Pokémon Card Collection Found in Attic Could Fetch Over $320,000 at Auction
A man's forgotten stash of 42 mint-condition Pokémon card sets, originally purchased as a potential investment, is now estimated to be worth as much as £270,000.
A retired decorator is poised to potentially receive upwards of £270,000 for a collection of Pokémon cards discovered in his attic. Auctioneers at Ewbank's Auctions described their astonishment upon viewing the 42 sets, all reported to be in "mint condition."
The collector, who opted to remain anonymous, brought a sample of his cards to the Surrey-based auction house after hearing about a single card selling for £6,000. James Spooner, head of trading cards at Ewbank's, estimated the collection could exceed £250,000 when it goes under the hammer later this month.
"When we saw what he had - all in mint condition - we couldn't believe it, or the fact that he had no idea what they were worth," Spooner stated. "When we then discovered that he had 42 such sets, our jaws hit the floor."
The collector explained that his son began collecting Pokémon cards in the late 1990s. Recognizing their aesthetic appeal and potential for investment, he later purchased complete sets from a seller in Malaysia via eBay, finding it more economical than acquiring individual sealed packs.
"The first set I bought cost me around £300. It's the Sky Ridge Charizard set and Ewbank's have estimated it for the sale at £20,000 to £40,000," the collector noted.
Ewbank's has been holding dedicated trading card auctions for five years, with total sales exceeding £1.1 million. However, Spooner indicated that this collection is the most valuable the firm has handled to date, with potential final bids reaching approximately £270,000.
The cards have been preserved in bespoke Pokémon binders, untouched since their owner's son lost interest in the franchise. The collector confirmed that his son never handled these particular cards, which were stored in the attic.
This discovery follows a similar case in April when a teacher named Andrew Braund consigned a 20-year-old Pokémon card collection from his parents' attic to Ewbank's. Three of his rarest cards sold for £32,800, with Braund using the proceeds to fund his wedding.
The newly discovered collection, titled "Pokémon: A Decade of Masters (1999-2009)," is currently open for bidding and will be formally auctioned on October 21.