An extremely rare sealed Pokemon booster box has sold for $198,000, which is more than double the world record and far above the estimated $80,000+ of its pre-auction estimate.
If you're interested in the how rarity can impact the value or impression of a card, we've got a few guides to get you up to speed, such as Magic: The Gathering Cards, Digimon Cards, and Pokemon Cards.
The reason why it's so rare is because it's the first set ever made and it comes from a very low print. It includes 396 cards from 36 booster packs, which contain 11 cards each. Because the set is unopened, Heritage Auctions states that it's "likely that most or all of the cards are in Gem Mint condition", which is basically a 10/10 for a given card's condition.
"Sets like this one, especially in such extraordinary condition and sealed in shrinkwrap, have become undeniable rarities,” said Jesus Garcia, Assistant Comics & Comic Art Operations Supervisor at Heritage Auctions. "The previous record, of $78,000, at Heritage Auctions was set in was set in February 2019. To see this result, more than doubling the previous mark, just shows the popularity and demand for these cards show no sign of slowing down.”
If you're interested in Heritage Auctions (maybe you have your own Pokemon sealed booster box that you're itching to sell) then be sure to check it out here.
Quick Take
It's crazy that cards are worth so much, but hey, if people want to bid so much on Pokemon trading cards, who cares? It's not like it's hurting anyone (except their wallets). Video games is a relatively new niche, so it's only going to go up in here later on from now. If you've got something valuable (like a sealed Pokemon booster set) that's in mint condition, maybe get it appraised? You could be sitting on a potential goldmine.
