every box break I’ve seen they’re pulling multiple Shining cards.
1 Like
@jac2357 works for CGC
4 Likes
My favorite Pokemon Conspiracy Theories
- Gengar is Clefable’s shadow
- Giovanni is Ash’s father
- Phantump are the ghosts of children taken by Drifloon
My favorite e4 Conspiracy Theories
- @pfm is an AI
- @jac2357 works for CGC (@ddk beat me to it!)
- @pokebuffet’s collection is comprised entirely of moonbreons
14 Likes
3 Likes
Bruh 
……
1 Like
Here’s another potential one. The idea of “lazy grading”, either during 2020/2021 bubble cycle or at any other point. Basically the notion that due to the massive backlog at PSA, that some of the graders just said “f*** it” and threw random grades on cards that could have scored higher/lower under ‘normal’ times. Rudy had a pretty good vid on this with cards that probably should have gotten higher grades:
Now I know there’s also been some threads on here of people getting low grades on cards that really seemed like they deserve higher. I’ve also seen threads and videos of people turning 6s into 9s or 10s and other crazy things. Again, all very anecdotal data, but it makes you wonder if this can be a thing that happens at times.
Now personally, I still trust PSA and their grading for the majority of slabs I purchase in Pokemon.
But it makes you wonder at times: is this possible, or just a conspiracy?
3 Likes
I just heard that Graveler / Machoke theory for the first time. Wild if true but it makes so much sense.
Gary
Someone high up at a Pokemon printing facility felt overworked. Burdened by the endless wave of children’s cardboard coming off the press, he decided to stop printing the hits for Chilling Reign to deter people from buying so many cards. Thus creating “Chilling Pain.”
1 Like
- Ditto is a failed copy of Mew
- Cubone is a baby Kangaskhan who saw his mother die
- Ash is in a coma post season 1
4 Likes
Please elaborate
I think post ep.1 itself?
Cheers!
1 Like