An interesting discussion topic (lately anyway), is if vintage is somewhat slept on these days, or if modern has simply taken over. People who say the latter often point out that modern cards (in their opinion) have superior artworks, and that low POP´s do not mean as much when demand is not there. People who like vintage point out that the vintage cards were the first cards printed, have superior card quality and are (often) actually rare.
I always thought that modern is simply hyped up, but after about four years of modern going strong and vintage being kind of dusty, I´m starting to wonder. I do pick up some PSA 10 cards of WotC sets here and there (recently picked up a Neo Genesis Skarmory) because to me they seem undervalued but I´m not sure anymore. To be complete; these WotC holo´s have also risen in price. It´s just that the POP/demand ratio would indicate much higher prices.
So, the discussion is then; do vintage cards deserve higher prices in today´s market, or are they outdated and less in demand.
Nothing is slept on. Everything has been explored and picked out over the last 5 years to become far more expensive by demand or scarcity or both, than before. There is growth for both as long as there is growth in Pokémon’s popularity
Not true. Wasnt til this year weve started finding alot of what base set has to offer. UK and USA 4th print are very different cards imo. First edition Machamp has been identified making it possible to distinguish the original from all the 1st ed reprints.
Exactly. Also some subsets like Errorcards, and to be honest, pretty much all of Neo has gotten little to no attention. This can be because people don´t really like them, but it´s very possible that they just have not been looked at by the masses.
True, they follow what is being pointed out by a Youtuber (or most Youtubers). But I do think there is a chance that a lot of people that are in it just for the quick money now, might at some point start looking at everything when they fall in love with Pokémon. That´s when low POP´s really start to matter.
I don’t completely disagree with your reasoning, but I think that the masses are already well aware of these. More likely, they haven’t yet figured out how to extract value from hyper niche errors and billion printed Smeargle(s).
Everything seems explored to the point of having new demand coming apparently from nowhere:
Popular species premium
Meme Pokemon like ditto or psyduck
Swirl premium
Dumb low pop stonk
Old Megas because of the new games/sets
And so on. Under this environment/social media fueled boom everything is possible though
The masses have accepted that there are first edition, shadowless, unlimited and uk 4th print. Realistically though they don’t know anything about the cards and they just throw everything into those four categories. PSA and CGC basically only acknowledge things this way and that’s what people think is real. Base jungle and fossil are far from solved.
If other hobbies are anything to go by then it does seem to me that vintage Pokemon is undervalued. Obviously the most expensive cards are vintage, but as a whole I still think vintage is undervalued relative to modern.
Vintage is where we have the first appearances, the attrition, the small pop reports, etc. In other more established hobbies these are the classic traits that usually cause vintage to be highly sought after and command the highest prices.
Pokemon is still quite young. It’s understandable that right now in 2025 the historical significance of vintage is relatively overlooked. Especially by the newcomers. So many people are at the very beginning of their collecting journey, many who didn’t grow up with vintage and may judge it negatively at first glance.
I think as the hobby ages and becomes increasingly multigenerational the “history” of vintage will overshadow whatever is going on in modern. But it could take a long time. Possibly another (human) generation.
I feel the same way. I came back into collecting around Silver Tempest and was into modern much more than I am now. I really started to appreciate some of the vintage cards and how scarce they are in high grades. I think a lot of other people will follow a similar trajectory if they stick around long enough. I don’t know if “maturing in the hobby” is the correct way to put it, but I think people will gravitate away from modern once they start to realize the sheer amount of modern that’s out there. It won’t feel as “cool” or “exclusive” as vintage.
The argument of modern having better art is silly to me. It is still goofy cartoon characters printed on cardboard and made for children. Great art for adults can be enjoyed at art museums and many other places.
Vintage Pokemon has a certain vibe and style reflecting a specific time in history, which is why I collect it. It has little to do with great art.
How about collect what you like? Modern is high because it is in the spotlight, its new and fresh and people want to join the bandwagon to collect what other people are trying to collect/don’t have. Moonbreon is like $2k raw because literally there are thousands of IG posts about that card and its the chase of Swsh era. Now its with the Gold Lucario from Mega Base… Do I think the card is worth $700? No, but it is in the spotlight and its the next chase so people are buying it and therefore price goes up…
i do think we are overdue for a correction on Modern Pokemon and I don’t believe vintage deserves higher prices either.
The Pokemon market is extremely irrational and it focuses more on emotions/feelings rather than inherent value.
I have a group of friends who collect modern PSA 10s, they’re pretty plugged into social media hype. Each time I show them I share my vintage pickups it’s the first time they’ve ever seen it
The thing with collectibles is that value isn’t just about scarcity or demand in the moment—it’s about long-term appeal. Even if POP/demand ratios don’t align in the short term, vintage cards have stood the test of time.
i do think we are overdue for a correction on Modern Pokemon and I don’t believe vintage deserves higher prices either.