New Beginner collector,what is Your advice?

Havnt collected since the first few sets released and I was a Kid. Havnt even purchased a Binder yet. what Sets should I look at as a new beginning collector ? Or Any Advice you have.. Thansk..

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Browse pokellector.com to see which ones you like. They have all the sets laid out with pics and (very) rough prices you can expect to pay

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Here we go again :money_mouth_face:

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Find cards that you like and start collecting them. You do not need to chase expensive cards. I collect Skitty and Delcatty because I think the pokemon is cool and conveniently not super expensive. I collect delta species on the side because I like them and are usually reasonably priced outside the ex and reverse holos.

TLDR: You can just buy cool cards

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I’d suggest refraining from buying anything initially. Just observe, research, find what you like a find and focus on that once you’ve found it.

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-focus your collection
-have a budget (keep small at first)
-avoid fomo where possible (look elsewhere with too many eyes)
-stick to singles before you venture into physical product (get familiar with modern and vintage card stock to avoid fakes)

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Japanese Art Rares! Cheap, beautiful, plentiful, perfect for a binder.

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If you like Japanese. I feel like a lot of people act like Japanese cards are a perfect substitute for (expensive) English cards. It can be, but the language is a thing.

On topic;

Start with some cheap products, learn the sets, and build your knowledge/collection from there. Best to start with modern.

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When I came back to the hobby last year, I had total sticker shock it’s definitely not like it was 8–9 years ago. I actually pivoted toward Japanese sets because they’re often more affordable than English and the card quality is fantastic. Now I do a mix of both, but I definitely have a preference for JP.

My biggest advice is don’t rush to buy. Take some time to figure out what kind of collector you are. Do you want to complete sets, hunt for specific Pokemon you like, or just enjoy the art? Knowing your why will save you a lot of money in the long run.

For me, I just buy the hits I like instead of opening packs. I look for the Pokemon I like (Typhlosion, Latias, Latios), but sometimes I like the art of others and end up buying those cards as well. Also, you can try to buy from other collectors on Reddit, Discord, or even here. I’m not sure if I can name the specific groups, so I won’t try, but they are out there.

Most importantly, you need to learn how to comp. Everyone thinks they are a vendor nowadays they’ll want to buy from you at a low percentage while trying to sell to you at over the last sold price. Stay patient and check the data.

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Set a budget, think about what interests you with pokemon and what kind of collecting you want to do (you can change later), read a lot of old information from the archives.

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  1. Do a lot of research first and find what you like the look of and what interests you. Set specific collecting goals and budgets for yourself so you can keep your finances and expectations in check

  2. Just make sure you’re collecting what you care about and not whatever is hype or being shilled/pumped. I for one moved totally away from grading a year or so ago and I’m having an absolute blast building my WOTC master sets and prioritizing raw cards over anything slabbed

  3. As long as you stay away from the scammy junk, the hobby stays mostly pure (DO NOT USE WHATNOT OR ANY BREAKERS, DO NOT PAY OVER MSRP FOR SEALED PRODUCTS). There are lots of normal folks out there who still collect due to nostalgia and the love of Pokemon, so just try not to lose track of your intentions. The minute you start thinking about the hobby as money first and collecting second, you’ll know you’re not in it for the right reasons

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I cannot even begin to tell you how extremely important and crucial these 3 words are.

I will also leave you with this piece of advice that was very important to my own collection when I was starting again.

“A $2,000 card that you can afford is better a $1,000 card that you can’t

Happy collecting!

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Start to build a Pokedex binder. On your way you will learn about what is special and what you like the most.

It’s a fun collection and you don’t need a lot of money, only patience.

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Slowly learning that if you just wait it will appear. Even if you think that the card you didn’t find will never appear, keep on the hunt and it will eventually be somewhere.

Also DO NOT GO INTO DEBT OVER CARDS. If you want something on the expensive side of collecting (like $250+) don’t prioritize it over rent/food/gas/utilities ‘cause they are needs not wants, and slapping it on credit is just gonna be even more expensive if you can’t pay it off by the next bill cycle

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Set a goal and finish it before moving to another one. Don’t start a new set before completing the previous one.

Yesterday, I finished LotR marathon in cinema so to quote Bilbo, you would feel like a butter spread over too much bread.

Go for things that make you happy! Remember its your collection, not a race against others to get to where you want to be. Enjoy the journey! :slight_smile: