How did you start collecting or get back into collecting?

General
1

like the title says, Im curious how we all found our way back into this great hobby and would love to hear some of those good (and bad) childhood memories we all have surrounding Pokemon.

I collected as a kid in the glory days. Growing up on the West Coast I can remember opening packs of 1st edition and shadowless cards and playing Pokemon Red after school. The very first pack I opened I can remember pulling a Dragonaire and being extremely disappointed it wasnt a holo card. As time went on I amassed a pretty nice collection, most notably a 1st edition charizard that I acquired via trade for a 1st edition Venusaur and Scyhter. Unfortunately for me, at the pinnacle of the Pokemon hype my entire collection was stolen out of my daycare cubby. I can remember crying for hours and eventually stopped collecting because my parents didnā€™t want to spend the money anymore and the fun was out of it for me.

Fast forward 20 years and I have twin boys of my own who are now into Pokemon. I start buying them booster packs and helping them collect and care for the cards at around age 5. Shortly after their 6th birthday my wife accidentally put nearly all their GX/EX cards in the wash and of course they were all ruined. We didnā€™t want to break out kids heart and I can remember the feelings I had when I lost my collection as a kid so I went to every card store and searched every craigslist ad I could find trying to replace the bulk of the cards.

While on my journey to replace the cards I stumbled across some of the old WOTC cards and ended up buying a first edition jungle primape at a local card shop. I have no idea why I bought that particular card as it wasnā€™t one of my favorites as a kid and they had lots of other cards to choose from. But that single card started the snowball effect for me. I started to search Craiglist and I found some local PSA graded cards and an then an entire pokedex. Today I have completed almost the entire base set - gym series in 1st edition PSA as well as unlimited binder sets. Lately I have started to expand into promo cards and new sets outside of my childhood era. I have found some unreal deals both locally and on eBay that really kick started my collection. It has been a wild ride and I was pleasantly surprised to find a forum with so many like minded collectors with so much knowledge being spread and Im curious to hear how we all ended up here.

tl;dr collected as a kid. had my cards stolen. 20 years later have kids of my own who collect. wife ends up putting all the cards in washing machine. while replacing their cards I find old WOTC and start collecting.

Now lets hear your stories!

8 Likes
2

Always collect what you enjoy. Sure there are other factors that come into play when you start spending serious money. But all collectors that stand the test of time start with what they love, and that appreciation grows with time.

My first purchase back in the hobby was a sealed southern islands binder. Cost $30 back then. At the time that was the most I ever spent on Pokemon cards. You always start small, and naturally your appreciation and understanding grows with time.

5 Likes
3

It started when my mom bought a Dark Arbok deck for me and my brother when I was 6. I remember I was playing with some dinosaur toys one day and she brought back a Team Rocket theme deck for me and my brother to share. I was hooked till around 11 before collecting and playing YGO because everyone at school was doing it and it was cool then.

I got back to the hobby after 10 years doing YGO when I bought my first pokemon cards online via Mandarake 3 or 4 years ago while I was browsing for YGO cards to add to my collection. I was still doing 90% YGO and 10% Pokemon the few months that followed but the seed had been planted the moment I bought a set of mcD promos on Mandarake. I have never seen those cards before and they are just stunning.

Needless to say, that seed is a full grown tree now with very deep roots.

2 Likes
4

Was a 90ā€™s kid and got hit with that initial pokĆ©wave.

Stopped for years.

Found out about and played PTCGO with my cousin during early XY era.

Dug out my old collection.

Somehow more obsessed now than I was in '99.

6 Likes
5

Long ago I to was a mere child playing and collecting until the dreadful villain mother dearest had cut off my funds to continue my hobby. I, a mere 16 year old was lost. How could this happen? As the days became weeks which turned into months and years my passion was burning ever more than it had once before. I stumbled upon a video of psa graded cards and thought. Wow, ainā€™t this nifty. I then toiled over deciding on collecting once more, I decided to take the plunge and purchased a psa 10 japanese bulbasaur from none other than ā€œHey everybody, this is S-M-PRATTE.ā€

To this day I collect bulbasaur. Oddly enough since itā€™s my least favourite starter and I still share my negative bank balance with the discord crew and laugh with joy.

The end

5 Likes
6

i was ten in 1999 when it hit nz didnt have much of a collection but i loved em. a year later a family friend went to japan on holiday and bought back a neo binder of commons and uncommons. i was infatuated with it so traded my substantial dbz card collection for the 18 japanese cards he had. lost that binder practically a month later moving house.

fast forward to two years ago and i decided to buy a charizard. it was a psa7 unlimited for 150nzd. not crazy expensive but to me it was a huge price. hooked me back in now my collection totally dwarfs that card but its still my fave.

1 Like
7

Iā€™ve always been a huge pokemon fan since 1999 when I was 5 years old. I remember a kid who is currently still one of my best friends after 20 years introduced me to pokemon and I fell in love immediately. I would ask my parents for a booster every time we went to town and I amassed a huge collection of cards and other memorabilia over the years. As I grew older I got into yugioh and started playing with friends and slowly drifted away from pokemon shortly before gen 4 released.

What got me back into it after all these years was actually Netflix putting a good bit of the indigo league up and the release of pokemon go. My current wife (who also loves pokemon) and I would play pokemon go with friends on a daily basis. The release of evolutions helped too because I got addicted to watching booster openings on deriums channel. That led me to Scottā€™s channel and then to this forum. Here I am 3 years after diving back into the hobby and Iā€™m still in love with collecting. My kids love pokemon and while most of my hobbies in the past have come and gone, pokemon is the only one that consistently stays in the back of my head as an enjoyable hobby no matter what!

1 Like
8

Went to sell my collection around 8th grade(2005-ish) and discovered what some 1st edition base cards were selling for and I couldnā€™t believe it at the time. I didnā€™t really know how big of role condition played at the time but I saw 1st edition Zards selling for $80-$150. Ended up falling back in love with the cards and spending a lot of money buying out old collections.

Funny story is I was spending so much money on cards I decided I needed to start selling some cards to fund my new addiction. I had a promoted listing, at this time you could pay around $100 to have your listing show up near the top of the results. I was selling lots of 100 random cards with like 5 holos guaranteed or something. Sold so many of those lots I was making bank for a solid couple months. Then PayPal decides to call me saying they noticed I had a new account, I have been doing a lot of sales and they want to confirm my personal details. I am a horrible liar and could not lie about my age, so unfortunately they had to freeze my account since I was underage. I had $3,200 froze in my PayPal for 4 years until the day I turned 18 the funds were released. The guy I spoke to from PayPal was pretty nice though, he suggested since I have 100% feedback and I was doing such a great job that I should open a new account under my parents name and have them supervise me, so that is just what I did.

6 Likes
9

Iā€™ve been collecting since the Pokemon anime started on tv here in 1999. So this year makes it 20 years of collecting for me! Damn, now I feel old.

The first years werenā€™t so easy. Most of my collection were TOPPS cards and some card sized stickers you would get from Pokemon lollipop and gum packs. My parents didnā€™t want to buy WOTC packs because they were ā€œexpensiveā€ so we always got the cheaper alternative. Especially with me and my sister both collecting of course my parents wanted to go the cheaper route.

And honestly thereā€™s a time where I canā€™t even remember seeing Pokemon cards around here at stores anymore. During those times the only new cards I got into my collection were from flea markets and that kind of stuff.

Then around when Ex Emerald was released packs started appearing here on stores again. I was in middle school and during that time I would use every euro I got for Pokemon packs. It was so much fun and ex-era still holds up as the favorite era for me because itā€™s where I have the best memories from, but I also like the cards from that era the most.

Fast forward to today I can say that my collecting has naturally only gotten more serious during the years when finally getting jobs so I have more money to spend on cards. I started collecting graded cards too, I think I bought my first one in 2015 and that started a whole another side of collecting to me which honestly was very welcome. Before that I had no idea what PSA or card grading was until a Nauticads told me more about it and sold me a PSA 9 EX Power Keepers Salamence knowing that Salamence is one of my top favorite Pokemon. Today I have a wide collection of graded cards and various binder collections going on the side :blush:

4 Likes
10

Since I posted similar things quite often, Iā€™m just gonna link this here instead:
My PokƩmon Life in Review

As for a small update after everything you can read there:

All and all Iā€™m still enjoying this hobby and this community a lot, and will hopefully do so for a long time. :blush:

Greetz,
Quuador

2 Likes
11

Had a few cards here and there growing up but never really got to into collecting. Fast forward to late 2015 I went through a bad break up and was looking for something to keep me occupied and ended up buying an ancient mew, some generations packs, and started picking up some old lightly played WOTC cards. After a couple months I stopped collecting and moved to Utah where my cousins saw a binder of cards and showed me their collections. They had a bunch of evolutions cards that I thought were cool and started collecting again. Even though ive moved since then still makes me feel close to those little yoohoos and I have a lot of fun making trainer boxes for them for christmas every year. Now if I can only get this hobby to pay for itself :thinking:

12

Kids are into the TCG and I have always been curious about the 1st edition Charizard. Stumbled across the Cardboard Chronicles interview with Kiki and they mentioned PokƩmon collecting and the passion Kiki has moved me. Then I searched for more PokƩmon interviews and found the one with smpratte. The investment side also intrigued me as well.

Used to collect basketball and football as a kid. Now I can share my passion for collecting with my kids.

We like anime and the art of PokĆ©mon so itā€™s a win win. Not only do we genuinely love PokĆ©mon I treat it like a mini art investment as well.

1 Like
13

I collected as a kid. Stopped with all things pokemon until about 5 years ago when I got hooked on a pokemon mmo. I was aware of the tcg and collecting cards at the time but it was in the back of my mind. I didnā€™t think to start collecting cards until last november when I bought a psa 8 base unltd charizard off ebay. My family thought I was crazy. I have since upgraded that Charizard to a psa 10 and have a bunch of other psa 10 base holos. Iā€™m really happy that I started collecting again and my only regret is that I didnā€™t do it sooner when my pokemon obsession started with the games :blush:

14

I answer this in the (shameless plug) E4 podcast we did at the Hartford Collectorā€™s Event, which you can find here: www.elitefourum.com/t/e4-pokemon-podcast-at-the-hartford-collectors-event/23292/1

But to answer a little more in depth, I collected as a kid, I honestly can remember back to elementary school (1st-2nd grade) when I had a Neo Genesis Chikorita which I thought was the coolest thing ever. My friends would have all the cool cards, I can still remember the first time I saw a base set holo Zapdos. Iā€™d have a few cards here and there, but nothing really resembling a collection until maybe 4th grade when the EX series was out. I built up my collection mostly through trades, some packs here and there but I never pulled an ex card. Most of my cards were also in crap condition, I had a ridiculously creased Blissey ex from Unseen Forces but I still thought it was super cool because it had 160 HP. The bulk of my ex cards came after I traded someone on the school bus for a Latias gold star. We both had no idea what it was but my one of my friends did, and offered me I something like three ex cards for it which blew my young mind. Eventually I got less into it, interest faded as it does and I sold my collection off on craigslist.

Fast forward to high school, Iā€™ve started working a part-time job after school to make some money, Iā€™m browsing Amazon for stuff and see that I can buy the same ex cards Iā€™d idolized as a kid for $5-10. With several hundred bucks in my bank account and zero other financial responsibilities, I was able to buy pretty much all of the old cards I had, and some that I had only dreamed of like gold stars and base set holos. It took of from there as I found youtube opening videos, familiarized myself more with the hobby, and kept working to make more money. Eventually I got into PSA grading, which felt much more like the next step that Iā€™d want to take in the hobby, something to differentiate myself from other collectors and to progress from where I was as a kid. And since then Iā€™ve been slowly progressing, refining collection goals, getting more involved with the hobby, and working to finish off what I could have only dreamed of!

1 Like
15

Started collecting ever since the cards came out back when I was in middle school. Always thought Mewtwo was my favorite, despite the fact that I drooled over Gyarados and got every variation that came out. Realized I didnā€™t admit Gyarados was my favorite because, childishly, I was mad he wasnā€™t considered a Water/Dragon type when Dragon was officially recognized as a type.

I get to a point where I get Base Gyardos in a trade, my first ever, from my friend named Cleber. I then get Mistyā€™s Gyarados, Giovanniā€™s Gyarados, and Dark Gyarados from Japanese/English packs when Neo Revelations comes out. At this point I collected almost a complete set of Base Set (mixed with Base 2 and Shadowless), Jungle, and Fossil.

I read in a Beckett Magazine about the super rare Shining Gyarados card and figure Iā€™ll never be able to obtain it since my family was pretty poor and I only got a single pack maybe once every 3 or 4 months. However, Iā€™m excited by the cards, so I save my allowance until one day I buy 3 packs at Toysā€™Rā€™Us. Itā€™s my first time opening any Neo Revelations cards and I loved the art so much I forgot about Shining Gyarados.

I get to the 3rd pack and go through the cards, when I see it: Shining Gyarados. I screamed so excitedly that my mother jumped while we were driving. Haha. After that, I realized that Gyarados was my favorite Pokemon and told myself that I had to get every Japanese and English variant. I keep it up after a while but by the time college hits, Iā€™ve forgotten about my colletion.

I end up selling my entire binder for $10 USD in a yard sale (oof) but decide to keep a few cards that I had kept in top-loaders (some Mewtwo, Alakazam, Scyther, Scizor, Jigglypuff, Dragonite - my first rare ever- and other rando cards). I come across a small bag that has all of my Gyarados cards in toploaders and decide to keep those. After undergrad, I started collecting again and found this forum - decided to dedicate ONLY to Gyarados.

Iā€™ve fallen off and on, but the people here have helped me keep me on my toes with my collection. Had a bad Christmas a few years ago with finances and these guys really pulled through for me. Thatā€™s still one of my favorite memories of my collection.

2 Likes
16

When I was a kid (maybe 11?) I was interested in Pokemon, thought they were cute, and had some cards. But I am by nature a collector so it kind of built on itself. At some point I wanted the sort of lottery feel of finding a great card, and, now over 20 years later Iā€™ve been in and put of riding that wave.

1 Like
17

I begin with Pokemon as a kid with the original base setā€“also getting into Jungle, Fossil and Rocket. I was really obsessed but had some cards stolen in school and then eventually ā€˜grew out of itā€™.

Much later in life I got into fine art, I liked the idea of having something aesthetically pleasing that held or appreciated in value. I was thinking to myself, what would look really great on my wall, and for some reason I thought of the base set Charizard I had when I was a kid, and how cool it would be to have that framed on my wall. Iā€™ve always been a big fan of nostalgia and that feeling it brings me and others who would come to my house. From then I fell into the rabbit hole in Dec 2017, finding smpratte on Youtube, efour, and started my collection 2 YEARS later. I wanted to watch the market, understand what I liked, and just recently began my purchases as I found the prices to be irresistible. I have been having a ton of fun reliving my childhood memories.

I find Pokemon cards to be: more undervalued than fine art, more historically important than many pieces of art work that sell for far higher, more scarce (depends on the card of course), and WAY more fun to collect.

18

Got into collecting when Fossil came out, stuck around until EX Sandstorm when middle school/high school hit.

Got back into the swing of things when Evolutions came out. My buddy was big into the game at the time and talked me into buying the Mewtwo Mayhem theme deck. Itā€™s all been downhill from there :blush:

19

Hi lads and lasses, been a member for a few months but havenā€™t posted yet.

I was 9 when Pokemon blew up in 1999 and was one of the first kids to bring packs and a stack of cards to school which started a frenzy. (They eventually banned them)

Wasnā€™t always the best idea however, I pulled a base set Zapdos one day at lunchtime, and was chuffed with it. Gave it to a friend to admire and a few seconds later he got bundled (dog pile for USA I believe?)
Desperately I pulled that Zapdos from his outstretched hand and it was crumpled and bent. Iā€™d had my favourite legendary bird for a total of 10 seconds before it was ruined forever. I was gutted for the rest of the day and never pulled another Zapdos again.

Which brings me to the present day and a stereotypical example of modern day organic traffic. (Yes I watch your channel Scott)

Pokemon GO! My entire group of friends was hooked, I was on it all the time in 2016 and 2017. Which lead to me dusting off my gameboy colour and playing Pokemon Red and Silver again. I was searching online about Pokemon which ultimately lead to me discovering Evolutions a reprint of the original set! Surely not?!

But Alas the cards didnā€™t look or feel the same to me. I went searching through some storage boxes and found my old Pokemon binder that hadnā€™t seen the light of day for 16 years. I opened it up and there were all my Holos from Base set, Fossil, Jungle and Team rocket. And there was the crumpled Zapdos staring up at me. Haunting me. I was transported back to 1999.

I needed some more. I went on YouTube and discovered vintage Pokemon openings. Which is where I discovered Maxmoefoe and Leonhart. Which is how I discovered Gary. And which is where I discovered Scott.

And that is how I found E4. So I guess Iā€™m back in the Hobby now, except this time I donā€™t have to ask my parents for money to buy me cards. If youā€™ve read all of this then I am impressed. Congratulations and thanks for reading my ramblings.

May you have an exquisite day.

Cheers - James

5 Likes
20

Got into it when the cards first came out (I was eight years old going on nine) and collected all the way through the Team Rocket set. I actually had a separate binder for the Team Rocket cards.

I then lost interest in the TCG. Years later, when I wanted to find all my old cards again, I couldnā€™t find them, and I discovered that my dad accidentally threw them out with a bunch of my old toys.

Regained interest at the beginning of 2017 as a result of Beanie Babies, believe it or not. I decided to go back and collect some of the Beanies I didnā€™t have when I was a kid. I then thought, ā€œI wonder how Pokemon cards are doing now?ā€ So I looked them up on eBay and saw they had basically skyrocketed. Also noticed so many awesome artworks that I missed out on as a kid (i.e. Neo Revelation Houndoom) and realized that I just had to get back into it.

The first card I ended up purchasing was a PSA 9 No Symbol Kangaskhan in February 2017. I have been slowly and slowly building up my collection (as well as my interest in sets beyond WOTC, like the EX series) ever since.

At that time, I also started watching videos from PSA Pokemon (I think heā€™s on this forum under a different name), Gem Mint Pokemon and, eventually, Scott and Rusty.

Iā€™m back in it for good now, and Iā€™m so glad to have it as a significant part of my life.

1 Like