The Pokémon cards craze in the deep 1990s and early 2000s was impossible to ignore for kids and parents alike, but for many it wasn ’ t an last phenomenon. As a consequence, families across the nation have Pokémon cards tucked away in their basements and self storage units. Two decades subsequently, it ’ s lifelike to ask the big motion : Are any of those Pokémon cards worth anything today ? And how can I properly store Pokémon cards for the long terminus ? The answer may surprise you—but don ’ t start counting that money good however .
How Much Are My Pokémon Cards Worth?
How much you can sell your Pokémon cards for is largely pendent on three variables : the card ’ mho curio, which print edition the card came from, and the card ’ s forcible quality .
It ’ randomness important to note that your average Pokémon collection won ’ t make you rich people. Most common and rare cards are worth less than $ 1, and even rare cards are normally worth less than $ 5. however, holographic rare Pokémon cards often go for $ 15 and up—especially for older cards that have been sitting in your self storage unit for years .
How to Research Pokémon Card Prices
If you ’ re looking to maximize your render on selling your Pokémon cards, you will need to do your research. blindly selling individual cards without doing the legwork on Pokémon card value could end up selling yourself short —and giving a collector a bang-up distribute.
The best way to research Pokémon card prices is to look at veridical life selling history. After all, Pokémon cards are only worth what person is volition to pay. Check out these three resources to see what your Pokémon cards are worth :
- eBay has the largest collection of Pokémon cards for sale online
- com is regularly updated with eBay and Amazon card selling data to reflect the average price of specific cards
- TCGPlayer is an online store for buying and selling trading cards, with card prices that reflect the average sale price of said cards within the TCGPlayer store
If you have a bunch of Pokémon cards but don ’ metric ton want to go through the fuss of selling individual items, there are places where you can sell Pokémon cards in bulge. barely know that you ’ ll be leaving money on the mesa if you choose to go this road .
First Edition Cards Are King
Pokémon cards that were released before Nintendo began distributing the trade card bet on were printed in two sets : first base edition and outright. You can tell that a card is first gear edition because of the “ Edition 1 ” badge located at the bottom-left of the card exemplification .
It is these cards that carry big value, while their non-first edition cards are much less valuable. For example, an outright holographic Charizard from the Base Set – possibly the single most celebrated Pokémon menu in being – sells for about $215 on average. however, a flying count at eBay reveals that first version Charizards can easily sell for thousands of dollars .
Card Condition Is Important
The circumstance of your Pokémon cards is a critical partially of whether they have any value. Collectors aren ’ metric ton concerned in rend, stained, or differently deface cards, and such wear can badly tank a wag ’ s value even if it is a rare one .
You ’ ve credibly heard of mint condition cards before. If you ’ re wondering whether or not a card qualifies as mint, you ’ ll need to get it graded by a PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) representative. Your calling card could be worth more if you have its condition formally graded. however, it costs money to get your batting order graded by a professional, so you should merely do so if you are sure that your card is worth at least the money it will take to be professionally graded.
Best Pokémon Card Storage Methods and Ideas
No matter if you ’ ra concerned in selling your Pokémon cards or keeping them, it ’ sulfur authoritative to know how to store them. If you ’ ra interest in the erstwhile, by rights storing your cards will maintain their measure. And if flush if you ’ re not matter to in selling, you don ’ metric ton want to ruin your belongings by improperly storing them .
Card Protection
Since Pokémon batting order quality is indeed important to their value, it ’ south important to keep each calling card protected. You should always store Pokémon cards inside person sleeves if you want them to remain in their best stipulate. There are two main types of circuit board sleeves :
- Penny sleeves—These thin, flexible, translucent sleeves mainly protect cards from dirt, stains, and oils. They are cheap (hence their name) and won’t guard against folding or creases.
- Toploaders—Constructed from rigid, translucent plastic, these sleeves protect against both dirt and grime as well as folds and creases.
For maximal Pokémon tease protection, use both a penny sleeve and a toploader for each menu. There are other kinds of menu sleeves, excessively, such as matte card sleeves that cover the back of each trade wag. however, penny sleeves and toploaders are the workhorses of trading card protective covering .
Pokémon Card Storage Box
once you ’ ve put your Pokémon cards in their sleeves, you ’ ll need to put them in a box for easy guardianship. One option is clear plastic boxes, which provide great security and make it easy to see what kind of calling card you have inside. Another option is the classic 9-pocket page for three ring binders .
Looking for something a small less illusion ? There are a wide assortment of other options available on on-line storefronts, and there ’ randomness always cardboard boxes. Whichever Pokémon poster storage box you decide on, make indisputable that it is elevated—either on a pallet or on a shelf—to guard against spills or other types of moisture on the grind .
Climate Controlled Storage
Pokémon cards, fair like other deal cards, are made of cardstock, which is just a fancier and more durable kind of paper. As a result, Pokémon cards are susceptible to the types of things that can damage cardboard and paper—namely, extreme point or quickly changing temperatures a well as high humidity.
When storing your Pokémon cards—even if you ’ ve protected them in sleeves and in a box—you should do so in a climate controlled environment. At home plate, that means not storing them in the attic, your garage, or your shed out back if you ’ ve got one. You can store your Pokémon cards in the basement, but consider putting in a dehumidifier if it is particularly damp .
Another memory option is to find a climate controlled storage unit near you. These storage units can come in 5×5 or even locker sizes, meaning you don ’ t have to rent a giant unit good for a few items. Climate controlled storage units are kept at a consistent temperature range all year turn, and while most aren ’ t specifically humidity controlled, indoor climate controlled units are normally well within the range of satisfactory humidity for Pokémon poster storage .
Store Your Cards in Self Storage
central Self Storage is the perfect stead to store your Pokémon cards and other collectibles. That ’ mho because our climate controlled repositing units are perfect for storing temperature sensitive belongings. With storage units across the United States, you can easily find a storehouse unit near you. Rent your climate controlled storage unit today .
