My 1st Ed Base Charizard ran me $3800 ($4000 shipped), most I ever spent. It was honestly a solid price to me as the same grade/condition was selling for like $10K+ during the Covid cycle and now I’ve seen them selling for quite a bit more with less and less of them on the market it seems. The demand remains so strong for this card.
I could spend more than this, even upwards of 5 figures, but I haven’t been able to justify it yet or find a card I want that bad. The only thing on my radar could be a Unikarp or some other rare promo type. The most I’ve spent on a raw card so far was $500 for a truly NM Masaki Gengar (no Masaki indents), which was actually a very solid purchase for me.
For now, I’m most likely limited by how much I sell from my current collection. If I sold $5000 worth of stuff over time, I might buy a $5000 card with the proceeds.
The couple most expensive cards I’m still interested in are a Japanese latias and latios GX in psa 9. A Masaki Gengar in psa 8-9. Then the P Promo Pokemon Center Tokyo and Osaka which run around $750-800 each in a psa 9.
At the moment, probably $50 or less. Once money becomes less an issue I’m sure that number will creep up. There is so much that I want thats under even $20, so its not like im running out of cards to buy
The most expensive card I actually want and expect to have at some point is around 1500 euros right now, so probably that. There are cards that are above that that I would like, but I dont like the idea of that kind of value laying in my house. Something really weird would happen before I would go above 1500 euros. And even that card is a long term dream.
Most I’ve spent so far was about 150 Euros for a single card. However, to finish my VS Series binder I still need that Karens Umbreon, which I hope to find in decent condition for about 250 Euros or less.
The most I’ve spend on a card thus far was 4.4k euros (~4.8k USD at the time) for my German birthday Pikachu.
If a SNAP Pikachu would emerge, which is worth ~275k USD, I’d defintely be willing to spend 15k USD for it. But for a more realistic option: I’m currently willing to spend around 5-6k USD for any of the missing Art Academy Pikachu cards, or maybe 7.5k for two specific ones (one is my favorite Pikachu artwork, and the other is the only English Pikachu TCG card I don’t own yet). And yes, I know the ones I’m missing are all worth way more…
My most expensive purchase on a single card is about ~$600, but the most im willing to spend is probably in the $1000 - $1300 range. (Hoping to purchase Latios & Latias at Collect-a-con this year!)
I would be willing to spend $20k-$30k on the play Espeon, but that would be after serious resizing of my collection, since I have some cards or sealed items that I have multiples of and if I could convert them to cash instantly and get the card instantly, I would do it. But since I can’t do that, the $20-$30k amount is too big for me since I’m not rich (how sad).
If we get outside of yapping territory, I’ve spent mid four-figures on a card before. Luckily most cards that I want are either $2000 or less, or they are like $30k+ which is way more than I’m able or willing to spend. Only exception is the play Espeon
That’s what I do as well. I will spend up to what’s in my PayPal balance from what I have sold or can sell very quickly if a big item comes up. Few exceptions of course, like when I had the check to buy some Neo Shinings.
Biggest single item i bought so far is PSA 8 Shadowless Charziard for $1,625. I think I am willing to spend up to the cost of a PSA 7 1st Ed Charizard (~$7,000?) if I can save up enough from selling. Been buying smaller things that I have an eye on for a bit lol.
I did not lol. I got it for 2k. I remember I really wanted that card. I mean now that I have that, the most I would probably spend is 1kish. But who knows. I’ve been eyeing a gold star charizard and that’s like 2.2k.
I purchased my 1st Edition Blastoise Base card (PSA 7) for $1250 a while back and that one stung a bit. I’m a sports card collector too and that’s the most I’ve ever paid for any card. There are special cards I’m willing to make exceptions for, but I’ve also accepted that there are a lot of cards I want that I’ll just never be able to justify paying the asking price for, even as my salary increases over time. I’m thankful I purchased the majority of my collection before prices took off because I simply wouldn’t pay going rates for a number of cards I own now, but $2K is probably max threshold for a single card.
The funny thing is that I’m still a totally broke student, and I never spent more than 220$ on a card.
I generally prefer quantity over quality, and I’m really REALLY willing to compromise before I would drop a significant amount of money on a single card.
But, if after all my reasoning, there still was a card that I’m 100% convinced about and I truly care, I think I could see me spending 4000€.
Above that, we’re getting in the “I could buy a car for that amount, you’re crazy” territory.
Well, I can work with my fantasy for a good while lol.
Most I’ve ever spent is 500 USD and it was a trade so I don’t know if that counts. Right now 1000 USD is around my max but if my dream card somehow became available I think i could stretch to 2K, however that’s not too realistic unfortunetly since the card in question is the hawaii tropical mega battle…!
But for a more realistic option: I’m currently willing to spend around 5-6k USD for any of the missing Art Academy Pikachu cards, or maybe 7.5k for two specific ones (one is my favorite Pikachu artwork, and the other is the only English Pikachu TCG card I don’t own yet). And yes, I know the ones I’m missing are all worth way more… 
