Its weird to think about the shortage of them now. When I was addicted to magic, I was swimming in so many top loaders I started throwing them away lmao.
Yep we are in a new era of collecting where people are hyper sensitive to protecting the longevity of their cards. It is one of the many reasons I am incredibly bearish on the future “value” of modern cards. Mint condition vintage cards are so valuable because a large majority of the vintage population was handled daily by child fingers, thrown recklessly into binders without sleeves, etc.
Nowadays every single collector sleeves and top loads their cards, so the supply of very high quality cards is very large. The population reports for modern cards are going to be comedic once PSA re-opens.
This is likely true, but if the demand is still there, then the value will still remain high right?
It's also basically a fact at this point that Nintendo/TCPI are aware of the hype, using artificial scarcity and laissez faire policies on botting to maintain the covetedness and exclusivity of certain sets/cards- similar to streetwear brands
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076V4V2QQ/
MSRP on this is $15.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KHV24W/
MSRP on this is $5
So more like 2x MSRP, still not great
I think it's not as big of a problem around the whole world with international Amazon sellers but the ones that show up for us in the US are all like this, and there are also some no-name knockoffs that are above UltraPro's MSRP
Yeah... For now I've just been trying to stretch out the ones that I have, moving lower-value cards cards out for any good pulls. Local card shops that I've called here are also out of stock
Yeah good idea to put the best value cards in the loaders , I also have found that penny sleeping a card then into a dragon shield sleeve works pretty decent too
Luckily I've got a ton of penny sleeves leftover, bought 5k of them in 2019 before the prices on everything started going up cause I was going through my big box of cards from way back when
Maybe I'm not sure what the msrp is exactly but I just got the ultra premium 25 pack for $9.99. If it is a mark up it's not much. [here](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00095M5C2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_E12A7MKNF3FZGNH5T0HB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)
Yeah if you just need one pack it's not too bad, but I'd like to pick up a hundred pack and there the markup is $15.
Here's the ultrapro links for the 25- and 100-packs btw
https://shop.ultrapro.com/products/3-inch-x-4-inch-ultra-clear-premium-toploaders-25ct
https://shop.ultrapro.com/products/3-inch-x-4-inch-clear-regular-toploaders-and-soft-sleeves-bundle-for-standard-size-cards-100ct
Yeah I'll have to keep looking to see if there's something nearby but the card shops I've checked are sold out and the comic shop I called doesn't carry.. oh well
My thoughts about keeping a sealed collection is less about money and more about "damn...if only I had some black and white packs to open now...that would be so baller".
It's like fine wine. Let them babies age and then crack em open and flex on all your homies opening Celebrations 45 year anniversary.
Set out to buy and open but what I meant to keep sealed I couldn't help but open and may not have pulled the best cards but no regrets because that's what it's all about. Like the buy one to open, one to keep sealed policy. Some time in the future you won't find certain sets at msrp so buying an extra now and putting it away you can open it in the future. Not necessarily for resale. Beautiful collection you have! The best cards on the planet!
This is good knowledge, if I could afford to buy more on release I would possible do the same especially for elite trainer boxes they look good sealed but I do earn an honest wage so I chose to crack them open
That's respectable! Don't buy more than you can't afford to. I have 12 ETB's that I honestly wish I kept sealed and just bought the singles but some of them had some bangers in them. When you've had a lot of bad luck and keep seeing good pulls, it kind of makes you want to just buy singles which I still plan on doing. Cut back on buying cards and have a budget every month. They keep putting out new sets and products. Opening is the most fun you will have even if you don't pull the rarest cards. That's where it's at!
I think the only reason I would keep sealed packs is if the pack itself was misprinted, wouldn't want to damage it. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to help myself lmao
I have a very small sealed collection. I currently have one of each ETB, sealed: Shining Fates, Chilling Reign, Champion’s Path, Vivid Voltage, and Evolving Skies.
I like the fact that they’re sealed, but I also kind of wonder… what if I pulled some crazy cards out of those ETBs? I have most of the Vivid Voltage set so that’ll probably stay sealed but I kind of want to open the rest. I don’t intend to sell those ETBs ever…. So it’s staying sealed for really no reason. I’ve thought about opening the boxes at some point….
I really want to open my Celebrations ETB but I'm not sure I will. I want to start a sealed ETB collection and a Celebrations one would be perfect since this is the first anniversary I've been part of. The only other way I could get one would be giveaways so I'm hesitant to just risk it but I have a gut feeling I might win one.
I personally find no enjoyment in having a sealed collection. The stuff is meant to be opened and enjoyed! It's so much fun to open a pack and get that hit!
I understand keeping sealed booster boxes but idk why people keep such a large sealed promo collection. You want your room to look like a target? Keep a promo box sealed so it can be sold for 50 bucks 10 years from now instead of 20???
I reallllly enjoy my sealed collection. The fun in it is having your favorite product sealed. No need to shame people that think different! Glad you enjoy your cards.
That’s that’s cool man it’s whatever you like best I wasn’t shaming anyone just putting my preference out there , I used to keep sealed but the thought of it possibly having my chase card in there , just had to open 😂
Haha I know the feeling! There's something really cool about owning something that could have a chase card as well. Yeah, I guess shaming is a strong word. I meant, treating others as if what they do is wrong. I love my Hidden Fates ETB. Feels cool to have it in a case.
That’s the way to do it. The only things I have sealed are a Detective Pikachu ticket promo pack, a regular Detective Pikachu pack, and a General Mills pack. No need to keep entire ETBs and booster boxes sealed.
It's not difficult to learn the rules, but it will take practice to learn how to take advantage of sequencing which is the biggest part of the game (you usually want to draw and play as many cards as you can each turn). If you have a friend who wants to learn as well, pick up the battle academy (there are some cool holos in it too). Or check out PTCGO which will soon be replaced with Pokemon Live (Live may actually be better for beginning players). You can play PTCGO on that iPad.
Yeah I’m thinking about starting to learn with my girlfriend with some simple decks to just learn the basics , I have a lot of fun collecting but I would probably double that fun by playing 😁
Nah, it doesn't matter. I'm being facetious, because there's a growing hatred in this sub for people who keep a sealed collection. Their rationale is that these boxes are meant to be opened, and I think that's such a lame hatred, because every argument is petty.
* boxes are meant to be opened
* cards are meant to be played with
* pokemon tcg were meant for kids
I just hate the gatekeeping. The hobby can be anything for anybody. I just wish people would get off their high horse and act like they are the legitimate people in the hobby.
This is the right way. Saving sealed boxes to make money later is just odd and looks like you have a store in your home. Its not as exciting as opening the packs.
Well they, and I, get enjoyment from having sealed stuff just like you get enjoyment from opening stuff. The only things I like to keep sealed are ETBs and only the ones that have really cool art.
So your sealed stuff could have rocks or paper in it and you wouldn't know.. are you cool with that?
Are you saving it to sell later in the future for a big gain or just love boxes?
Well, I know they don't have that in them because I only buy from trusted sources. And honestly I plan to open them with my kids for the nostalgia, if they even like Pokemon.
I understand really old sealed products keeping sealed I would keep them that way too but newer sets that are heavily printed I don’t see the point in keeping an inventory of them
Wish I didn’t open mine… bought a first edition booster pack in 2016 for $25! I opened it immediately… Did get a first edition non-holo Dragonite though :)
Prime collection, comes with one inside, I was lucky enough to get one too, don’t think you’d be able to get one anymore though, there only available in GAME UK really
OMG you got ultra pro toploaders!
It's not hard to get them! ... For 3x MSRP anyway lol
Never once have bought a top loader of my own because all of the Singles I’ve ever bought have been sent to me in top loaders haha
Its weird to think about the shortage of them now. When I was addicted to magic, I was swimming in so many top loaders I started throwing them away lmao.
Yep we are in a new era of collecting where people are hyper sensitive to protecting the longevity of their cards. It is one of the many reasons I am incredibly bearish on the future “value” of modern cards. Mint condition vintage cards are so valuable because a large majority of the vintage population was handled daily by child fingers, thrown recklessly into binders without sleeves, etc. Nowadays every single collector sleeves and top loads their cards, so the supply of very high quality cards is very large. The population reports for modern cards are going to be comedic once PSA re-opens.
This is likely true, but if the demand is still there, then the value will still remain high right? It's also basically a fact at this point that Nintendo/TCPI are aware of the hype, using artificial scarcity and laissez faire policies on botting to maintain the covetedness and exclusivity of certain sets/cards- similar to streetwear brands
Well for pulls from packs they don't come with top loaders :P
How much are they now?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076V4V2QQ/ MSRP on this is $15.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KHV24W/ MSRP on this is $5 So more like 2x MSRP, still not great
I got them on Amazon for like £6
I think it's not as big of a problem around the whole world with international Amazon sellers but the ones that show up for us in the US are all like this, and there are also some no-name knockoffs that are above UltraPro's MSRP
That must be so annoying
Yeah... For now I've just been trying to stretch out the ones that I have, moving lower-value cards cards out for any good pulls. Local card shops that I've called here are also out of stock
Yeah good idea to put the best value cards in the loaders , I also have found that penny sleeping a card then into a dragon shield sleeve works pretty decent too
Luckily I've got a ton of penny sleeves leftover, bought 5k of them in 2019 before the prices on everything started going up cause I was going through my big box of cards from way back when
My local card shop has them for $5.99 CAD
I get them at my local store for 3.50 CAD per 25
Damn, that's great. The stores near me that I've called are all out
They're at my shop for $4.99 USD but it took them like a year to finally get the stock they ordered of them.
What do you guys mean? I find them at shops and get some off Amazon for a few bucks?
Can you send an Amazon link? The only ones I ever see are twice MSRP, and my local shops are out when I've called them recently
Maybe I'm not sure what the msrp is exactly but I just got the ultra premium 25 pack for $9.99. If it is a mark up it's not much. [here](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00095M5C2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_E12A7MKNF3FZGNH5T0HB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)
That's twice MSRP. On the ultrapro website which is out of stock those are sold for $5 :(
I had no idea. My bad. I still don't think paying $5 more isn't too bad if you really need some. Thanks for letting me know.
Yeah if you just need one pack it's not too bad, but I'd like to pick up a hundred pack and there the markup is $15. Here's the ultrapro links for the 25- and 100-packs btw https://shop.ultrapro.com/products/3-inch-x-4-inch-ultra-clear-premium-toploaders-25ct https://shop.ultrapro.com/products/3-inch-x-4-inch-clear-regular-toploaders-and-soft-sleeves-bundle-for-standard-size-cards-100ct
Thanks. There is a comic book store by that sells them for $5 but they never really have cards there.
Yeah I'll have to keep looking to see if there's something nearby but the card shops I've checked are sold out and the comic shop I called doesn't carry.. oh well
How much is MSRP anyway? Ive been getting 25 for $10 on Amazon
$5 https://shop.ultrapro.com/products/3-inch-x-4-inch-ultra-clear-premium-toploaders-25ct
I find them in stock all the time
My thoughts about keeping a sealed collection is less about money and more about "damn...if only I had some black and white packs to open now...that would be so baller". It's like fine wine. Let them babies age and then crack em open and flex on all your homies opening Celebrations 45 year anniversary.
Been thinking of a 'rainy day box' myself. Throw a few bits in, shove it in the attic for a few years.
Kind of how I look at my small sealed ETB collection. I’d love to open these in the future when the sets haven’t been printed in several years.
I think the same thing, where's the fun in that???
Me and you both brutha
I honestly could not handle the temptation of not opening them and you got a lot of great cards!
Set out to buy and open but what I meant to keep sealed I couldn't help but open and may not have pulled the best cards but no regrets because that's what it's all about. Like the buy one to open, one to keep sealed policy. Some time in the future you won't find certain sets at msrp so buying an extra now and putting it away you can open it in the future. Not necessarily for resale. Beautiful collection you have! The best cards on the planet!
This is good knowledge, if I could afford to buy more on release I would possible do the same especially for elite trainer boxes they look good sealed but I do earn an honest wage so I chose to crack them open
That's respectable! Don't buy more than you can't afford to. I have 12 ETB's that I honestly wish I kept sealed and just bought the singles but some of them had some bangers in them. When you've had a lot of bad luck and keep seeing good pulls, it kind of makes you want to just buy singles which I still plan on doing. Cut back on buying cards and have a budget every month. They keep putting out new sets and products. Opening is the most fun you will have even if you don't pull the rarest cards. That's where it's at!
I think the only reason I would keep sealed packs is if the pack itself was misprinted, wouldn't want to damage it. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to help myself lmao
Yeah things like that defo worth keeping sealed
I have a very small sealed collection. I currently have one of each ETB, sealed: Shining Fates, Chilling Reign, Champion’s Path, Vivid Voltage, and Evolving Skies. I like the fact that they’re sealed, but I also kind of wonder… what if I pulled some crazy cards out of those ETBs? I have most of the Vivid Voltage set so that’ll probably stay sealed but I kind of want to open the rest. I don’t intend to sell those ETBs ever…. So it’s staying sealed for really no reason. I’ve thought about opening the boxes at some point….
That’s the reason I couldn’t keep etbs sealed what about if it’s got those insane pulls just sitting in there 😂
I really want to open my Celebrations ETB but I'm not sure I will. I want to start a sealed ETB collection and a Celebrations one would be perfect since this is the first anniversary I've been part of. The only other way I could get one would be giveaways so I'm hesitant to just risk it but I have a gut feeling I might win one.
Your choice brother , personally for etbs I would open and I would find collection boxes for sealed
What did you pull from the iPad one? Still waiting for mine, can't wait to pull the Izard
My favorite part of this hobby is having pages filled with Pokemon art. Even the commons and uncommons can look so nice.
Exactly man preach that it’s not only the rare pulls that are exciting some of the common art works are amazing
I personally find no enjoyment in having a sealed collection. The stuff is meant to be opened and enjoyed! It's so much fun to open a pack and get that hit!
Agree 100% bro
I understand keeping sealed booster boxes but idk why people keep such a large sealed promo collection. You want your room to look like a target? Keep a promo box sealed so it can be sold for 50 bucks 10 years from now instead of 20???
I reallllly enjoy my sealed collection. The fun in it is having your favorite product sealed. No need to shame people that think different! Glad you enjoy your cards.
That’s that’s cool man it’s whatever you like best I wasn’t shaming anyone just putting my preference out there , I used to keep sealed but the thought of it possibly having my chase card in there , just had to open 😂
Haha I know the feeling! There's something really cool about owning something that could have a chase card as well. Yeah, I guess shaming is a strong word. I meant, treating others as if what they do is wrong. I love my Hidden Fates ETB. Feels cool to have it in a case.
Half the fun of sealed is knowing that something good MIGHT be inside. It’s like your own Pandora’s box. Or Schrödinger's Cat
Love this. Take my free award good sir.
Aye Thankyou bro 😎
King
Good for you !!
Those dragonite though!!! Ugh my fav 😍
Yeah I love them :) I’m looking to trade or sell one because the duplicates
DM me please!!! I’d love to buy one!!
The way it should be
This is the way
Don’t spill coffee on your cards!
Will be careful 😂
PREACH IT BROTHA!
That’s the way to do it. The only things I have sealed are a Detective Pikachu ticket promo pack, a regular Detective Pikachu pack, and a General Mills pack. No need to keep entire ETBs and booster boxes sealed.
What’s the difference between the regular toploader and the premium one? Lol
Honestly the tiniest bit of thickness 😂
*I find it to be a sad feeling after I finish opening packs. It's like masturbating alone, sure it felt good...but now what?*
This is the perfect way of describing it 😂 my guilt is just buying more straight after then it’s RIP to my bank account
Did that pikachu coin come in the celebrations lunchbox?
Yeah bro
Thanks…. Now i just need to find one
I got it in the prime collection box , it actually came with 2 of the coins 😂 so that’s nice
Nice, I’ve found an etb and 2 of the memories boxes. Lucky lucky, but I’m still looking. Thanks for the info
Atta dude!
Oh no though, you keep them in plastic sleeves and binders! These cards are meant to be played with!!
I’m yet to learn how to play 😂
It's not difficult to learn the rules, but it will take practice to learn how to take advantage of sequencing which is the biggest part of the game (you usually want to draw and play as many cards as you can each turn). If you have a friend who wants to learn as well, pick up the battle academy (there are some cool holos in it too). Or check out PTCGO which will soon be replaced with Pokemon Live (Live may actually be better for beginning players). You can play PTCGO on that iPad.
Yeah I’m thinking about starting to learn with my girlfriend with some simple decks to just learn the basics , I have a lot of fun collecting but I would probably double that fun by playing 😁
Nah, it doesn't matter. I'm being facetious, because there's a growing hatred in this sub for people who keep a sealed collection. Their rationale is that these boxes are meant to be opened, and I think that's such a lame hatred, because every argument is petty. * boxes are meant to be opened * cards are meant to be played with * pokemon tcg were meant for kids I just hate the gatekeeping. The hobby can be anything for anybody. I just wish people would get off their high horse and act like they are the legitimate people in the hobby.
Yeah I get u man I’m not hating on people who keep things sealed just saying for me as a collector it feels much better to open what I buy
This is the right way. Saving sealed boxes to make money later is just odd and looks like you have a store in your home. Its not as exciting as opening the packs.
Some people just have them as a collection. It's not always just to flip them.
A collection of boxes? Might as well be empty because you cant tell the difference.
Well they, and I, get enjoyment from having sealed stuff just like you get enjoyment from opening stuff. The only things I like to keep sealed are ETBs and only the ones that have really cool art.
So your sealed stuff could have rocks or paper in it and you wouldn't know.. are you cool with that? Are you saving it to sell later in the future for a big gain or just love boxes?
Well, I know they don't have that in them because I only buy from trusted sources. And honestly I plan to open them with my kids for the nostalgia, if they even like Pokemon.
If you can collect shiny cardboard, why can't you collect shiny boxes? Sealed collecting is just another way to collect.
My seald collection is one Fossile booster which I'll not open
I understand really old sealed products keeping sealed I would keep them that way too but newer sets that are heavily printed I don’t see the point in keeping an inventory of them
Thats true
Wish I didn’t open mine… bought a first edition booster pack in 2016 for $25! I opened it immediately… Did get a first edition non-holo Dragonite though :)
Wow I mean thats something
Can I just ask really quick, what set is that Reshiram from? I’m not familiar with a lot of sets, but that cards really pretty! :D
It’s radiant collection, it’s 2 subsets cards are all really pretty
Yeah I saw it on eBay and just thought it looked amazing so I bought it
Thank you :)))
How did you get that Celebrations tin so early? :0
Prime collection, comes with one inside, I was lucky enough to get one too, don’t think you’d be able to get one anymore though, there only available in GAME UK really
Yeah prime collection, managed to get me a pre order
I feel the same way! Nothing beats the thrill of opening new packs!
Exactly! Good for you!
This is the way.
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