The Giant English Market Thread

As the hobby grows, so does the type of discussion. In light of the recent price growth and numerous investing topics, we are going to start implementing mega threads to consolidate conversation. This will be our first general mega thread for money market talk. For example threads like this, this, this, and this will be consolidated moving forward.

Pointed questions can still be their own topic. But the general money market discussion will be consolidated into this thread.

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broke bois itt

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@dblast this is your home now. Try and stay put.

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The conversation will only get spun around and around all while going downhill. Similar to a black hole or a toilet.
With the influx of new members I donā€™t want this forum to become a cesspool circlejerk, begging, time wasters etc.

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Just a random idea, but can we also have a mega thread to post/discuss sold listings that may be interesting for one reason or another?

Or can we also just consolidate that sort of thing to this thread as well?

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It might need a touch more detail in the description unless this thread is going to truly be the cesspool for anything related to money.

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Itā€™s purposely broad to start and will potentially make a couple more mega threads for recurring topics!

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What are the largest percentage gains people have seen on some cards over the past two to three months? Shadowless Charizard (75%), Dark Dragonite (50%), Rocketā€™s Scyther (100%), Blaineā€™s Arcanine (100%), the Legendary Dogs (300%), and Shining Gyarados (100%) PSA 9/first edition (all rough numbers) come to mind

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I lost track all I know is $20 1st edition T17 is now worth roughly a thousand. Even if I grade it and it comes back a 7 or 6 there a huge percentage gain. Mostly anything 1st edition wotc but I havnt took the time to crunch all the numbers plus they change all the time. What I do pay attention to is my collection tracker which says my collection as a whole has tripled. But Iā€™m not worried about it. Some of these cards are way to difficult to replace especially at prices I paid. If I sold thereā€™s a very high chance Iā€™m paying close to or more than what I sell them for to replace. The thing Iā€™m mostly happy about is the fact I took advantage and bought early :slight_smile:

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Thank you for making a mega thread. I love sorting threads by new. Itā€™s not been as much fun when every thread is focused on ā€œinvestingā€

  • How much are my cards worth (wasnā€™t planning to sell, but free efour advice OR oh wowā€¦ itā€™s for sale now)
  • ā€œShould I grade my cards? Theyā€™re pack fresh mintā€ - quote Charlie shared from earlier today
  • Would you rather buy this or this? Pure exploitation on a what if. If you donā€™t know, donā€™t buy. Otherwise pay Scott $100 to tell you.
  • Backlash on prices. Some deserved, some misunderstood. eBay is the majority of the market. eBay is your best source for real-time price accuracy. Only takes one person to buy a card. Not everyone will agree.

Thereā€™s been a less deep knowledge threads or just fun collection updates. A high percentage of general questions are available via a quick site search.

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There have been much higher gains than that on exs. Iā€™ll just give an example: I bought a PSA 9 Dragon Frontiers Flygon ex for ~$35 on eBay in mid-March to crack for my set. I didnā€™t have access to the address I ordered it to because of COVID so it took over a month to receive it. By the time I received it in late mid-late April, the prices had gone up so much that it didnā€™t make sense to crack it anymore. There were none listed so I figured why not list it at a crazy high price and see what interest it gets? List it at $190ā€¦sells within an hour. Thatā€™s an extreme example, but most of mine have at least tripled in price since January/February. I sold about ~40 on eBay over the course of April, including ~20 to one person. Of course, that person has listed all the ones I sold for him and for 2-10x the prices I sold them to him at lol; and some of his have sold at those prices!

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the majority of the threads and youtube videos have been less about collecting, finds, collection updates and more about prices and mainly investing. I know pokemon cards are valuable, but the constant talk about using them as investments is definitely detracting from information about the cards themselves, artists, discussions and collection updates.

Iā€™ve taken a step back from reading the forum and watching videos so I can simply enjoy the hobby and not feel overwhelmed. Iā€™m doing my best to focus on the enjoyment of it with an awareness of the prices. I picked a crazy time to jump back in.

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@hisoka107 I agree. I like hearing the stories more for peopleā€™s own collection how they saved money. I do appreciate a good sale and i know itā€™s necessary for the hobby as well. The only part that sucks is people with no interest in the hobby or keeping cards for themselves and only care about the money. While taking cards off the market us collectors actually want. But I guess we just have to suck it up. Complaints wonā€™t make things change. It is what it is but i donā€™t let anything get in the way of my collection goals :slight_smile:

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Letā€™s change the subject slightly. Tell us cards you bought for your own collection which are now worth much more. :slight_smile: makes a much more interesting read. Hope you guys agree and join if not no biggie

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ā€œAll of them.ā€

-Everyone

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Iā€™ve bought few cards personally other than a PSA 10 ancient origins Tyranitar Base EX. I still had all 3 of the other Tyranitar cards, but could never get this one. They havenā€™t gone up in value, but for Tyranitar I donā€™t really care about value.

Iā€™ll talk about some purchases that went up in value. I purchased a Mint condition (was labeled NM/M) 1st edition Jungle for $420 (474 with tax & shipping). nearly 2 months later I purchased multiple of the above for $1200-1600.

I purchased a NM/M 1st edition Team Rocket set for $700 (this was one in ZandGā€™s Treasure hunt videos ironically enough). Now sets are going for $1300.

My biggest regret was not paying over $1000 for a NM/M complete 1st edition Neo Genesis set on auction. I didnā€™t think much of it, and it ended around $800. prices exploded a few weeks later and just 2-3 of the holos in an 8 would pay for the order. I also passed up several Mint 1st edition Lugia holos on auction. They werneā€™t going to get 10s, but high percentage of a 9. Those were going for $250-400+.

Iā€™m probably close to 8-10 mint 1st edition jungle sets at this point. I keep buying them. I gotta stop.

Does anyone have this happen to them were they keep finding a particular card, set or box that always seem to find itā€™s way to you?

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@hisoka107 base venusaur is the card for me

At first I bought one for the collection on auction, or so I thought. The seller had two copies up but with identical pictures(mint) and I just put the same bid in on both and assumed one of the listings would be cancelled. Instead I ended up with two mint venusaurs a few days later

Now I think I have over 10 that need to be sent to PSA lol. They pop up randomly but I always have to snag them :grin:

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They just sneak up on you and end up at my house. I actually got the base and base set 2 versions in a collection. Do you have any preference with the versions that are out there.

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Base 1st is the most popular but I really prefer the shadowless. It just looks so clean :heart_eyes:

I do think the unlimited is nice and the base 2 is also underrated, but my second pick after Shadowless/1st ed would be the Japanese

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Bought Dark Charizard 1st ed Holo PSA 10 for 900 from some guy in Europe. Month later 2000ā€¦ish
Bought Base Set Charizard 1st ed PSA 10 for 1800. Month or 2 later 3000ā€¦ish+
Bought Blaine Charizard 1st ed PSA 10 for 1500 from China right when covid started. 2 months later 2500-3000
Bought Charizard 1st Ed holo PSA 9 for 5500. You guys all know the story now lol
Bought 3 Typhlosion 1st Ed PSA 9 for 400 each. Itā€™s now selling for around 600ā€¦ish to 700
Bought all 3 Shadowless Sealed Sealed Blister Pack art for 200 each. Now worth 500+ each.
Bought ton of Japanese PSA 10 while people didnā€™t pay attention to them as well and now worth a ton more
Almost everything has popped from my personal collection. I also sell if they offer me something I canā€™t so no to cause I donā€™t really like to sell.

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