Im travelling to Japan next week. Im going to go there and take as many pics as I can in order to start the meme engines.
Will CGC grade this?
I know a lot of you folks don’t like these and that is ok…I do like them and I also believe the dumping paired with the negative sentiment has created one of the best opportunities we will ever get to own a piece of tcg history for a relatively affordable price. Time will tell 
I own 7 now fwiw
This was their buy list from 17hours ago, from their twitter account @Lotus_Akiba
I’ve been trying to dig up more information re: the store to see if that would provide more insight. Seems like the store is owned by some guy called Yappy-san and they originated from Fukuoka. Expanded next to Osaka and Akiba is their newest satellite store. They have Rico Matsumoto (original VA of Ash Ketchum) as a brand ambassador which makes me wonder if it’s possible they got the prototypes from her…? Otherwise, I suppose the owner does have some sort of connections into the industry
You may well be right, but I think of the saying “It’s not about being right; it’s about being right at the right time”. Even recently, you see cards going for the $1000-$2000 range that would have sold for several times that only some few weeks ago. We also know Akabane has around 5 further sets to sell. I am fairly ok with the cards themselves and their provenance, but I do not feel the need to get everything I would want right now. I picked up one at a price I am willing to risk and now I sit patiently, expecting more to crop up over the next year or so with prices not appreciating (and if they do go up in price, I at least have one). I also try to look at it in the wider context too, even the market sentiment for collectables as a whole (will it get better or worse in the short-long term?)
Only time will tell what happens it’s impossible to account for all the variables. Will be fun to look back at this thread and see what this conversation looks like 6 months to a year from now. It’s all just speculation but I have a feeling that I’ll wish I had grabbed a larger position
Definitely, if accepting completely that these are what they are claimed to be they are very special things. Then in terms of monetary value the concerns are things like supply and market sentiment, things that could take years to mature. They could go to the moon or they could linger in the swamp, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out as you say.
Honestly, I really hope prices drop a bit into early next year (bonus season) even just for a bit. I really want to own a Delta Squirtle even if it ends up being valued at like $100. For me, I just want to own more of the TCG history, and that Squirtle is my grail.
Where are these available right now besides the IG flippers?
Did a quick pass of goldin, fanatics and heritage and saw nada
ALT
These are confirmed from the same initial source.
Gary Vee influencer confirmed to be the buyer of the pristine 10 Alpha prototype from Sotheby’s.
He claims it will never be for sale and that he felt he stole it at that price.
Can you drop link of source :o
If the Windows XP zard is truly 1/1 I rate that more than the pika (which has a supply of at least 10 copies that are currently known from Akabane). Fair play to Gary though, his vision of the cards may win out. He made a bold move.
The ultimate pump n dumper lol
Next lot to watch