[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832631]Pokémon is a manipulated market currently, be careful. There are discord groups buying up certain cards and driving the price increase.[/QUOTE]
So just like sports cards?

same as it ever was

has everyone forgotten Gary V already :D

I mean, not that it's a bad thing lol

Lots of dealers at the Maplewood, MN show but not so much for bargain bins. I did grab a handful from one dealer and upon going through my stack says, "That one is not a dollar" (some cheap Packers auto of a guy no longer on the team). Price your shmitt and this stuff doesn't happen. The most annoying show I've been to; crowded, lack of pricing, people unwilling to move a little to accommodate more eyes at the table, dealers BS-ing instead of taking my money, seals over all the card holders making it a pain the arse to inspect condition, one couple plopping their checklist book over a bunch of boxes, people taking four score and seven years to get through a box... I probably won't go out of my way to get back to that one. I then went to the Pokémon show 45 minutes away and spent more more money in 45 minutes than I did at the sports card show. I'd easily go back to the that one.

Bitcoin is going to $250k this year. Y’all better buckle up.

[QUOTE=KhalDrogo;19832654]So just like sports cards?[/QUOTE]

Haha no it’s much worse since Pokemon has not raised the prices of boxes yet. Went to Target yesterday for vitamins and group of people hanging out by the card section. They had been waiting since 6am outside the target and it was 9am. Apparently the police were called last week, it was that bad. And they buy out all Pokémon so nothing for the kids remain.

[QUOTE=f2tornado;19832693]Lots of dealers at the Maplewood, MN show but not so much for bargain bins. I did grab a handful from one dealer and upon going through my stack says, "That one is not a dollar" (some cheap Packers auto of a guy no longer on the team). Price your shmitt and this stuff doesn't happen. The most annoying show I've been to; crowded, lack of pricing, people unwilling to move a little to accommodate more eyes at the table, dealers BS-ing instead of taking my money, seals over all the card holders making it a pain the arse to inspect condition, one couple plopping their checklist book over a bunch of boxes, people taking four score and seven years to get through a box... I probably won't go out of my way to get back to that one. I then went to the Pokémon show 45 minutes away and spent more more money in 45 minutes than I did at the sports card show. I'd easily go back to the that one.[/QUOTE]

I agree about the crowded part. It's tough when it's in the second floor of a mall. Tables take of half the walkway and then deal with regular mall traffic on a Saturday.

I'm a baseball bargain box guy as well, so it makes it easy to skip a lot of tables.

[QUOTE=KhalDrogo;19832701]Bitcoin is going to $250k this year. Y’all better buckle up.[/QUOTE]

And $500k by the next election, I was told.

[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832709]Haha no it’s much worse since Pokemon has not raised the prices of boxes yet. Went to Target yesterday for vitamins and group of people hanging out by the card section. They had been waiting since 6am outside the target and it was 9am. Apparently the police were called last week, it was that bad. And they buy out all Pokémon so nothing for the kids remain.[/QUOTE]
Why would TPC raise prices? They will continue to print to demand at relatively stable prices. That has always been their goal.

Most of the Pokemon world is left untouched by the pumpers today, same as it was in 2021.

[QUOTE=hermanotarjeta;19832728]And $500k by the next election, I was told.[/QUOTE]
God willing. Of course, this would just further the class divide. Best to have a position before it runs away from you.

[QUOTE=YayNJ;19832653]oh innocent child, you act as this doesn't happen in sports cards[/QUOTE]

1984 Star Jordan 101

[QUOTE=KhalDrogo;19832734]God willing. Of course, this would just further the class divide. Best to have a position before it runs away from you.[/QUOTE]

There are other potential 5 baggers out there I would feel more comfortable investing in.

[QUOTE=KhalDrogo;19832732]Why would TPC raise prices? They will continue to print to demand at relatively stable prices. That has always been their goal.

Most of the Pokemon world is left untouched by the pumpers today, same as it was in 2021.[/QUOTE]

A lot of cards recent went from $2 to $50 like Drowzee alt art from S&V. Printing more is only good for scalpers and distributors. Every site is botted and people camping outside starting at 6am. Distributors are already raising prices, GameStop has raised the price on 151 booster bundles. Pumpers have definitely moved into Pokémon.

[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832805]A lot of cards recent went from $2 to $50 like Drowzee alt art from S&V. Printing more is only good for scalpers and distributors. Every site is botted and people camping outside starting at 6am. Distributors are already raising prices, GameStop has raised the price on 151 booster bundles. Pumpers have definitely moved into Pokémon.[/QUOTE]

It happens with Discord groups on very specific cards like the drowzee. Sites were botted and people were camping outside stores for sports cards during the pandemic this appears to be no different.

Distributors aren't raising prices because they don't have any product to raise prices on. A quick check with my 3 distributors only show Trick or Trade Bundles currently available. When things like booster Bundles for 151 come in stock price is maybe 5 dollars higher than it was previously. Blooming Waters available at original allocated prices during the rare times it's in stock. Nowhere close to the BS that Sports distributors do where they hold back product than offer me Prizm Basketball at 95% of market. This happens constantly and has been happening for years. Pokemon distribution isn't doing that yet.

[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832805]A lot of cards recent went from $2 to $50 like Drowzee alt art from S&V. Printing more is only good for scalpers and distributors. Every site is botted and people camping outside starting at 6am. Distributors are already raising prices, GameStop has raised the price on 151 booster bundles. Pumpers have definitely moved into Pokémon.[/QUOTE]
I didn't say they haven't. It's just that Pokemon is so expansive that there is plenty of room to operate within regardless of what your motive is. Pumpers can't pump what they don't understand.

[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832709]Haha no it’s much worse since Pokemon has not raised the prices of boxes yet. Went to Target yesterday for vitamins and group of people hanging out by the card section. They had been waiting since 6am outside the target and it was 9am. Apparently the police were called last week, it was that bad. And they buy out all Pokémon so nothing for the kids remain.[/QUOTE]

so just like sports cards then

[QUOTE=KhalDrogo;19832734]God willing. Of course, this would just further the class divide. Best to have a position before it runs away from you.[/QUOTE]

When I first started mining Bitcoin 12-13 years ago it was supposed to close the class divide and be a foil to the banks, funds and billionaires.

Crazy days.

[QUOTE=YayNJ;19832904]When I first started mining Bitcoin 12-13 years ago it was supposed to close the class divide and be a foil to the banks, funds and billionaires.

Crazy days.[/QUOTE]

The poors will always find a way to give all their money to the rich

[QUOTE=anusinha;19832908]The poors will always find a way to give all their money to the rich[/QUOTE]

Yep....Donald and Melania made millions just last month off their MAGA supporters with a well-timed pump & dump of their new $Donald and $Meliania memecoins.

It seems to me that Pokémon has captured the attention of the youth, and that means it's a market that's going to stay strong for years to come. Card show dealers will need to cater to the demographic that is most likely to attend. That's young males.

[QUOTE=auctionjmm;19832566]Nope. It means less competition. If every sports card buyer who walks into a show used to have 80 tables to choose from, and now they have 30, the money is going to consolidate around those 30 tables. Nervous would only apply if sports card customers abandoned sports altogether for Pokemon. I see no evidence that those folks are yet trading their MJs for Charizard. Maybe those buyers are dabbling in Pokemon, but I don't see them outright leaving sports.[/QUOTE]

The money has clearly been shifting to Pokémon, though. Dealers need to adjust to the changing market.

MJ was an icon of Gen-Xers and older Millennials. Charizard is iconic with younger people. The fact that a card made in the 90s is still well-known by kids today shows the potential strength and growth of that market.

One of my favorite off season pickups :D
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/jLRLq2Sl.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19832962]It seems to me that Pokémon has captured the attention of the youth, and that means it's a market that's going to stay strong for years to come. Card show dealers will need to cater to the demographic that is most likely to attend. [B]That's young males[/B].[/QUOTE]

I think you may be shocked about the amount of young females in this space. My daughter wanted packs, so I drove her all around yesterday on a hunt. We went to three stores that had sports/TCG cards. One store had a 10 year old girl browsing top loader boxes and another store had a teenager girl as well. With the way females are treated in this hobby and the misogyny that is pretty prevalent in the hobby, they will probably not attend after a few card shows however.

[QUOTE=anusinha;19832908]The poors will always find a way to give all their money to the rich[/QUOTE]

aint that the truth brother.. 'tis always the way

[QUOTE=HunterConnorMom;19832709]Haha no it’s much worse since Pokemon has not raised the prices of boxes yet. Went to Target yesterday for vitamins and group of people hanging out by the card section. They had been waiting since 6am outside the target and it was 9am. Apparently the police were called last week, it was that bad. And they buy out all Pokémon so nothing for the kids remain.[/QUOTE]

My coworker collects a couple things but not cards. He is in full on retirement mode so burning up sick time. On a Monday at a Target he experienced the same thing. There was a line at 9 in the morning and he asked a couple of the people there what they were getting. He said all were dads trying to get a lone box of Pokémon cards for their kid. That was it. The store limited them to one box each.

So at least in this case, it was for the kids.