Pokemon enthusiast drives single card’s price up by 971%

Pokemon Card Prices Spike Dramatically

Pokemon card enthusiasts have taken over the market for certain cards from Japan’s beloved series, leading to an unbelievable price increase of 971% within just a few weeks.

A collector known simply as “Kabuto King” has been on a buying spree, acquiring every new copy of the first edition Kabuto card since 1999. To date, he has accumulated over 2,000 copies of these cards, which gained popularity starting in August.

Recently, prices for first edition cards featuring these crab-like characters have shot up dramatically. For instance, they went from $4.39 in early November to an average of $42.66 by early December, based on data from the well-known card sales platform TCGPlayer.

Interestingly, one card sold on December 10 was listed for a notable $84.99. After Kabuto King’s activities gained traction online, the prices for these cards hit astonishing figures on TCGPlayer, some reaching as high as $10,000, $69,420.69, and even $100,000.

If Kabuto King sold all of his cards at this new average cost, he would be looking at a potential profit of $85,320—quite a return on the roughly $8,700 he invested. However, he maintains that he isn’t planning to sell any of them anytime soon.

“People think I’m going to cash out…I honestly don’t know what will happen,” he communicated via social media.

Kabuto King’s obsession with these cards has garnered significant attention in the global Pokemon collecting scene, amassing a following of over 33,000 on social media, where he shares his journey and achievements.

Even notable figures have taken notice. During a media event, Joe Burrow, the talented quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and a fellow Pokemon collector, was asked about the increasing prices of Kabuto cards. He couldn’t help but find it amusing.

In an impressive show of support, one fan purchased a signed helmet from Kabuto King for $51,000, which was sold through eBay. Remarkably, the proceeds from this hefty sale were donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.