You may remember the Pokémon obsession that took over elementary school playgrounds. Everyone seemed to have a binder or a tin filled with cards, gathering under the playground to trade with friends and pretend they knew exactly how to play the game.
Most of us got our cards from packs our parents picked up during a grocery store trip, hoping to find something rare or valuable. The craze became so big that some schools even banned Pokémon cards from the playground, including mine. As kids, we were obsessed with collecting, trading, and showing off our cards. Eventually, as we grew older, Pokémon began to fade into the background of our lives. But that childhood obsession didn’t stay gone for long.
It eventually made its way back into our lives through Pokémon GO in 2016. Suddenly, everyone had the app on their phones, wandering through parks, neighborhoods, and towns to catch Pokémon, battle, and trade with other players. The game became so popular that there were even stories of people trespassing just to catch rare or shiny Pokémon or reach a desirable gym. To this day, many people, including myself, still play the game, participating in raids and battling for gyms on our campus and around the area as a way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air every once in a while.
But the cards, in particular, are the main attraction of Pokémon. Every pack of cards holds the possibility of foiling variants, full art cards, and the rare Special Illustration Rares (SIRs) that could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars if in good condition. The cards are all about the luck of the draw, and Pokémon becomes more and more addicting with each pack you rip if the promise of making your money back or more is behind a sheet of foil.
Recently, the days of Pokémon being a casual hobby have become a distant memory. Packs now sell for hundreds of dollars, people line up outside Targets and Costcos hours before opening just for a chance to buy boxes of cards, and some major retailers have even turned to raffle-style purchases and one-per-person limits. I would bet it has been years since anyone has seen Pokémon cards sitting on the shelves of a Target or Walmart, because they certainly don’t stay there for long. Much of this change can be tied to one issue that has plagued the Pokémon community. One word has caused frustration among both longtime and new collectors over the past few years: scalpers.
A scalper, for those who may not know, is someone who buys Pokémon cards at retail price and resells them for much more. This is especially common online. A quick search on eBay will show Elite Trainer Boxes, or ETBs, selling for nearly double their original price. This behavior has become normalized in the Pokémon community, with everyday collectors paying these inflated prices just to get the cards they want. It’s also common to see scalpers livestreaming on TikTok and Whatnot, convincing viewers that paying these prices is their only chance to get cards from a particular set.
Scalpers aren’t just online; they also show up at card shows. Many shows advertise tables selling Pokémon boxes for triple their retail price, relying on everyday collectors to pay these inflated prices while making a large profit with little effort.
This price inflation has even made its way into physical stores. Places like GameStop and local card shops now sell Pokémon cards for nearly double MSRP, making it harder for collectors to find affordable cards at the stores they once relied on.
I cannot begin to count how many times I’ve walked out of a card shop after seeing a tin with only three packs priced at $55, when it should cost no more than $20. I’ve even fallen for it myself, buying an ETB for $120, only to find out it originally sold for $70 and now rarely goes for less than $100 because of scalpers driving up prices.
Another reason that these cards are blowing up is their popularity online. Youtubers, Tik-Tokers, Instagram influencers, and everyone in between has been posting the cards they get, hyping up the rare card in a set that they find or a full art of their favorite Pokémon. My favorite of this bunch, Beard Dad Cardz, is a streamer who records himself at Pokémontrade shows, and he often gives back to his community. All donations his viewers send in go to funding purchases for children or other fans who come to his table, often sharing touching stories about how the Pokémoncommunity has impacted their lives.
A major reason behind Pokémon’s online popularity is a specific type of content known as rip videos. Influencers get their hands on hard-to-find Pokémon products and open packs on camera, allowing viewers to follow along and see what they pull. Some even include profit and loss trackers, showing just how difficult it can be to make money from these boxes.
While I absolutely love Pokémon cards and the content online that surrounds them, I cannot subject myself to buying packs and boxes anymore. Sure, I love watching people open boxes, but I feel sick to my stomach when I even see them in stores anymore. I truly wish I could participate in the hobby the way I used to, asking for packs for Christmas and having upwards of 4 binders, but that is not the world we live in anymore. I fund my collection out of my own pocket, and the packs that used to be $2 at Walmart are now $8, and that’s before the scalpers get to them.
At this point, the hobby just doesn’t feel worth it anymore, especially when the cards I want are nearly impossible to find. I’d love to add a full-art Umbreon or an SIR Ditto to my collection, but when these cards sell for hundreds of dollars ungraded, it makes collecting feel out of reach. The hobby has honestly been ruined for me. I have personally resorted to opening packs on the Pokémon TCG app, where I can’t even hold the cards, or watching other lucky collectors pull the cards I wish I could find myself.
So, if you’re looking to invest in Pokémon cards, I have some advice. Card shows and bulk boxes at local shops are great alternatives to buying packs, especially if you’re looking to build a collection without spending too much. This is what I personally do because I’m less interested in chasing expensive hits and more interested in finding cards I can play with or Pokémon I simply like. Many people fall into the trap of thinking packs are the only way to collect, but that isn’t true. The right shop or vendor can often work out deals that let you get the cards you want without breaking the bank.
Just remember to avoid scalpers. If you’re a fan of Pokémon or looking to get into collecting, they aren’t your friends. Don’t fall into the trap of overpaying for cards. Instead, find local shops, attend card shows, or trade with friends. Remember, collecting Pokémon should be about enjoying the hobby, not spending hundreds of dollars just to keep up with everyone else. Take my advice: never open eBay expecting to find a good deal on Pokémon cards. It’s a losing battle.
