Pokémon Cards: Nostalgia's Wildest Investment Bubble
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Resources & Recommendations
People Mentioned
- Lucas Shaw - A 27-year-old who found a small fortune in his childhood Pokémon card collection, using the proceeds to buy an engagement ring.
- Crystal Hur (Financial Markets Reporter) - A colleague who covers financial markets and reported on the Pokémon card auction.
- Matthew Griffin (Enterprise Architect in Arkansas, Pokémon enthusiast, investor, and collector) - Discussed his experience with Pokémon cards as an investment and heirloom.
- Logan Paul (Youtuber) - Revealed his acquisition of a near-perfect grade Pikachu Illustrator card worth $5.3 million, boosting the cards' market value.
- Mark Zuckerberg - Mentioned in comparison to the returns of Pokémon cards versus Meta Platforms stock.
Organizations & Institutions
- Heritage Auctions - An auction house where Pokémon cards, among other collectibles, are sold.
- The Pokémon Company - The company behind the Pokémon franchise, with an estimated value approaching $100 billion.
- Nintendo - The company that launched the Pokémon video games in the 90s.
Movies
- Detective Pikachu - A movie based on the Pokémon franchise.
TV Shows
- Pokémon animated series - An animated TV show based on the Pokémon franchise.
Video Games
- Pokémon Go - A popular mobile game based on the Pokémon franchise.
- Pokémon Red and Blue - Early Pokémon video games played on the Game Boy.
Other Resources
- S&P 500 Index - Used as a benchmark for comparing the returns of Pokémon cards and other investments.
- Meta Platforms - A big tech stock mentioned for comparison with the returns of Pokémon cards.
- GameStop shares - Mentioned as an example of a "meme stock" that amateur retail investors poured money into.
- Baseball cards (e.g., Topps, Fleer) - Referenced as a cautionary tale of a collectible market that experienced a boom and subsequent crash (the "junk wax era").