Hey all-knowing folk,As we know, certain sets are more popular than others - at time of release and in terms of future value.
I wondered if anyone can tell me why XY Phantom Forces seems to be a set worth more value (sealed product wise) than the other sets surrounding it. With the exception of Flashfire which was always going to have an overrated value (I’m not a charizard fan), sealed product for the other sets in the first half of the XY series are all fairly similar except phantom forces.
As a specialty store retailer at the time, I know this set did not have a supply different to the sets after or before it and nothing in my memory is conjuring a reason for why cards in this set might be particularly valuable (as is the case for Flashfire)
Am I just seeing a standard rise is value due to the increasing age of the set that is appearing inproportionately high because Furious Fists was such a crap set or is there something particularly special about this set?
It could be because Phantom Forces had Night March Pokemon (= Pokemon with the Night March attack). Night March used to be a very playable deck and it can still be played in expanded. I can’t really tell other reason for it as imo the set doesn’t have much going on in it…
Phantom Forces was from the beginning of XY leading to smaller prints than newer xy sets like fates collide. Phantom Forces will probably have increases due to that. Also, flashfire is not overrated, the set is full of charizards and is one of my favorites among modern sets.
I can’t tell if you are being ironic with this statement here or if my attempt at a teasing jab at Charizard fans with my overrated comment didn’t translate across. If the first, I enjoyed your comment. If the second, I enjoyed the comment even more because it totally bought into my jab but I’ll elaborate because it was made in good humour and I don’t want to pass any offense. I meant that imo, Flashfire is only so expensive because it’s full of pretty Charizard cards and since I don’t like Charizard any more than I like Blastoise, it’s overrated in my eyes - it was a jab to Charizard fans who I find highly entertaining when they defend their obsession. it’s cute like a baby tiger and pikachu fans. Thus, when you say “Also, flashfire is not overrated, the set is full of charizards and is one of my favorites among modern sets.” It totally cracks me up. Really lifted my covid-19 depressed spirits.
I will agree, however, that FlashFire was a great set to collect. It was very visually appealing which is why I have no problem working out why it has such an inflated price - pretty sets always hold future value. Personally, I preferred Legendary Treasures for prettiness but that’s probably because it was better balanced for all types of Pokemon - also a very popular set at the time. The inflated price of Phantom Forces on the other hand boggles me because it isn’t a pretty set and as aptly put by xzini, wasn’t anything special.
As for print run, Phantom Forces still had a giant ass print run, it was in print for years and available from suppliers quite some time after later sets had run out - at least in Australia. Later sets will always have a larger print run than its predecessor (until the popularity crashes again and we have a repeat 00s era) and of course the older the set, the less sealed quantity is still available but that still doesn’t explain why the set is far more expensive than it’s predecessor, Furious Fists which should have less product available if a slightly lower print quantity logic is deployed. Ignoring Flashfire for its obvious reason, Phantom Forces is the most consistently expensive sealed set of the whole series and I can’t find a convincing reason for it. I would have thought XY base would be way out ahead for value but it’s not. Maybe I’ll just blame impending economic depression for it, hold my curiosity and see where things settle after people stop panic buying tangible investments. Although then the masses will be trying to offload their panic buying and values will crash… sigh. Curiosity sucks.
Which is why I’m comparing the value with the sets either side of it, not the later sets of the series. Phantom Forces is going for almost twice the price of its successor Primal Clash and, while less than double, still more than its predecessor Furious Fists.
Perhaps I should swing the perspective around and consider an argument that simply more people are selling the sets either side at present which is driving down their value in comparison. That would probably make more sense than Phantom Forces being mysteriously more valuable.
Assuming the print run was similar, if more phantom forces was opened less would be left sealed which would increase the price. If there abundance of stock leftover at retailers the price isn’t going to rapidly increase.
People also really love Gengar and the silver Dialga probably doesn’t hurt box value.
my guess would be that it was the last set printed in a limited run.
Pokemon tcg was at a unprecedented level of play due to pokemon go, therefore a lot of product was opened.
It has all the night march core deck cards which by themselves sell for approximately $30 for common and uncommon cards
and it has the secret rare dialga of which that card type had not been seen since legendary treasures.
I personally profited more than 3 fold with phantom forces over a year ago, not just from selling sealed boxes but also selling play sets of night march of which i always bought singles for 5-10c a piece in bulk.