Support NeoGAF

[cormack12]

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57124256

US retail giant Target is suspending in-store sales of Pokémon and sports trading cards amid safety concerns as customers vie for the collectibles.

Target, which has more than 1,900 outlets in the US, made the decision after a man drew a gun in a fight over cards outside a store in Wisconsin.

"The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority," the company said in a statement to US media.

Sales of trading cards have rocketed amid the pandemic. The suspension of in-store sales is temporary, the company said, adding that online sales are not affected.

A fight broke out in a car park outside a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on 7 May, after four men allegedly assaulted another man over sports trading cards, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The victim, who had a licence to carry a concealed gun, ended the fight by drawing his weapon, police say. No shots were fired, and the four men ranging in age from 23 to 35 fled and were later arrested.

 

[Kenpachii]

Are these cards not like super expensive? saw some of them go for like 100k or something. So yea.

 

[Porcile]

People are going crazy because you can flip them online for a small profit with nearly effort besides whatever energy you put in to going to the shop buy it, and thus these dumbasses are waiting for hours convinced they are outsmarting the system with their high level thinking.

 

[Lanrutcon]

If commerce gets halted every time a gun is drawn, how is your economy functioning at all?

 

[Amory]

Sports cards are weird. I watch a few youtube channels where they open packs and even the super expensive packs usually end up with B or B-plus tier player inserts or autographs.

Idk why you'd buy packs at a huge markup on eBay. Just go buy scratch off tickets and cut out the middleman

 

[HoodWinked]

It's funny cause the fight was over sports cards but they just banned Pokemon cards as well cause the degenerates. Somehow Magic cards were spared.

 

[Punished Miku]

 

[West Texas CEO]

Prices of cards, including Pokémon, have exploded since last March. More cash, boredom, chance to make money have fueled it.

I wanted a psa10 Barry Sanders rookie. I wanted it for $300. A month later, it was 5 times that.

I also know a guy who buys paint at Walmart or wherever he finds deals and resells it on eBay and Amazon or wherever. He has a crew of 4 that goes around buying it up. He was able to clear six figures last year doing that. Thought he was full of shit but it’s legit.

Garage full of paint.

 

[Bullet Club]

 

[Allforce]

Prices of cards, including Pokémon, have exploded since last March. More cash, boredom, chance to make money have fueled it.

I wanted a psa10 Barry Sanders rookie. I wanted it for $300. A month later, it was 5 times that.

I also know a guy who buys paint at Walmart or wherever he finds deals and resells it on eBay and Amazon or wherever. He has a crew of 4 that goes around buying it up. He was able to clear six figures last year doing that. Thought he was full of shit but it’s legit.

Garage full of paint.

Like, paint for painting rooms in your house? Why is this in demand?

 

[DetectiveBananas]

I do remember seeing a bunch of grown men in business attire buying out all the the sports cards/Pokemon at a local Target back in January. I guess things have escalated a bit since.

 

[nush]

Like, paint for painting rooms in your house? Why is this in demand?

Maybe they don't stock all the shades Year on year and if you want to touch up some damage on a particular painted item you'd be out of luck?

 

[West Texas CEO]

Like, paint for painting rooms in your house? Why is this in demand?

Yeah, just standard paint. As far as demand, I don't know. He simply finds great deals at retail and is able to flip the paint for profit.
It's a grind, but he makes good money off it long-term.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I collected baseball, basketball, and Marvel/DC cards as a kid. I sure do miss that whole universe. I can’t believe people are doing this.

 

[Soodanim]

Yeah, just standard paint. As far as demand, I don't know. He simply finds great deals at retail and is able to flip the paint for profit.
It's a grind, but he makes good money off it long-term.

I never thought I'd see paint scalping take off, but that's why I didn't make 6 figures doing it. The man is a true innovator.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Whats so special about these Pokemon cards?

i still have my complete base set of cards in the original folder from like 1999-2000. never even played them lol so still in great condition. I just liked collecting them. all the cards i ever played with i gave away.

 

[West Texas CEO]

Whats so special about these Pokemon cards?

i still have my complete base set of cards in the original folder from like 1999-2000.

Have you checked prices lately? You might have a gold mine on your hands and don't even know it..

 

[nightmare-slain]

Have you checked prices lately? You might have a gold mine on your hands and don't even know it..

no. they've been lying in my cupboard for years. will take some photos

 

[Porcile]

no. they've been lying in my cupboard for years. will take some photos

Post them here but your Pokemans are only worth a lot if they are graded. Otherwise they are just expensive cardboard.

 

[nightmare-slain]

Post them here but your Pokemans are only worth a lot if they are graded. Otherwise they are just expensive cardboard.

of course. don't think i'd sell them anyway. would need to be a lot of money to convince me to part with them. here they are anyway (well some of them)...

 

[West Texas CEO]

of course. don't think i'd sell them anyway. would need to be a lot of money to convince me to part with them. here they are anyway (well some of them)...

hmm.. Interesting.

 

[Porcile]

of course. don't think i'd sell them anyway. would need to be a lot of money to convince me to part with them. here they are anyway (well some of them)...

I don't follow the English market at all but if you got them graded and they received PSA 9 or 10s then maybe the collection as a whole is worth four or five grand? I dunno. That's a big IF though. You would have to be more thorough with checking damage on the surface, corners, back, edges etc.

The Machamp isn't a true 1st edition in case you were wondering.

 

[GeorgPrime]

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57124256

US retail giant Target is suspending in-store sales of Pokémon and sports trading cards amid safety concerns as customers vie for the collectibles.

Target, which has more than 1,900 outlets in the US, made the decision after a man drew a gun in a fight over cards outside a store in Wisconsin.

"The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority," the company said in a statement to US media.

Sales of trading cards have rocketed amid the pandemic. The suspension of in-store sales is temporary, the company said, adding that online sales are not affected.

A fight broke out in a car park outside a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on 7 May, after four men allegedly assaulted another man over sports trading cards, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The victim, who had a licence to carry a concealed gun, ended the fight by drawing his weapon, police say. No shots were fired, and the four men ranging in age from 23 to 35 fled and were later arrested.

Does that mean the value of pokemon cards will increase now?

 

[West Texas CEO]

You can also look at the rarity of a card by looking at the bottom right corner. IIRC,

-A circle means such a card is common
-A triangle means uncommon
-A star means rare
-A triple star means ultra-rare (there were no triple star cards for the first couple of generations of TCG cards)

You may have just a number in that corner, a number means that the card is a "promo" card, some promo cards are incredibly scarce while others are extremely common, most promo cards were given away in official Nintendo Power magazines or through the Pokémon movies.

As for why some cards are worth more than others when they have the same rarity, some are better cards when you're playing the trading card game while some are more useless. Also, you could buy pre-built decks, some of these had rare cards in them (meaning they had the star) but since what you got in a deck was fixed there were substantially more of them made.

The important things on a Pokémon card besides the rarity is the series and whether it is a first edition or not.

 

[JSoup]

I have a small pile from the 90s, should see if I have a doubles I'm willing to part with.

 

[Mistake]

I thought it was only the older cards going for money, but it’s the newer ones too?

 

[Porcile]

I think it's unlikely anyone would be sitting on a treasure trove of rare Pokemon cards without realising it. Probably at best they would have some holos from Skyridge or some sealed packs they forgot about.

 

[Porcile]

I thought it was only the older cards going for money, but it’s the newer ones too?

Only chase cards. Everything else can be bought very cheaply.

 

[AJUMP23]

A fight broke out in a car park outside a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on 7 May, after four men allegedly assaulted another man over sports trading cards, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The victim, who had a licence to carry a concealed gun, ended the fight by drawing his weapon, police say. No shots were fired, and the four men ranging in age from 23 to 35 fled and were later arrested.

Are you being assaulted over some trading cards, protect yourself with a gun. 4 to 1 isn't that big of a deal when you have a 9mm.

 

[Kamina]

“Local baker stops selling baguettes after customer drawing gun”

 

[EverydayBeast]

I always said I’d never sell my cards.