Summary
A 38-year-old man tried to sell his rarePokemon TCGCharizard card, but was assaulted and robbed of the collectible. Over the years, thePokemon TCGhas been struck by criminal practices, and it’s not rare for collectors to become victims of scams and thefts.
Pokemon TCGis one of the longest-running trading card games to date, and while new sets are constantly released, older cards are often the most valuable for trading and selling. Some of themost expensivePokemon TCGcardsever sold are from the 90s, with some reaching million-dollar prices. Because of their lucrativeness,Pokemon TCGcards are often stolen from collectors and sellers, and sometimes victims end up physically hurt, as did one particular man in Australia.
As reported byABC, a 38-year-old man attempted to sell his 1999 PS9 holographic CharizardPokemon TCGcard on the night of March 28. He had arranged to meet up with the buyer at 10:45 PM in a parking lot in Warilla, Wollongong. However, he was beaten by the person and robbed of the collectible in the process.Kotakureported that theBase Set Charizard cardwas valued at nearly $5,000 USD (8,000 AUD). The New South Wales Police Force posted about the case on Twitter, sharing a blurry picture of the potential culprit’s car and a statement filled withPokemonreferences. “Turns out Team Rocket’s not the only one causing trouble,” reads the tweet. “We have released an image of a red 2023 Ford Mustang with grey stripes, seen nearby, and believe the driver may have info that could help us catch ‘em all (or at least the one responsible). If you’ve got info, don’t just sit there like a Snorlax – contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”
Pokemon TCG Seller Robbed of his US$5,000 Charizard Card from 1999
Charizard cards from the earliest sets are some of the most sought-after in thePokemon TCGcommunity and can be priced for thousands of dollars. One of the most notable cases is the $420,000 Shadowless Charizard sold by PWCC in 2022. In general, collectibles of the Fire-type Pokemon can be quite pricey, like theCharizard-shaped Cheeto worth $88,000sold at an auction earlier in March.
Unfortunately,stolenPokemon TCGcards are rarely returnedto their owners, and reports ofPokemoncard-related crimes have become more frequent. Thieves go to great lengths to get their hands on rarePokemoncards, even targeting businesses for larger stashes. The collectibles tend to be quickly sold and redistributed later, and unsuspecting buyers may never realize that they own a stolen piece. Moreover, it can be hard for authorities to track down the responsible criminals in marketplaces. To avoid this cycle, collectors can purchase theirPokemon TCGgoods from official retailers, but these don’t always offer valuable cards from the past.
