How Pokémon Cards Became a Stock Market for Millennials
The resale and speculative market around Pokémon cards has created significant challenges for young collectors, as many newly released cards are quickly snapped up by adults treating the hobby as a form of investment.
The Phantasmal Flames set highlights this trend, featuring a rare illustrated Charizard card valued at over £600 before any copies had appeared in the market, despite the packs retailing for about £4.
This intense demand has led to incidents of scalping, long queues, live restocking events, and even threats or robberies, prompting shops to impose limits on the number of packs customers can buy.
Influencers on YouTube and TikTok have played a key role in promoting pack openings and listing card values, which shapes demand and promotes perceptions of easy profits.
Additionally, the rise of card grading and resale platforms—including independent graders and apps like Collectr—has contributed to the cards' value and volatility, although there are risks associated with fake cards.
In response, The Pokémon Company reported having printed 10.2 billion cards in the year leading to March 2025 and is working to maximize its printing capacity to meet demand.
Retailers such as BathTCG are actively resisting price gouging by implementing measures to protect local players and their community.
There are early signs of a market correction as the supply of older card sets returns, resulting in declining prices for singles and sealed products. However, the Christmas season and the upcoming 30th anniversary period might cause renewed volatility in early 2026.
