When trading cards starting booming in popularity in 2021, the appeal for a lot of people seemed to be the monetary value associated with them. For example, the Pokemon card craze was largely driven by influencers, such as Logan Paul, spending absurd amounts of money on rare cards and sealed boxes.

I can't stand scalpers—people that buy up all of the product in an attempt to immediately turn around and sell the product above MSRP for a profit contribute nothing of value to the community. But I am intrigued by the idea of trading cards as long-term investments.

My Pokemon card collection is worth significantly more than I paid for it. In fact, the value of my cards has outpaced the S&P 500 (US stock market) by a mile. According to the Collectr app's valuations, which are imprecise but usually pretty solid at providing approximate value, the value of my collection is 298% higher than what I paid for it. This includes any individual cards that I've purchased and any sealed product that I've kept sealed, but does not include cards that I've gotten from packs and boxes that I've opened.

Here are some of the highlights:

-In February 2020, I paid $680 ($226.67 each) for a PSA 9 Gold Star Vaporeon, PSA 9 Gold Star Flareon, and PSA 9 Gold Star Jolteon. They are now worth around $2,500 apiece, or $7,500 combined.

-In November 2021, I bought an Evolving Skies booster box for $120. It is now worth $2,000.

-In November 2019, I bought a Gardevoir & Sylveon GX Unbroken Bonds 205/214 for $5. I then spent $32 to get it graded, for a total of $37 spent. It came back a PSA 10, and is now worth $1,800.

-In October 2021, I bought a Fusion Strike booster box for $120. It is now worth $700.

-In June 2023, I bought a 151 Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box for $65. It is now worth $650.

-In September 2020, I bought a Mewtwo GX Shining Legends 78/73 (aka Test Tube Mewtwo) for $54. It is now worth $400.

-In November 2019, I bought a Misty's Favor Full Art (Unified Minds 236/236) for $14. I then spent $32 to get it graded, and it came back a PSA 9. It is now worth $375.

What do you guys think about the idea of trading cards as investments? Do you own any cards that have appreciated in value since you acquired them?

tgags123: they've been around forever how are they only suddenly booming now?

Usually people in Canada get free hockey cards from Tim Hortons during a certain time of the year and I wonder if they'll be worth anything in value. One of them is a gold etchings of Johnny Gaudreau, million dollar question: will it skyrocket in value since he's been dead almost a year?

My grandfather clock is full of old baseball cards (also from a McDonalds era but from the early 90s)

Not saying it can't be a smart investment but I hate it. I remember the joy as a kid when I was allowed to buy a pack of pokemon cards. I didn't even play the actual TCG game, just collected them and showed them off/traded with friends and other kids at school. Back then a pack of 10 cards was like 3 euros? A metal tin with 4 or 5 packs plus a cool promo card was 20 euros.

Of course scalpers are just disgusting people in general but even people treating these cards like some stock investment are adding fuel to the fire.

A pack of cards costs 10 euros or more now. The tins and other things are not even achievable in price for little kids. There's a whole new generation growing up enjoying pokemon but being left out from partaking in a hobby relating to their favorite show.

What is even the point of buying packs and boxes to then keep it sealed? To stare at on your shelf once every 4 months? Give it to the kids if you're not gonna open them.

That's just my take anyway. I don't think everyone who does this is a bad person, but I will always judge someone negatively if I hear them talk about this as some financial success or business decision.

There have only been two "waves" that have been really bad in terms of price gouging/scalping of new products (here in the US at least). There was a period of about six months in early 2021 where cards were impossible to find at retail price, and we're in the midst of a second wave now (for the past 7 months or so). From 2022 to 2024, though, it was easy to find cards at (or even below) retail price. I was able to get two booster boxes of Stellar Crown for $93.99 each in September 2024, which was well below the MSRP of $162. The Pokemon Company has generally done a good job keeping up with demand and allowing everyone to enjoy the hobby, though they are definitely struggling a bit right now.

I don't think adult collectors (whether they view it in terms of an investment or not) are preventing children from enjoying the TCG. A guy that buys every item on the shelf at Walmart for the purpose of immediately reselling for a higher price does, but a guy that buys a box or two to display on a shelf for the foreseeable future does not. I actually think holding on to unopened sealed product is good for the hobby. Because of that, people can purchase and open a pack of cards from any Pokemon set that's ever been released. It's like preservation in a way, and it enables people to open packs from sets that may have otherwise missed out on.

I collect mainly as a hobby, with the investment aspect being an added bonus. I have a lot of Pokemon cards because I like Pokemon cards. I like opening packs, I like completing sets, I like looking at and displaying my cards, and I like displaying sealed boxes and packs as well. The "investment" aspect makes me feel less guilty about putting so much time and money into the hobby. I don't plan to ever sell unless I have to, but it's an added comfort knowing that I can sell my collection and not only get back the money put in if I ever end up in a bind, but I may actually be able to get even more than I initially spent.
Furret :

Edit: I'll also add that when I started collecting in 2019, it was a totally different situation than it is now. You were a fool if you paid retail price back then. Every Target and Walmart was full of packs and boxes that no one wanted, including sets that came out 3-4 years ago. It wasn't uncommon to find products for the same price or even less than what the shop paid the distributor for them; the shops were willing to take a loss on the products just to recuperate some of the money. I was regularly buying booster boxes for $85 - $90, free shipping, no sales tax. The same small businesses that are now overcharging were undercharging back then, just to get rid of the inventory.