People only in it for the $$$

[ghoulaiden]

@hermit

I buy and sell to make the hobby sustainable.

When you sell do you put the profit back into your spending?

[chrispy]

@basesetwill

This is going to be an unpopular opinion but I want to rant anyway.

I really do think it’s a shame so many people have profit at the forefront of their mind with this hobby and that collecting is at best a secondary goal. Yeah it’s a free market and you can all exercise your rights to seek riches and profit in any way you see fit - but it’s sad to see for the people who actually just love the cards.

I don’t care about the monetary value of the cards. If 1st edition base set charizard was worth $0.50, and that was never going to change, I’d still buy them. Why? Because the card is amazing. I’m lucky in some respects that some of my favourite cards are “worthless”. I’m also lucky I bought a lot of cards that are now really expensive when they were also “worthless.”

In my personal opinion, the only redeeming quality to all of this is people trying to sell cards at a profit to then reinvest in their own collections and acquire cards they really want. Personally, I will never sell a card in my collection unless it’s to help me buy another one that I actually really want. To date, I have sold 1 Pokemon card in my life. And I used the funds to buy a Gold Stamp Promo card for my own personal collection.

I know it’s not going to change. And I know this opinion won’t be agreed with as some people hate an “attack” on their freedom (read: ability to make lots of money) but that’s my rant.

Have you heard about multi-level marketing yet? From what Gary and others have said, it’s a card game with a much better environment where people are true collectors and enjoy the space of supporting one another, playing the game, and collecting rather than keeping everything sealed and shilling for an eventual resale. Might be something to look into if Pokemon is spoiling your mood and feeling toxic.

[basesetwill]

@ghoulaiden

@basesetwill

This is going to be an unpopular opinion but I want to rant anyway.

I really do think it’s a shame so many people have profit at the forefront of their mind with this hobby and that collecting is at best a secondary goal. Yeah it’s a free market and you can all exercise your rights to seek riches and profit in any way you see fit - but it’s sad to see for the people who actually just love the cards.

I don’t care about the monetary value of the cards. If 1st edition base set charizard was worth $0.50, and that was never going to change, I’d still buy them. Why? Because the card is amazing. I’m lucky in some respects that some of my favourite cards are “worthless”. I’m also lucky I bought a lot of cards that are now really expensive when they were also “worthless.”

In my personal opinion, the only redeeming quality to all of this is people trying to sell cards at a profit to then reinvest in their own collections and acquire cards they really want. Personally, I will never sell a card in my collection unless it’s to help me buy another one that I actually really want. To date, I have sold 1 Pokemon card in my life. And I used the funds to buy a Gold Stamp Promo card for my own personal collection.

I know it’s not going to change. And I know this opinion won’t be agreed with as some people hate an “attack” on their freedom (read: ability to make lots of money) but that’s my rant.

I know a bunch of people that are only in it for the money. I don’t usually like those people.

I feel like we would get along

[basesetwill]

@smpratte

@japanime

I cannot lie.

I’m only it in for the Lumpy Gravy.

Whoa I never thought I’d see a Frank Zappa reference here

I mean… I did want to include you as an example of the right type of person to make money from Pokemon as you also collect cards for yourself and I would like to think you care about your cards for more than their monetary value I could be wrong however.

[ghoulaiden]

@basesetwill

@ghoulaiden

I know a bunch of people that are only in it for the money. I don’t usually like those people.

I feel like we would get along

[seafoamarticuno]

@basesetwill I totally understand and empathize with your sentiment. I’ve never sold a Pokemon card and don’t plan to. I don’t like how much prices have gone up on so many cards, making it more difficult to collect.

But I also realize that others may have different motivations and circumstances. There’s a lot of money to be made in selling/flipping/investing in Pokemon cards, so I understand why many people view Pokemon cards from a financial standpoint. If there weren’t so many active sellers, it wouldn’t be as easy as going to ebay, searching for whatever you want and *voila* there are 20 options for you to choose from.

The prices of cards may go up, they may go down. I would hate to have a significant portion of my “investments” tied up in Pokemon if the market cools down significantly, let alone be a flipper. As a pure collector, anything I spend I view as an entertainment expense… regardless of prices, I enjoy collecting. It might help you feel less resentment and just focus on the enjoyable part of collecting thinking like this.

[pfm]

WR Secret Santa speedrun [No “Nice” Glitch]

[Cerulean]

@basesetwill

@gottaketchumall

I could have chosen to make money any way I want in life but I chose to make it somewhere I’m passionate about and enjoy myself so I make money full time with Pokemon.

I’m a monster.

By your own admission you aren’t the target of my post. You said you were passionate about pokemon. I’m complaining about people who are not. And are only in it for the money. Come on man. At least read it

Those people never last in the hobby anyway, so why do you care so much?

[japanime]

@qwachansey

@fourthstartcg

All the other stuff about how “I don’t care if Pokemon goes to zero,” as has been pointed out earlier, is just ignorance of the dynamics of collecting. Nobody collects things that are worthless. Show me one serious, sustaining community where the highest valued asset is 50 cents. It doesn’t exist. Why? Because value and interest are mutually reinforcing. As much as we all like to claim “I don’t care if Pokemon goes to zero” we all do care and if it did we would not be a part of the hobby anymore.

I collect the smallest officially manufactured versions of everyday items. Smaller than trial size, usually industry samples or hotel room toiletries. I have some canned foods that are only a 0.5oz can, some ultra small hot sauce containers essentially single use, very small erasers… I will take more pics tomorrow.

Do you have any of the tiny Japanese beer cans? They hold the equivalent of a shot glass full of beer, and are simultaneously amazing and infuriating (if you’re trying to get a buzz).

[thurco]

Are there really many people only in it for the money now? What are these guys even flipping at this point?

[thsigma]

I am in it for the money…the loss of my own money. I have been quite good at this. Bank account steadily declining, packs of evolving skies and celebrations steadily opening, singles count steadily rising.

But actually you shouldn’t worry so much about what others are doing in the hobby. It’s fun to joke around and poke fun at people who are buying out Battle Styles etbs or something, but my personal enjoyment isn’t determined by what others are doing. If card prices shoot up or are all over the place, its just what it is.

[kingboo64]

[beggles]

I have a steady job so I don’t care about the people who are making pennies on flipping and scalping. The amount of effort they expend versus what they actual get in return is not worth it. I can just enjoy my job for five days and get the same amount if not more.

Now, if people are doing it well and earning enough for a full-time job then what is the difference between them and a regular shop? Clearly the demand is there for business, so fair play to them.

[candle]

just wanna thank all the profit motivated folks who list cards on ebay so can cop recklessly week in week out

[goldstarlugia]

If people weren’t profit driven then you would never be able to finish your collecting goals. Ever try buying/collecting things that people never list on ebay because they aren’t worth anything? It’s pretty difficult

[ccrntrade]

@Berndos

@basesetwill

By your own admission you aren’t the target of my post. You said you were passionate about pokemon. I’m complaining about people who are not. And are only in it for the money. Come on man. At least read it

See this is why I’ve been gatekeeping Tesla stock for the past 4 years. If you actually enjoy Tesla stock, I’d be fine, but most people aren’t really passionate about it and I hate that.

Why do you think people buy Tesla stock?

[KingPokemon]

@basesetwill, Who’s ruining the hobby more? You who has only ever sold one card or others who have sold many cards? How could I have built a collection from you or people like you?

[KingPokemon]

@chrispy

@basesetwill

This is going to be an unpopular opinion but I want to rant anyway.

I really do think it’s a shame so many people have profit at the forefront of their mind with this hobby and that collecting is at best a secondary goal. Yeah it’s a free market and you can all exercise your rights to seek riches and profit in any way you see fit - but it’s sad to see for the people who actually just love the cards.

I don’t care about the monetary value of the cards. If 1st edition base set charizard was worth $0.50, and that was never going to change, I’d still buy them. Why? Because the card is amazing. I’m lucky in some respects that some of my favourite cards are “worthless”. I’m also lucky I bought a lot of cards that are now really expensive when they were also “worthless.”

In my personal opinion, the only redeeming quality to all of this is people trying to sell cards at a profit to then reinvest in their own collections and acquire cards they really want. Personally, I will never sell a card in my collection unless it’s to help me buy another one that I actually really want. To date, I have sold 1 Pokemon card in my life. And I used the funds to buy a Gold Stamp Promo card for my own personal collection.

I know it’s not going to change. And I know this opinion won’t be agreed with as some people hate an “attack” on their freedom (read: ability to make lots of money) but that’s my rant.

Have you heard about multi-level marketing yet? From what Gary and others have said, it’s a card game with a much better environment where people are true collectors and enjoy the space of supporting one another, playing the game, and collecting rather than keeping everything sealed and shilling for an eventual resale. Might be something to look into if Pokemon is spoiling your mood and feeling toxic.

Love the multi-level marketing reference;) Don’t want the OP to get into it though until I’ve finished my sample set. He’ll hoard them…like me lol.

[mossdeep]

[milhouse]

Most aspects of my life are motivated by money.
I wouldn’t have any interest in collecting Pokemon cards if they were worth 0 dollars as soon as I bought them, or they had no chance to rise in value in the future. I’d find the number of people willing to spend 10000 dollars on a Pokemon card for it to always be worth 0 after that very interesting, my guess is it would be single digits. Money allows me to travel the world(post covid ofc), money allows me to afford medical procedures and health insurance to prolong my life, money allows me to be independent for my entire life and make my own decisions. If my Pokemon cards can help pay for those things then that’s a good enough reason to be in Pokemon cards, in my opinion. I am just fortunate that something I give a shit about and love being involved with allows me to supplement my week-week income and make it so the shitty retail job I do isn’t all I’ve got going on.

Being purely motivated by money in this hobby is 100% acceptable and understandable, what does matter is the way you go about making money and how you treat others when you are making that money. A person solely interested in making money who wants to screw other people over, step on others, partake in morally questionably activites, and boost their own ego and face value is bad for the hobby. The guy who wants to open a store and be the LCS of their area is purely in it to make money, but the way they are going about it is beneficial to others as well as himself. The guy who wants to make a Pokemon Youtube/Instagram to share their collection, fund further collecting, and build a following is beneficial for the community because it provides others with entertainment(or a friend simulator if you are cynical like me), but it’s mainly to make money.

Intention is everything.