How much money invested in collection?

[KingPokemon]

@cullers

@KingPokemon

25,000.00 … (this past week👀)

Same, but I don’t do this type of spending as regularly as you.

I don’t know about that. Over the years I’ve heard about many of your buys😜

[effectspore]

Under 500

[xuzu]

@dbmoney10

I’ve spent $27,500 since Feb 2017. Net spend is -$9,800 though with $26,000 in inventory

Typical Liverpool fan to mention net spend

[crow]

A lot more than I would have ever expected when I started just wanting to put together a 1st edition base binder set…

[dbmoney10]

@xuzu

@dbmoney10

I’ve spent $27,500 since Feb 2017. Net spend is -$9,800 though with $26,000 in inventory

Typical Liverpool fan to mention net spend

Net spend for Liverpool is much much better than mine

[jameskray]

@papadiegos

I just did the math on this today, and after spending on purchases and grading fees, I have spent about $16,000 in 2 years. My PSA collection is valued at $15,500. But i have much more to grade and other things like theme decks that arent gradeable but have value. So i am still well above my overhead/expenses value wise. But it sure is crazy that Ive managed to spend that much in 2 years making minimum wage lol…

Edit:

Not all of the $16,000 was out of pocket- i flipped some product to help raise more funds to buy for my collection also; so it was pretty much recycled funds.

i HAVE TO SAY THAT ABOUT THE FACT AS ME MINIMUM WAGE AND ALL SPARE MONEY GOES ONTO MY COLLECTION LOL

[ldubbs]

Been into collecting seriously since 9/2019, my collection is worth around 5-6k

[gengaranimal]

I think an interesting question would be “how liquid are you” in the cards you own and based on the money you’ve spent? Do you know you could get out what you’ve put in? Do you care? Of course liquidity is a relative thing to the point some would say Pokemon cards are not to any degree “liquid” at all, and it can also be a completely non-relevant matter depending upon your collecting goals. But, as a minor collector/investor, I want cards in my collection that will sell “at cost” quickly in any economic climate (short of those in which the cards are only good for starting small campfires). This is the peace of mind part of collecting for me that helps calm my night sweats when I start thinking about how much money I have directed toward paper cards of imaginary monsters.

[frostyalpaca]

Collection is mostly PSA 9 1st holos from Wotc.

Got in at a good price too! I was able to haggle down the seller to 3 Baconators, a used Snuggie® and a handy. Easy worth 5 Double Baconators, a new Snuggie® and a bj in this kind of market.

[7l7l]

Looks like I’ve spent about $32056 and sold about $27329 since I started keeping track in May 2017. Hope to spend and sell a few thousand more!

[cooltrainert]

Hard to put an exact number on it. Wish I would’ve been more consistent with keeping track. I’m a collector, not an investor. I’d imagine I have spent close to $5k.

[jonandek]

Well, since January, I have purchased:

• full set of first edition base PSA 10 except Charizard and Chansey (those in 9). Plus two binder sets, one of which I have cracked out of PSA cases for my “pristine, pack fresh” binder set. Every non-holo I cracked was a 9 or 10. Every holo was an 8. venusaur was 8.5.
• A bunch of extra PSA 9 first ed holos, and some 8s
• full sets of 1st ed jungle and fossil PSA 10.
• binder sets of unlimited, jungle and fossil (1st ed). binder set of shadowless, all the holos were PSA 8s that I cracked.
• Sealed box of jungle 1st ed
• Full set of skyridge holos, all PSA 10 except for three cards (posted in the WTB section). Second almost full set of skyridge holos in 9.
• Full set of gold stars, about 2/3 n PSA 9 and the rest in PSA 10. The rayquaza and Charizard are PSA 10. Also have those two in 9.
• *Almost* full binder set of reverse skyridge holos. Need some that I posted in the WTB section. Most of these were PSA 8s and 9s that I cracked.
• Full set of Crystal Pokémon, all in 10 except ho-oh. Bunch of extra crystal 9s.
• Full Set of 1st Ed Shining pokemon, all in 10 except gyarados and tyranitar. Bunch of extra 1st ed shining 9s.
• Full set of Japanese no rarity cards, mostly graded and PSA 9 or better (love these). have tons of extras.
• Binder sets of 1st ed team rocket, neo genesis, neo discovery, neo revelation. The holos were mainly PSA 8a and 9s that I cracked open. Still missing a few non-holos and two holos that I will fill in over time.
• Binder sets of Hidden Fates, Burning Shadows and Sword and Shield. Random “full art” cards in binder sets like Shiny Charizard, Rainbow Charizard etc.
• PSA 9s and 10s of random 1st ed key cards like Lugia, T17 (yes!), Blaine’s Charizard, Dark Charizard, and some random things

I think that about sums it up… whew! It’s been a busy pokemon year. I still have some goals for the year which I hope to complete but will be starting to slow down after that. I won’t say how much I have spent, but let’s just say it’s more than I planned to when I randomly found my old pokemon cards earlier this year and decided “hey, why not pick a few of these up!”. Look forward to continuing to upgrade and fulfill collecting goals while interacting with the community here.

[mirza]

Started collecting again last October, spent near 20k. Don’t tell the wife!

[pigeonsyndicate]

Used to buy and sell, so I broke even usually then kept what I wanted from the remainder. So only recently did I start actually putting money in that I wasn’t able to recoup as easily. I’m away from my collection back in the states for the foreseeable future, so I can’t buy and sell as easily. Gotta build up my JP repertoire before I can get into the swing of selling things on this side of the planet.

Overall maybe only 3k?

[pokeaddict84]

After 8 years of heavy collecting I’m finally in the green. Was -$20k in 2017 and about +5k after selling my crystal set this month, which was my last investment. I sold off everything but my PSA 10 tyranitar collection which I basically have for free now with enough cash to buy what I need when they come to market.

[7l7l]

@pokeaddict84

After 8 years of heavy collecting I’m finally in the green. Was -$20k in 2017 and about +5k after selling my crystal set this month, which was my last investment. I sold off everything but my PSA 10 tyranitar collection which I basically have for free now with enough cash to buy what I need when they come to market.

Congrats! (You have such a nice collection of one of the greatest Pokémon)

When you were -$20k, did that account for the current value of your collection (i.e., you spent $20k more than the market value at the time) or you mean that you had $20k invested in it?

I wonder how many people made all the money they have invested in their collection back on sales, and then get the collection “for free” like you said! What a sweet position to be in.

[nostalgiaoldbird]

@jonandek

Well, since January, I have purchased:

• full set of first edition base PSA 10 except Charizard and Chansey (those in 9). Plus two binder sets, one of which I have cracked out of PSA cases for my “pristine, pack fresh” binder set. Every non-holo I cracked was a 9 or 10. Every holo was an 8. venusaur was 8.5.
• A bunch of extra PSA 9 first ed holos, and some 8s
• full sets of 1st ed jungle and fossil PSA 10.
• binder sets of unlimited, jungle and fossil (1st ed). binder set of shadowless, all the holos were PSA 8s that I cracked.
• Sealed box of jungle 1st ed
• Full set of skyridge holos, all PSA 10 except for three cards (posted in the WTB section). Second almost full set of skyridge holos in 9.
• Full set of gold stars, about 2/3 n PSA 9 and the rest in PSA 10. The rayquaza and Charizard are PSA 10. Also have those two in 9.
• *Almost* full binder set of reverse skyridge holos. Need some that I posted in the WTB section. Most of these were PSA 8s and 9s that I cracked.
• Full set of Crystal Pokémon, all in 10 except ho-oh. Bunch of extra crystal 9s.
• Full Set of 1st Ed Shining pokemon, all in 10 except gyarados and tyranitar. Bunch of extra 1st ed shining 9s.
• Full set of Japanese no rarity cards, mostly graded and PSA 9 or better (love these). have tons of extras.
• Binder sets of 1st ed team rocket, neo genesis, neo discovery, neo revelation. The holos were mainly PSA 8a and 9s that I cracked open. Still missing a few non-holos and two holos that I will fill in over time.
• Binder sets of Hidden Fates, Burning Shadows and Sword and Shield. Random “full art” cards in binder sets like Shiny Charizard, Rainbow Charizard etc.
• PSA 9s and 10s of random 1st ed key cards like Lugia, T17 (yes!), Blaine’s Charizard, Dark Charizard, and some random things

I think that about sums it up… whew! It’s been a busy pokemon year. I still have some goals for the year which I hope to complete but will be starting to slow down after that. I won’t say how much I have spent, but let’s just say it’s more than I planned to when I randomly found my old pokemon cards earlier this year and decided “hey, why not pick a few of these up!”. Look forward to continuing to upgrade and fulfill collecting goals while interacting with the community here.

These purchases are simply mind-blowing. Huge congrats on the hustle! If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living, sir?

[jonandek]

@nostalgiaoldbird

@jonandek

Well, since January, I have purchased:

• full set of first edition base PSA 10 except Charizard and Chansey (those in 9). Plus two binder sets, one of which I have cracked out of PSA cases for my “pristine, pack fresh” binder set. Every non-holo I cracked was a 9 or 10. Every holo was an 8. venusaur was 8.5.
• A bunch of extra PSA 9 first ed holos, and some 8s
• full sets of 1st ed jungle and fossil PSA 10.
• binder sets of unlimited, jungle and fossil (1st ed). binder set of shadowless, all the holos were PSA 8s that I cracked.
• Sealed box of jungle 1st ed
• Full set of skyridge holos, all PSA 10 except for three cards (posted in the WTB section). Second almost full set of skyridge holos in 9.
• Full set of gold stars, about 2/3 n PSA 9 and the rest in PSA 10. The rayquaza and Charizard are PSA 10. Also have those two in 9.
• *Almost* full binder set of reverse skyridge holos. Need some that I posted in the WTB section. Most of these were PSA 8s and 9s that I cracked.
• Full set of Crystal Pokémon, all in 10 except ho-oh. Bunch of extra crystal 9s.
• Full Set of 1st Ed Shining pokemon, all in 10 except gyarados and tyranitar. Bunch of extra 1st ed shining 9s.
• Full set of Japanese no rarity cards, mostly graded and PSA 9 or better (love these). have tons of extras.
• Binder sets of 1st ed team rocket, neo genesis, neo discovery, neo revelation. The holos were mainly PSA 8a and 9s that I cracked open. Still missing a few non-holos and two holos that I will fill in over time.
• Binder sets of Hidden Fates, Burning Shadows and Sword and Shield. Random “full art” cards in binder sets like Shiny Charizard, Rainbow Charizard etc.
• PSA 9s and 10s of random 1st ed key cards like Lugia, T17 (yes!), Blaine’s Charizard, Dark Charizard, and some random things

I think that about sums it up… whew! It’s been a busy pokemon year. I still have some goals for the year which I hope to complete but will be starting to slow down after that. I won’t say how much I have spent, but let’s just say it’s more than I planned to when I randomly found my old pokemon cards earlier this year and decided “hey, why not pick a few of these up!”. Look forward to continuing to upgrade and fulfill collecting goals while interacting with the community here.

These purchases are simply mind-blowing. Huge congrats on the hustle! If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living, sir?

I have spent my entire 20-year career in finance

[pokeaddict84]

@7l7l

When you were -$20k, did that account for the current value of your collection (i.e., you spent $20k more than the market value at the time) or you mean that you had $20k invested in it?

That is dollars spent not value. According to my spreadsheet I have 33 tyranitar PSA 9/10 I spent a total of $2,417.44 on. The value on them is at least $6000 now but I have no recent sales on a lot of the 10s and with this market spike probably worth a lot more.

[crow]

@gengaranimal

I think an interesting question would be “how liquid are you” in the cards you own and based on the money you’ve spent? Do you know you could get out what you’ve put in? Do you care? Of course liquidity is a relative thing to the point some would say Pokemon cards are not to any degree “liquid” at all, and it can also be a completely non-relevant matter depending upon your collecting goals. But, as a minor collector/investor, I want cards in my collection that will sell “at cost” quickly in any economic climate (short of those in which the cards are only good for starting small campfires). This is the peace of mind part of collecting for me that helps calm my night sweats when I start thinking about how much money I have directed toward paper cards of imaginary monsters.

This is a good point. Every few months, I do a recalculation of my collection as part of tracking our finances. But when I do so, I always put a discount on FMV to account for the fact that if I were to actually sell in any meaningful way, I’d probably have to go through channels that are going to take a cut of the sold prices from fees. So ultimately I find valuing at FMV to be misleading. I try to account for this with other assets too (e.g., fees for selling the house, estimated tax for pre-tax retirement accounts).