You went cooking again
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I think this perspective only really makes sense if you entered the hobby during the current market. For a long time Pokémon cards were worthless. A lot of the people you’re calling “binder collectors” got into it during that time and collected without any sort of “investment” in mind.
That mindset didn’t suddenly disappear just because the market changed. For many collectors, grading or owning high end cards isn’t about investment either, it’s just another way to enjoy and preserve the hobby.
I also think these recent discussions about market conditions usually only happen because posts like this frame collectors in a certain way and bait a response. A lot of people are just quietly enjoying their collections.
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Who wouldnt be annoyed they didnt buy cards for pennies on the dollar that are now hundreds if not thousands of dollars. A card goes from “always” obtainable but not directly in one’s collecting goals to now being unobtainable regardless of one’s goals
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I also have been priced out of my collection goals.
That doesn’t make me bitter about the hobby though. The feeling of frustration doesn’t negate all the joy I had collecting what I could until now.
Also attacks and judgements are made about slab collectors without taking account that slab and sealed collectors can be also binder and single collectors at the same time, none of these are mutually exclusive. Some part of your collection can be for investment (sealed), some part for pure collection (binders) and some part for mixed purpose (slabs)
All these realities can be true at the same time (and often is)
(And you are right I do entered the hobby in 2024 after ptcg release, so that maybe why my perspective is vastly different to some)
PikachuTcg already nailed the sentiment perfectly, but I’m going to add something to that perspective. Even if you’re ok with this market, have seen your cards growing in value, and you can still achieve your goals, it can suck.
It’s not jealousy. For many who knew the hobby before this huge shift in mentality that brought higher stakes, the boom is becoming extremely suffocating.
Think about this:
-You can’t safely display your collection anymore
-you cant freely discuss your collecting habits or items with acquaintances because being targeted is a serious risk
-you keep getting associated with the worst loudest scum or mma scalper folks out there
-many have to use vaults which objectively sucks for a collector
-you have to insure every package, and sweat in case of problems during purchases
-sharing your goals publicly is equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot
-you feel bad about having been generous in the past with cards that have now skyrocketed
-your friends might get priced out so your circle of enthusiasts keeps getting smaller and smaller
-Collecting in an environment with fluctuating prices is inherently stressful for those who made budgets and plans
And so many more! People are rightfully frustrated and I understand it might be perceived as cynicism or negativity. But there are valid reasons beyond what is, in all honesty, a 5yo explanation.
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This sucks the most, we can’t take a break. Before, we were nerds, now associated with scalpers.
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Isn’t all that solved by just pivoting your goals though ? If I’m in a pocket of the hobby where Im getting outpriced I just accept it and move on to another where prices are reasonable given my constraints. I am not entitled to finish any of my collecting goals. You proclaim to be a true fan of Pokemon, and most of pokemon cards are exceedingly cheap, why not collect them instead ? My only explanation is that there is a lot of hypocrisy and gatekeeping behind these arguments
When people buy what they like, they tend to go for what they like the most. When markets shift enough to price them out, they adjust towards cards they like less of. When markets shift rabidly and rapidly, they cannot humanly adjust. Having to compromise over and over just for the sake of rudimentarily being a Pokémon fan is not a kind of freedom to aspire to. They will just get sick of it
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You heard it here first guys, sorry about that carefully curated collection you’ve budgeted thousands, tens of thousands, whatever amount on over the course of years or even decades because you’re actually passionate about it, but the remaining 2k worth of cards you were wisely putting money away on the side for is now actually 30 because crypto bro #2567 bought everything at 10x yesterday’s market value so they can flex it on instagram to sell their course.
But hey, you can always collect Scarlet & Violet bulk since you’re poor!
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And now I’m in it simply because of 1 reason:
@jaxlax21 Likes greninja, has collected almost every single card except for one, which only has 100 copies.
@slowqueen Has collected more than 80% of all slowpoke cards and took months to find a card that even the biggest collectors didnt think exsisted.
@ReganRampage Has collected every prerelease promo and was working on staff
@citriina Collects piplup and it’s evolutions, almost done with all languages
@eeveeteam Like many others, collects eevee and only needs 1 to complete their collection @Quuador Collects all things pikachu and is missing only 8 cards
These people are more true fans than you or I will probably ever be. They don’t collect pokemon because it’s cheap, they collect the pokemon they love, even when it’s expensive or hard to find. If they gave up and switched to other cards, we wouldnt have so many cool collections that you see today. Some of the best collectors on this forum dont collect because it’s easy, but because it’s rewarding when they finally get the card they’ve wanted for so long.
Pokemon collecting is a matter of time, and if you can’t wait to get the cards you want, this hobby isnt for you.
(sorry for the pings everyone)
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Wow @Vertemes that was your first great post 
Im happy for that 
(I agree with your argument)
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Waiting with bated breath for yours.
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I can’t believe I’m saying this line in 2026 but: guys, don’t feed the trolls.
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I mean, you aren’t wrong, I think that is what would end up happening. In the end you must accept the reality of things and move on, since fighting windmills never leads to great results. For now, for what it’s worth, I’m still not completely tired of using my minuscule visibility here to say what I don’t like.
I feel this is a transitional phase for the hobby, as people are still trying to figure out if adapting is feasible and to what extent, while others have some residual hope that things will get better (at least more stable, less noisy or mainstream). I’m a bit in between personally.
If that won’t happen, yeah at some point the community will self select those who have no problem shedding thousands, and the ones who are simply ok collecting low-end, hyper niche stuff. No more nuisances like us 
Well, the explanation is very simple.. You can’t decide what you like especially if your goals preceded any other recent boom. I’ve enjoyed vintage TCG forever and I started collecting again for that specifically. I’m definitely flexible on card condition, but unfortunately I can’t enjoy a collection of destroyed, PSA2 toilet paper cards (I tried).
That’s only my personal experience of course, although I feel it would be similar for others.
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To be fair, the most valuable cards in the hobby are Japanese, and you’ll actually find many people who say Japanese is superior to English in any format.
Like me, for example 
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I do a lot of climbing and alpinism. Being at the top of the mountain isn’t fun and the reward is very short lived. The true pleasure comes from the process of ascending and using all your physical and mental capacities to reach the top, not the top in itself.
I’ve been priced out and that doesn’t remove any of the fun I had in my collecting journey, I think in fact that if I had reached my goal I would feel bored and empty instead of true comptent. Another goal would chase the past one.
So as a collector I have to acknowledge that the true joy of the hobby is not being able to ever achieve the end of your goal
(Except @Vertemes I hope you get your Rayquaza 
)
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I am kinda at that point now. All the cards I need to complete my goal are just too expensive. So there isn’t really anything left to chase except keep up with new releases
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Let stick to your mountain analogy, if the terrain dramatically changed while you were climbing, I’d wager your little bellspourt legs wouldn’t survive the daily avalanches. That is the market right now for many collectors. Even for someone like myself who is one of the most experienced climbers, its never been more difficult to collect.
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This might be the worst opinion of all time
How would you recategorize all of the flying types that aren’t birds?
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