BET you wish you hung on to your old Pokemon cards as you could be quids in.
A Blast from the Past
A man has just had his childhood card collection valued at £5,000 after it sat gathering dust in his bedroom for more than 20 years.
Martin Rixon, 29, from Bedfordshire collected hundreds of Japanese trading cards in the late 90s and early 00s.
Hidden Gems
The Pokemon cards, which include some rarities, have been valued between £2,000 and £4,000, while the Yu-Gi-Oh! and Digimon sets could earn him £200-400 and £40-60 respectively.
Martin also has a collection of Mad Max toys, Top Trumps and Dragons, which have been valued at £200-400.
A Surprising Discovery
The value of Martin’s old toys was discovered by his dad, Neil, who came across the collection and popped to their local auctioneers for a valuation.
Amanda Butler, director of operations at Hanson Ross, has urged parents who have grown-up children to check their old childhood bedrooms in case there are any hidden gems lurking.
A Booming Market
"Pokémon and rare vintage Japanese cards and gaming items are sought after at auction. It’s a burgeoning market sector that’s grown massively in recent years, fuelled by a global army of nostalgic fans," says Amanda.
Roy Raftery, managing director of Baldwin’s entertainment department, recently revealed "condition is everything" when it comes to valuing trading cards.
He says the market for cards with iconic Pokemon such as Charizard and Blastoise is also blooming.
"It’s the nostalgia factor as well. People like buying the things they bought as a kid – things that make them happy. Then there’s the genuine collectability and monetary value of Pokémon cards in today’s day and age. They are a collector’s item – they are something to invest in," he adds.
Get Ready to Bid
Martin’s collection will go under the hammer at Hanson Ross Auction on November 17.
How to Make Money from Pokemon Cards
A Pokemon card, or any other collectible, is only really ever worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
To check how much yours may be, eBay is a handy tool.
Simply check "sold listings" and filter by the highest price to see what others are paying for similar cards.
However, don’t forget that eBay sales and asking prices are just an indication.
Expert Tips
To make the most money, collectibles expert Tracey Boles has previously shared her best tips:
- Collect your holographic cards first: They’re the most valuable and there are three different types: some cards have just the Pokemon image holographic, there are some where the edges are holos, while some cards are holos as a whole.
- Sit on the cards for a while: It could be worth just holding on to the cards for ten years to (hopefully) see them increase in value.
- Keep them in mint condition: You can buy Pokemon books with sleeves that you can keep them in, so they don’t get damaged.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://hellofaread.com/money/popular-shoe-shop-chain-set-to-close-over-30-branches-in-days/
