The last 6 years have seen hype period after hype period (with the exception of 2022 - mid 2024). By now, we have three ´generations´ of people that got in during a hype; the Gen 1´ers, the Covid Gen and the Surging Sparks/Prismatic Gen.
That means that for kids these days, Pokémon is pretty much as big as it was for us Gen 1´ers back in 2000. This is something very difficult to do, but somehow Pokémon has managed that. The question is; what does that mean for the future? Will Pokémon keep going in this tempo and maybe even become a mainstream investment? I wouldn´t be surprised anymore. Or, will the ´Pokémon is only for investing´ crowd soon leave, creating another slow market.
For now, it is nowhere to be seen. Even with more traditional investments like stocks, and more hip investments like crypto having a (somewhat) hard time, Pokémon has seen none of that, making it arguably the best investment. I think it helps that Pokémon, unlike those other options, is actually fun.
The implications of Pokemon growing at this same rate forever puts it so far out of reach that it loses what it is. So no, I’d put the odds around 0.0%
It can definitely grow, but we can currently buy a card on Sunday auctions, and list it for 140-160% and have it sell before the next Sunday auction. That rate is obviously nonsense.
The hobby is fueled by people who are here only for that, as is apparent because they were not here last year or the year before when things were still hot but nobody was 1.5-3x their money weekly.
Definitely, there are still segments of the market that could have a higher floor price relatively speaking. It’s just dangerous to speak relatively because related to modern Pokemon is nuts, related to sealed it’s nuts,related to gem vintage it is nuts.
Eventually people will get burned and it’s absolutely 100% a game of hot potato rn because it has never been more clear to me that many of the highest end buyers do not care one bit for pokemon. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, they can spend their money however they want, it’s just a very very shaky foundation that a lot of these new floors are built on
I also think it’s important for new people to just be aware that to some degree they are being “sold at” it doesn’t need to be dramatic or too “negative Nancy” it’s just a truth of the market that didn’t exist even 9 months ago to any scale comparable to today
It does seem that way but there are a lot of (near 60 million) USD millionaires in the world right now. Longterm collectors will feel their interest growth in successive booms
I am trying to turn this place into everything it can be; a place where collectors share their purchases, collections, questions ect. and a place where we can discuss the market.
I’m not personally against a higher floor at all, I just think the current rate (op) is at a 0% chance to be sustained.
Pokemons a popular IP and many of the new people are really into it. However just as many decided 2026 is the year they finally let the world know that gengar is their day one and they will ride or die and tell everyone else that. I don’t buy some of that stuff
Umbreon was like that too. Pokémon realised it and brought us Prismatic Evolutions amongst other things, and the luxury branding of Umbreon stuck ever since
What’s important to note is just how powerful the individual Pokémon branding can be for future merchandise. They demonstrated it in Pikachu and Charizard, and just recently we’re seeing it in Greninja
Just in general too. Pokémon has proven it can be completely hip for kids that grow up about 30 years later than the kids that grew up with the original. They are smart.
One can only hope that the association between Pocket Momsters and money intensifies. As far as when the inevitable meltdown happens, only the gods know for certain.
Well, everything will at some point have a meltdown since that is the nature of things. But, if we´re talking in a more concrete way, I am curious, why do you think Pokémon will have one?
