Top 10 Tips For Pokemon Card Collectors

The Pokemon card collecting scene shifts regularly. Those that have been in the hobby a long time (some over 25 years now!) might be comfortable with the familiar ebbs and flows, but it can be an unpredictable and dynamic landscape with a sharp learning curve.

The pandemic brought about a monstrous boom with cards growing 1,000% in price seemingly overnight. Along with it came a nostalgia-fuelled resurgence in vintage, accelerated by popular YouTubers buying booster boxes, packs and cards at unprecedented highs and opening them with their communities on livestream.

More recently, we saw the Sword and Shield alt art bubble, with the famous Moonbreon soaring beyond £1k, now slowly retreating again over the last month. Collectors have an overwhelming plethora of Pokemon sets to choose from and The Pokemon Company are showing no signs of slowing down. Their annual figure report quoted a record of 11.9 billion cards printed in 2023, breaking this annual record for the fourth year in a row. We have more grading companies than ever to choose from - PSA, CGC and BSA alongside a wave of AI-driven grading services now popping into the fray.

All of this is to say that as brilliant as this hobby is, it can undoubtedly be an overwhelming space to navigate. If you’re scratching your head wondering where to start and what you got yourself into, then this article is for you. We’ve broken down our top 10 tips for Pokemon card collecting. This will help you successfully navigate your hobby, covering buying, selling, cost control and how to maximise your enjoyment!

1. You can’t do it all, so don’t try. 

Even if you had the money (which most absolutely don’t), you’d also need the time, energy and product availability to get everything. It’s simply an unrealistic goal and will quickly suck the fun out of the hobby. Ask yourself what really excites you and focus your efforts on that. You’ll find it extremely satisfying ticking off mini milestones in your collection goals as you go.

2. Try to ignore the hype.

This one is important. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest trend and end up investing your efforts into a collection, set or card that you’re not truly interested in. This hobby is so individual, so try to keep it that way. Collect what excites you and don’t feel you have to be a part of the buzz simply because it’s the buzz.

3. It’s not all about value.

It’s sensible to collect with value in mind and we’d suggest that collectors should be aware of how prices are changing. But investing and collecting are different and it helps to understand which you’re doing. If you’re a collector for the fun of it, collect what you love. It may increase in value, it may not. But either way you’ll be left with something you love.

4. Buying the single is cheaper than hunting for it in packs.

There’s nothing wrong with buying and opening packs for fun, we do it every week! But it’s not the most efficient way to collect if you’re looking for something specific.

It’s all in the maths. Take the Evolving Skies Umbreon VMax, for example. TCGPlayer lists this card’s current market value as $860 USD. The market rate for an Evolving Skies booster pack is around $12 USD. With a pull rate of 1/283 packs for an alt art VMax from this set, it would cost on average $3.4k to pull one, and even then it’s possible you end up with an alt art VMax that’s not the Moonbreon. 

5. Where to buy from.

There are a range of good (and some bad) marketplaces for singles in the UK. eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook groups and Whatnot are usually your best bets for price, availability, variety and quality. Tread with caution on Amazon as this is notorious for scammers and fake cards. 

LCS’s are good but sparsely populated in the UK. If you’re lucky enough to have one near you, use it. They can often help with middleman grading services and other areas.

Finally, if you’re looking for sealed boxes, tins or packs, it’s often best to develop a relationship with an online store you like and trust. Here at NextHit, we offer a loyalty promotion scheme - every 2nd and 5th purchase get 10% off and members get exclusive discount codes as a thank you for continued custom. We want to give our customers the best experience and support access to their hobby!

6. Engage with the community.

You’ll find it easier and cheaper to secure the cards you’re after. Building relationships with online stores, LCS’s, eBay dealers and members of Facebook groups will make the whole process smoother and more enjoyable. You also unlock the option to trade, rather than simply purchase.

7. If you can’t afford the big hit, trade up to it.

Not everyone can afford to (or wants to) shell out hundreds of pounds for a big hit. In that case, a savvy collector will buy a cheaper card that’s on the rise, sell or trade it for profit and work their way up to the big hit. Although it comes with risk and requires some understanding of the market, it’s a totally viable strategy.

8. Make the most of your bulk.

Every penny counts in this game. Collectors end up sitting on a tonne of unwanted uncommons, commons and rares that can be put to good use. Trading this in with bulk dealers for cash or store credit will earn you £30-£50 for a typically sized submission - that’s an ETB!

Pro-tip: staying aware of the competitive game can help you earn more from your bulk. You’d be surprised how much some trainers can go for when they’re key to the popular decks.

9. Start with the big hitters.

We see plenty of times that a collector sets out on a mission and stops half way through due to life commitments, boredom, or other reasons. If you start with the big hitters, it’s going to be easier for you to liquidate that half finished collection should you need to.

10. Have fun.

Honestly the most important thing in the hobby is not to lose sight of why you’re in it. It’s fun and it brings joy. If you lose that sense of excitement when your card finally arrives in the post, something has gone wrong down the line. Enjoy it!

If you're looking for sealed, singles or slabs, check out our store at www.nexthit.co.uk!

References for data and images:

www.tcgplayer.com

www.cardzard.com

www.pokebeach.com