A year ago, Johnny Murphy was working to buy a house in Port St. Lucie, where he has lived for decades. At the time, he didn’t have the cash to make a down payment.
But then, he started digging through his Pokémon card collection and sold quite a few online. After some time he had $80,000 for the house.
“The biggest card I sold was the 2003 Pokemon McDonald’s Squirtle Promo psa-10,” Murphy said. “It went for around $10,000.”
In October 1996 the Pokémon Trading Card Game was launched in Japan. Two years later, it made its way to the United States. Since then, Pokemon card trading has grown precipitously.
In the last 30 years the value of Pokémon cards has risen by 3,261%, according to Fortune magazine. That is largely due to growing interest among Gen Z and millennials. This has benefited people like Murphy, who saved cards as a kid or invested in adulthood.
“I bought some cards at $100, and now they’re worth over $1,000,” says Murphy. “It taught me how the market runs, and how supply and demand works.”
To Devan Nakayama, 24, Pokémon cards are both nostalgia and income. Living in a small Miami apartment with his mom, grandma, and uncle, he often leaves with a backpack carrying two binders of cards. He sells them at flea markets, local events, and on the live-stream platform Whatnot to help support his family.
“Sometimes I flip cards just to keep a steady income,” he says. “But I collect because of the memories, the stories behind each card, the nostalgia of when I first played.”
Nakayama shows a side of Pokémon collecting that many don’t see. What starts as childhood fun can become a lifeline for those who need extra income. His biggest sale was a Gold Star Registeel for $500.
“Every card has a story,” says Nakayama. “Every sale helps my family.”
Alejandro Hernandez, 23, has collected Pokémon cards since attending elementary school. For him, it’s mostly about nostalgia and the money he makes is just a bonus. He is not as big a player as Nakayama.
“My entire childhood was made up of Pokémon games and cards. They’re fun memories,” he says.“It’s insane how much the cards fluctuate in price so quickly.”
After graduating from Martin County High School, he got back into card collecting. He mainly sells as a means to make a few extra dollars. A Psa 9 Original Blastoise is one of his biggest pulls at $400.
“If I can make some money, I’ll sell a card or two, but mainly I collect to remember all the memories.” Hernandez says. “Yes, it has become an investment personally, but mainly its passion.”
This popularity hasn’t gone unnoticed by trading card stores.
George Machado is director of Pro-Play Games, a card-collecting store in Westchester. He has seen the rising popularity of games and knows what is popular.
“Players and collectors are coming in looking for high rarity chase cards from the newest sets, especially alternate art and special illustration rare cards,” says Machado. “Vintage cards featuring iconic characters like Charizard, Pikachu, and Mewtwo still drive a lot of interest.
For instance, Machado store has the 2005 Espeon ex Unseen Forces Holo, on display for $3000.
Increased interest has brought great business but also brings scammers with fake cards.
“It does happen occasionally,” says Machado. “We also have a strict policy that requires us to destroy confirmed fake cards so they do not circulate back into the community.”
Murphy, the collector raised the home down payment in Port St. Lucie by selling his Pokemon cards, is a collector who has made his childhood hobby a financial success.
“It makes me feel like I’m still a kid with no worries,” says Murphy, who is a police officer. “It helps me forget about the world for a bit.”
He started collecting cards at age 4 and 26 years later raised $80,000.
“For me, collecting is passion,” he adds. “I love the art and how shiny they are. I’ve collected Pokémon since the beginning, and I’m not stopping anytime soon.”
