I feel like it is the influx of newer modern collectors coming in from the 2020 wave that is keeping the demand high for these modern cards. Very interesting!
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I think that’s bound to happen for the foreseeable future because once the reprint has sold out, how will you get it? Will another reprint happen? Add to that that there are more people hoarding than ever, and that’s when it seems like there’s a shortage of highly sought after cards.
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This exactly happened to me. I believe it was Magi, I know they’re getting a reputation these days, but they told me a Lusamine, which they were offering 66k yen for, had damage on the top left that marked it down to an A rated card. Now don’t quote me on the specifics, but I recall it being two whole grades lower than the top grade which would get the 66k yen. I double checked the card on the spot. And legitimately, not a single spot of anything existed on this thing. No edge wear, no dents, no scratches. They had Good lights there for inspection, and I had inspected it before bringing as well. I was worried that maybe they damaged it. But nope, nothing.
So yeah, it may be anecdotal evidence, but they offered half the price they were offering. I said they can piss off. Though TBF, that Lusamine card should not be 66k yen. Since then it’s gone up on their buy list.
Here is a semi recent photo of the buylists in Japan. Taken about a month or so ago.
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So in short, they’re posting exorbitant buylists without actually buying anything at those prices
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I’d say that’s part of it, but I think another part of it is taking advantage of people that don’t understand the markets in general while simultaneously having the ability to now sell higher because their buylist says it’s more expensive and the laymen doesn’t understand that maybe they aren’t actually buying them for that price.
It sounds kind of like a conspiracy, but it seems highly plausible. Especially when you tie in that grading is still new to Japan, so they’re taking advantage of that lack of knowledge as well. They can make claims that a single minuscule spec constitutes a massive price drop when in reality it doesn’t always.
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Kind of feels like there’s a shift from vintage to modern, especially for Japanese cards.
Book Off aka Rip Off are notorious for pulling those kinds of shenanigans too. Took an absolutely mint mechanical watch with box and guarantee to them and the baito high schooler jackass offered me 1/10th of the retail price even though they were selling the same watch close to retail in their display cabinet. Never again.
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Hahaha yeah dude! My girlfriend and I tried to sell some random junk to them as well and wow did they offer us nothing. I’m surprised they can continue business. But it makes sense since people have to pay to dispose of stuff if they wanna follow the rules.
We brought a hair dryer, and they offered 80 yen. I saw it for sale the other day at 1600 
Also sold a chair to them, one of those foldable ones, I paid 3500 yen for. They bought it from me for like 200 yen.
It’s not even worth filling out the paperwork they have you fill out when you bring something to them 
The cards are gorgeous, but as a collector I made a decision to focus on what I think will bring me more value personally (value as in appreciation not money). So when I see for example Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX buy list ¥50-55k, I think to myself “Sure this card is great, but I’d be much happier with a mint Shiny Rayquaza for my BW binder”
I had collected every Japanese special art from the Sun Moon Era, and initially this had been my goal with SWSH, but it’s no longer a goal for me – I can’t justify it over all the other goals I could complete at the prices.
Last week I “sacrificed” five special art from my modern binder and sent them to PSA because there are other cards I would rather have at these prices.
And like others have mentioned the buy list price is definitely not always a reality but I expect if I get PSA 10s on my cards they will sell well.
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