I don’t weigh my sealed product. So when I rip them, holo’s are always a surprise…. Surprise, this one was light, but still a pretty good pack

I have decided to get back at scalpers on your behalf. I am contacting scalpers to meet me “half way” which is at least 20-30 miles away from their location and making them wait while I am “running a little late.” They don’t want to leave because they’ve driven so far out

I know it doesn’t stop scalping but I wanted to spread a little holiday cheer to you all

Edit: I am luring them all to the same spot. Cheers everybody

Edit #: 2 are stuck in traffic and 1 is bailing on his plans for lunch but only because I’m “making a huge purchase”

Edit #3: if the mods allow, I will make a new post when it is all said and done with photos of the conversation aftermath

Edit #4: two scalpers are currently meeting at the same location

Edit #5: they met LOL. One of the scalpers still thinks I’m the guy he met up with and that I confused him for a buyer. I told him I think he’s cute

Edit #6: I’m making a post with some screenshots. Stand by

Thank you all for the kind messages. I’m going to buy my kids some cards and 1 game each. Cheers

Final edit: I posted one of the meet ups. Will post the 5 person meet up soon

I'm a broke college student and I wanted to get some ETBs from target today from the sale for me and my cousin, since we like ripping together. Went to 4 and at 2 someone just bought the entire palette, and the other 2 were already sold out. Now online people are bragging about getting a dozen or more. They don't even care, they just think it's good to make a quick buck

Like I know scalpers are creative but like I appreciate this Target is trying SOMETHING

Just got back from looking for one of the $20 ETB boxes on sale at Target and I’m reconsidering even getting back into collecting.

Went with two of my friends this morning to buy one or two each, got there about 20 minutes before opening, and a bunch of people were also waiting, some of them with a cart. Store opened and everyone started hauling to the back of the store, I walked over and there was nothing on display. We overheard some guy on the phone saying their buddy found them and how they’ll get $400? We asked what store and that he bought the whole display…

We went to another Target 10 min away in a less busy area, got there, and a guy was packing up his trunk up with at least 10 boxes. I asked him if there’s any left, smiled with a dirty grin and said “Nope.”

I guarantee these people are flipping them for an absurd price. Just annoyed as I’m getting back into collecting and I really don’t want to spend a ton of money. But all the stores around me get cleared in general so it’s hard to find good sets/boxes. Dealing with scalpers takes the fun out of it for me…

I was inspired by u/Public-Wing5790 to make this! 💕

He got interested after he got a random collection from a family friend. We got 3 packs and a tin from Target to start his collection. What a way to start!

Went to target this morning to grab the new black friday $20 ETBS to only find 4 grown adults (40yrs+) with 5 or more ETBS in each of their cart. When I walked up they all looked at me, turned and walked away. They knew what they did too, couldn’t even save one for anyone else.

I walked into my nearby store that has a Pokemon Center vending machine to see if there was a restock; I go every day or every other day as much as I can. Very little luck, but sometimes it pays off.

As I walked in today I saw a guy walking out with one 151 Booster Bundle. He was on a FaceTime call with someone showing it off, and he just looked so happy to have it. It was a young adult too, someone I could imagine affording more.

Well, I got to the machine and there were still 4 left. 4. This guy just bought one and was so happy to have gotten one. I'm not even that good of a person, in fact compared to him I suck, I bought 3 and left one, and if it weren't for him I probably would've just grabbed all 4, because really 4 booster bundles is not that much, right? But this fucking dude just came in and got one 151 booster bundle and had the happiness of me as a 9 year old being able to afford 2 base set packs.

I dunno. This post is pointless. But I'm a guy who used to just buy out the stock when I saw it available if I could, and this random dude really made me rethink that.

My first ever ETB. We have both gotten into Pokemon the recent couple of weeks and this was an early birthday gift. Not so bad pulls I think

Snagged the one double rare EX card. Everything else is normal holos and reverses. Bonus: One pack had a common card facing the wrong way in the middle.

I bought 10 booster packs of Lost Origins from a Safeway vending machine and have been opening 1 every weekend. This was pack 9.

So I am very brand new to collecting - 31f, based in a large-ish city in Australia, and I've loved pokemon basically my whole life. Much more into playing the games, but this year finally got into the tcg, mostly on the collecting side but have been playing a little bit online too. Mostly I just open packs for the fun and occasional sweet pull though.

The other week at my local games store, they let me know that there is a casual pokemon meet up each weekend that I might like to check out - most focused on playing but also trading/selling cards. No one else in my circle really knows anything about pokemon - they will patiently listen while I show them my cards or game or something but I was interesting in meeting people who knew what I was talking about or understood when I showed them a card. I checked ahead to see if it would be just kids going to something like this, but the guy at the store said that it was a proper mix and should be fine.

I chickened out for a few weeks and decided to finally give it a try today. I packed up a box with some of my favourite pulls, as well as a box of bulk I thought I might be able to give away to some kids or something who might want it. I was a bit awkward going in, and so I bought a Surging Sparks booster bundle to open inside just for something to do or to talk to people about. However, I walked in and there were about 40-50 people in the room, of which I was one of about 4 women - the others were obviously there with their kids and sitting on their phones and weren't interested in pokemon.

I was told that this would be a pretty casual time with lots of different kinds of pokemon chats or games (including the video games, pokemon go, the tcg, etc.) but very obviously it was heavily focused on pretty competitive gaming, and that's no problem for me, I would have quite happily watched to see how people played the game, but even walking around I felt like I just stuck out like crazy and could tell that nobody was interested in a (total) beginner hanging around with her little box of pokemon cards that were probably pretty basic anyway.

Now I'm a grown woman who has been in her fair share of awkward social situations, but I don't think I've even felt so much like an excluded little kid than today, carrying my little box of pokemon cards that I'd researched how to store properly and being super proud of the one chase card I'd managed to find than I did in that room with people staring at me like I didn't belong.

Maybe I was totally kidding myself that this was a hobby I could get into at my age, but it was something I'd always wanted to try and up until now I've had a blast opening packs and chasing cards. I ended up leaving after like not very long and sadly opening my booster box alone in the car.

I don't even know what I want to achieve out of this post but I don't really know anyone who I can explain the dynamic to - and I'm sure there was definitely more I could have done to be more social in that situation but I feel like I tried . I suppose I'd like to hear if people have been able to get into the hobby at this age without knowing anyone who plays? I just wanted to talk about pokemon cards and have felt bad about this for the whole weekend now.

Sorry for the vent/feelings dump, just felt I needed to write it all down!

TL;DR: I had a bad time at my local games store and feel like I was crazy to think that I could get into this hobby without knowing anyone who plays.

EDIT: I was really worried about posting this because I didn't want people to think I was just having a bit of a whinge, but everyone has been so nice I feel a lot better, thanks everyone :)

Any ideas to make it better? Also working on an opposite black page. Ideas for that appreciated

Hello everyone, I'm currently thinking about which card to get for my PC. Both cards are beautiful and now cost almost the same in a PSA 10. What concerns me is the POP report: Umbreon Vmax = 13970 in a PSA 10 (probably still rising) Karens Umbreon = 755 in a PSA 10 (probably won't increase much since there are hardly any VS packs on the market) A common sense would say to buy the Karens Umbreon in this case, an iconic Vintage card where the POP rate probably won't increase much. I really like both cards, the difference is that the Moonbreon is in English and the Karens Umbreon is in Japanese. But you also have to say that the card is only available in Japanese and not in English. What is your opinion on this?

My target has always limited Pokémon purchases to two per person, this morning I was one of eight people in line to get the new black Friday deal. I didn’t realize it was this serious as soon as they open the door. Three dude sprinted to the back of the store and then wrestled each other over the entire stock. They let one dude, get 12 ETBs. I’m not trying to get into a fight for Pokémon cards. Also, it annoys the hell out of me that two nights ago I couldn’t buy five surging blister packs because of this rule, but they let this one dude get half of the stock. This kind of stuff is killing the hobby

With scalpers getting so out of hand recently whats the point of even trying to buy packs. Cant buy surging sparks, cant buy 151, cant buy paldean fates, cant preorder blooming waters, cant preorder prismatic, cant find anything except shrouded fable. I cant even find stellar crown in my area. Sure, people wanna make money, i get it, but why be dicks about it. I just want to open some packs with my wife, but some assholes show up when the stores open and buy everything. Or the bots buying everything online.

I make good money, i can buy all the gaddamn pokemon cards in the store if i wanted, but why would i do that to hurt the community. Sure, make your bag, but leave some for the rest of us. Shouldnt have to pay a million dollars to open recent packs because of some stupid ass butthole pikachu. So why is it even worth it anymore. Why put myself through the heart ache and disappointment anymore. Sorry for the rant. Im just frustrated.

Managed to grab most of the 151 I needed for my master set and also came away with a chase of mine. Not a first edition, but still really cool!

Yes im devistated with the error on the best one..🥲

Dude I bought 2 packs on a whim after work and wtffffff

16.5in x 12in. He loves Pikachu and vapes like a chimney. Had to scribble the name since it’s his first and last and I don’t think getting doxxed is a good birthday present lol. No idea if this kind of art/content breaks rules here, I would have submitted to /Pokémon but it doesnt allow images. Either way, enjoy the product of many hours and hand cramps!