Pokemon fan discovers New York Times’ “inaccurate” TCG value predictions
Pokemon / New York TimesA Reddit user was going through his old things when he discovered a Pokemon newspaper clipping, a value guide, and a movie poster with some wild market prices from 1999 that didn’t stand the test of time.
While many fans hope to find some Pokemon relics in their attic, one Reddit user found an interesting part of Pokemon history, and the community is enjoying this glimpse at the past. Pokemon fan hayate4468 posted their Pokemon finds over on Reddit, including card price guides from 1999.
Alongside a Pokemon TCG card guide, the Redditor revealed a “Pokemon: The First Movie” newspaper advertisement. They also share a hilarious New York Times article from 1999 with some warnings for young trading card investors.
The New York Times article from 1999 attempts to teach young readers the importance of selling high in a bubble in the wake of the 1999-2000 market crash. It cites that Pokemon cards have sold for as much as $375 dollars during a bubble.
Reddit user discovers relics of Pokemon TCG history
11-year-old Mike Loprete is interviewed in the segment. “I should have sold… I could have had three times what I paid for them.”
“Collectors who held their cards too long have lost hundreds in paper profits… bubbles will inevitably burst”, continues the news article, invoking the 17th-century ‘Tulip Mania’ bubble.
With the advent of the internet, value guides like the one this NYT writer would have relied on were made obsolete, with online trading websites and marketplaces instead setting the standard for reliability in trading card resale prices.
The overall lesson with hindsight might instead be to hold, hold, hold, with Iron Hands, after events like the global health pandemic and the so-called “Logan Paul” effect, the Pokemon TCG market has proven to be unpredictable.
Redditor hayate4468’s Collector’s Value Guide, first published in October 1999, values Charizard at $225. Today the same base set, PSA-graded Charizard, is going for just under $6000.
“I really hope that Mike bought the dip.” quipped Aureliusmind.
