I was at the local gamestore yesterday and this kid who might have been 9 or 10, had a phone out and was checking the prices of the cards he was pulling.
I have just recently started buying and collecting TCG related products - namely during the life cycle of the Battle Styles expansion of Sword and Shield - and I can claim that I have no monetary results in mind when doing so.
I don't really play the game either (I plan on learning it!), but I simply adore the stunning art and this alternate way to have something featuring my favourite Pokémon near me in a physical way, if no plushie or figurine is available to me.
As an example, I just recently obtained the Full Art card of Armarouge, my favourite Pokémon behind Silvally, from the Scarlet & Violet set, and the card, much like other merch in general, just had a significantly higher emotional value to me that monetary value could never reach.
In that regard, and in combination with the growing amount of scalpers and the recent news about the massive theft of many secret rare cards, I can't shake some particular worries, and I can certainly appreciate measures like the Japanese store took. Most adults can order their stuff online, let the retail stores keep their stock to sell to the young fans.
In slightly more personal matters, am a little disappointed by the choices the company makes regarding which Pokémon to choose for new cards though - Silvally hasn't gotten a new card since Sun & Moon's Cosmic Eclipse expansion, which released back in November 2019. I would be in the market for a new Silvally card sometime during Scarlet & Violet, and I would treasure it.
I never really collected the cards myself but the stories I've heard about scalping today are pretty nuts. It's absolutely a pretty sorry state of things if kids can't get cool cards of the Pokémon they like because scalpers are driving around buying up the entire stock as soon as it arrives at the stores.
Scalping in general is a pretty net-negative activity. The scalper isn't adding any kind of value to the system, just profiting off the fact the company refuses to raise the prices of the cards to meet the demand (which of course they refuse to, because if they did then kids would *never* be able to afford them - though of course ideally they should print more to meet the demand at lower prices instead). I can't judge an individual who does it to put food on the table, but if there were no scalping in the world it would unambiguously be a better place.
I definitely believe we need some kind of anti-scalping law in place to prevent this happening. But where do you draw the line? What is and isn't acceptable when it comes to reselling?
It's normal to grump and long for "the good old days." I used to spend my allowance on a pack of cards each week. My dad and I would buy them from a mo m and pop stand at the flea market, and open them over a plate of fries at the local diner. That was our bonding time.
Don't forget about how the dollar stores started selling Pokemon card packs with only five common cards. There's some shenanigans, too.
That's something I wasn't aware of! I've seen counterfeit cards and stores trying to sell resealed packs, but the dollar stores? That's a new one for me.
Maybe we should be writing up a guide on what to look out for when it comes to counterfeit goods like this in the future!
Weeks are not passing fast enough to read the new issue of Johto times. Been waiting for what this week's content is and i am pretty satisfied as usual. Pokemon cards are life #belikepokemoncards. I enjoyed and still do enjoy playing with them a lot.
Thanks are not accepted sir, I always appreciate quality content and comments are nothing for your super high quality work. I wish i could do more. I am sure many people think like that
I was at the local gamestore yesterday and this kid who might have been 9 or 10, had a phone out and was checking the prices of the cards he was pulling.
It made me sad.
It's very sad to hear that. When I was a kid, I was interested in pulling a cool Pokémon card, and enjoying the art.
I have just recently started buying and collecting TCG related products - namely during the life cycle of the Battle Styles expansion of Sword and Shield - and I can claim that I have no monetary results in mind when doing so.
I don't really play the game either (I plan on learning it!), but I simply adore the stunning art and this alternate way to have something featuring my favourite Pokémon near me in a physical way, if no plushie or figurine is available to me.
As an example, I just recently obtained the Full Art card of Armarouge, my favourite Pokémon behind Silvally, from the Scarlet & Violet set, and the card, much like other merch in general, just had a significantly higher emotional value to me that monetary value could never reach.
In that regard, and in combination with the growing amount of scalpers and the recent news about the massive theft of many secret rare cards, I can't shake some particular worries, and I can certainly appreciate measures like the Japanese store took. Most adults can order their stuff online, let the retail stores keep their stock to sell to the young fans.
In slightly more personal matters, am a little disappointed by the choices the company makes regarding which Pokémon to choose for new cards though - Silvally hasn't gotten a new card since Sun & Moon's Cosmic Eclipse expansion, which released back in November 2019. I would be in the market for a new Silvally card sometime during Scarlet & Violet, and I would treasure it.
Best of luck with your Pokémon TCG collecting!
I never really collected the cards myself but the stories I've heard about scalping today are pretty nuts. It's absolutely a pretty sorry state of things if kids can't get cool cards of the Pokémon they like because scalpers are driving around buying up the entire stock as soon as it arrives at the stores.
Scalping in general is a pretty net-negative activity. The scalper isn't adding any kind of value to the system, just profiting off the fact the company refuses to raise the prices of the cards to meet the demand (which of course they refuse to, because if they did then kids would *never* be able to afford them - though of course ideally they should print more to meet the demand at lower prices instead). I can't judge an individual who does it to put food on the table, but if there were no scalping in the world it would unambiguously be a better place.
I definitely believe we need some kind of anti-scalping law in place to prevent this happening. But where do you draw the line? What is and isn't acceptable when it comes to reselling?
It's normal to grump and long for "the good old days." I used to spend my allowance on a pack of cards each week. My dad and I would buy them from a mo m and pop stand at the flea market, and open them over a plate of fries at the local diner. That was our bonding time.
Don't forget about how the dollar stores started selling Pokemon card packs with only five common cards. There's some shenanigans, too.
That's something I wasn't aware of! I've seen counterfeit cards and stores trying to sell resealed packs, but the dollar stores? That's a new one for me.
Maybe we should be writing up a guide on what to look out for when it comes to counterfeit goods like this in the future!
Weeks are not passing fast enough to read the new issue of Johto times. Been waiting for what this week's content is and i am pretty satisfied as usual. Pokemon cards are life #belikepokemoncards. I enjoyed and still do enjoy playing with them a lot.
Thanks for your comments as always!
Thanks are not accepted sir, I always appreciate quality content and comments are nothing for your super high quality work. I wish i could do more. I am sure many people think like that