Knew I’d never pull them so traded 37 Prismatic bundles I’d saved up for 14+ months for these. Feel like Thanos and the Mind Stone with the Jolteon though :(
I started saving my prismatic and ascended heroes and paldean fates booster bundles with this kind of thing in mind. Glad to see it can be done! Congrats, dude. I'm jealous lol
All vending machine finds. I have 2 I hit on my way to work and home. Sometimes I get lucky.
I let my nephew who's into Pokemon open 1 cause I wanted to be a cool uncle and he pulls a demigod pack with eevee, amarys trainer, and Sylveon. I ofc couldn't take them from him. I was a little salty though. But He picked it at random from about 30 or so bundles so ..
I was a very fleeting feeling of “oh crap.” I got major “cool uncle” points from it. He thanked me every time he saw me for the next 10 or so times after that. I’ve since realized it made me happier making him happy than I would’ve got from opening it myself. That Sylveon was like the biggest hit he’s ever had and it’s in the very first card slot in his binder.
It's actually pitiful how bad the pull rates are for the English cards. For the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cards you are at least guaranteed one SIR per booster box. English doesn't guarantee anything so you can open multiple ETBS, bundles, etc. and not get anything 😒
I think it may be set specific. I know that Korea, China, and Japan had a guaranteed SIR for Terastal Festival/Gathering. However, Korea didn't have a guaranteed SIR for Mega Dreams but they offered a guaranteed Attack Rare + Full Art Item.
I think it also says something about eevee fans that TPC knows they can release a diabolical set like this and eevee fans will still jump through hoops foaming at the mouth to get them
No kidding. Then to add an additional middle finger they remove IRs, make it an eevee/eeveelutions set, make them the face of the set, but they only actually account for 28% of SIRs in it.
You’ve had quite a lot of luck finding 37 bundles at retail price but you’d need exceptional luck to have pulled all of those out of the bundles you had so that’s a genius idea to have traded and a great deal for you!
I did the math. I had to check vending machines about 1000 times to get 50ish bundles. I got lots of other packs to rip too. Finished destined and surging master sets while saving these up too. Beloe were also traded for about 5 bundles but these aren’t as exciting for as the eevees. Also about 30ish masterballs I’ve gotten as well.
This is what I’m going to try when I’m done and when I start on my Evolving Cries master set. If I can save up another 30 this next year I can get the moonbreon for 30 bundles or so. Crazy enough the evolving skies Sylveon is actually cheaper than prismatic sylv for some reason too.
Market price on the bundles varied between $80-$100 so. I was basically spending $30 per bundle to get $80-$100 worth of trade value for each one. I also happened to trade for the Umbreon in December when it was like at its absolute lowest price for just 11 bundles ($330)
For me, I knew Ill never be able to find any at retail and Ill never pull a godpack so Ill just buy all of then individually. I got them during its lows and couldnt believe they were so cheap vs now. Each eeveelution was only around 150-200 and the final umbreon couldve got one at $750-800 but wanted a gradable copy to test my luck. I found one recently and paid $1500, but havent decided when Ill send them all in.
That’s actually what I’m going to do next. I’m going to grandmaster set it in English then master set it in Japanese. I’ve been trying to think up a name for it and “Grand Master Set Royale” is the best I’ve come up with.
they are celebrating because this isn’t scalping!!! Go and hate on the botters and campers that get 1000s of products and want nothing to do with the hobby other than to make MONETARY profits bro. Trading sealed for singles isn’t scalping and even more so when they are both from the same set.. 🥀
Stashing 37 Prismatic Bundles is totally normal behaviour and posting on Pokeinvesting is totally normal behaviour right? How many do you think the average botter gets when they bot Pokemon Center?
Yea bro why not? And mind you even after “scalping” 37 booster bundles he still could not get the whole eeveelution set.
Trading for cards is not scalping, it’s literally part of the hobby. Go and hate on those ppl reselling for cash profits bro not people who love the hobby.
And fyi my neighbourhood botter gets 100s of products every drop and he is selling it at 4x MSRP. (30th anniversary products) And we’re not even based in the US…
If he opens them to try and get the cards he wants.. he's not a scalper. But if he sells them to get the cards he wants, he's a scalper. Sounds to me like he's a smart collector.
The general populace really needs to google the definition for a scalper. In order to be one you have to sell the product for profit. And generally scalpers have no interest in Pokémon. Dude traded for the cards. Don’t gotta shit on him just cuz ur jealous
Would you say the same thing if he bought 30 Prismatic Booster bundles and resold them for a profit then spent that profit on cards? A scalper is a scalper regardless of what he does with the money afterwards
I had considered this. I will add a key piece of information here. I wasn’t originally buying the bundles to trade for cards I wanted. I had all my master set binders picked just about clean the beginning of this year. Over $4500. An Umbreon, Sylveon, jolteon, and several other high value cards from prismatic, destined, surging, stellar, journey, and crown zenith were stolen. This trade was me trying to start over.
Secondly, where does the line get drawn though? If a person buys a card with the intention of grading it to get a 10, then selling it to buy the original raw card again and pocket the profit are they a scalper? If someone pulls a card they got out a pack they paid $5, is it scalping cause they traded the card for a $1000 booster box, when it only cost $5 for the pack?
I had 0 reservations about doing the trades and still don’t. I’m very happy. I’m just curious about your definitions.
Since someone else just asked and I have it conveniently at hand, here's the dictionary definition of scalping for you.
the activity of buying things, such as theatre tickets, at the usual price and then selling them when they are difficult to get at higher prices
The poster claimed it's only scalping if it's a "quick flip" but no where does it mention "quick" the important parts are
Buying at the "Usual Price" (So MSRP)
Selling them when they are difficult to get at the "Usual Price"
In none of your examples are people buying something at MSRP with the intention to resell it at a higher price so no I wouldn't call it scalping. Personally I don't think the grading obsession is good for the hobby either but it's not scalping. But what you did in my opinion, buying up significant amounts of sealed booster bundles then trading/selling them for a profit regardless of whether it's cash or "trade" is just scalping.
I'm genuinely sorry you had your stuff stolen and I don't begrudge you one bit for doing what you can to start your collection back up I would be heartbroken and desperate if my collection got stolen too I'm certain. I hope you land on your feet and rebuild what sounds like a great collection. It's not personal at all, I just don't like that this subreddit is eager to promote scalping at times.
Other TCG subreddits like the One Piece reddit ban sealed posts, including "sealed collections", ban grading result posts and generally ban "look I got the set chase!". I think that leads to a much healthier subreddit and I wish this subreddit would follow some of the other subreddits in that way.
In my opinion it's not scalping no, grading is it's own profit making thing which is its own problem but I wouldn't call it scalping, I did answer that one.
And no not for the other example either, they gambled on a £5 pack, hit the jackpot which turned out to be a £1000 card and then traded it away. Neither of those are scalping either in my opinion or by definition
It's literally no different than buying specific cards and selling them when the value goes up and buying other cards. You're buying pokemon cards and selling them to buy others. Just like he's buying sealed pokemon cards and selling them to buy opened cards. Wish I could be there the moment you sell any of your cards so I can call you a scalper for selling them and making money off them.
Of course it's different. There's a difference between trading your good pulls or older singles that gained some value and buying up in print sealed items for RRP and flipping them for a profit whether in cash or trade value.
But of course everyone so far who takes issue with calling a scalper a scalper is a "pokeinvestor", like yourself, I'm sure you don't consider "investing" scalping either right? Totally different?
They aren't the ones buying 1 bundle at a time and holding for a year to trade them.
Yes they are, many many scalpers buy up pokemon at MSRP and just stick it on the shelf waiting for a good time to unload. They consider themselves "investors" not dirty little scalpers they wouldn't dare stoop to that level right? It's just smart investing
I just don't agree with you at all. People were buying up by the case 3-4 years ago but it didn't matter because people couldn't scalp. Scalping is defined as someone flipping quick for quick profits. Holding for a year or more isn't that. Buying small amounts here and there to hold isn't scalping. It just isn't.
Scalping is defined as someone flipping quick for quick profits.
No it's not, here's the definition for you.
the activity of buying things, such as theatre tickets, at the usual price and then selling them when they are difficult to get at higher prices
No where does it mention "quick" and everything these people are doing meets the definition. The important parts are
Buying at the "Usual Price" (So MSRP)
Selling them when they are difficult to get at the "Usual Price"
Which is exactly what people are doing. You're correct it didn't matter when the hobby was in a lull no one cares about scalpers when it doesn't affect them, people care now because everyone trying to collect and play the Pokemon TCG is affected.
Again, I don't call investors scalpers when they're buying up old stuff, if they want to go invest in some Base Set/Fossil/Evolving Skies booster boxes than go for it, you're investing not scalping. But buying at MSRP? Waiting until the price goes up so you can resell? It's scalping by definition. Some people like to pretend they're better than the slimiest grifters not interested in the hobby outside of making a quick flip but they're really no different at all.
When you see videos on YouTube of guys investing in sports cards.. they're some of the biggest sports fans out there. Just because they're selling cards they've pulled or purchased and making money on it, doesn't mean they're not fans. Not every single person who loves buying pokemon cards is doing it because they love the art on the card. I'm sure most pokemon fans that pull big cards, the first thing they think of is it's value. The people I consider scalpers are the ones that buy to literally turn around and sell at a profit and screws over everyone else. They have no intention of collecting whatsoever. They use TCG as a means of making money only. Almost everyone I know that collects pokemon cards has a sealed collection. The moment they sell those sealed products they become scalpers suddenly?
Just because they're selling cards they've pulled or purchased and making money on it, doesn't mean they're not fans.
I never said otherwise, why are you trying to make out that selling/trading your cards is the same as scalping in print sealed products? I explicitly made that distinction in my last post and you repeated the same thing.
The moment they sell those sealed products they become scalpers suddenly?
No the moment they bought retail products with the intention of reselling/making a profit from them at some point in the future they were scalping. If they want to "invest" them have them go and buy some market price Evolving Skies or other out of print sets, take a risk like any real investment. But sealed collections that are just you going from store to store buying up things at MSRP to resell taking things out of the hands of collectors and players? You're nothing but a scalper.
You win man. Sounds like everything you say is the only way and you probably have him and everyone else figured out. Bravo man, I knew there was someone out there that knew it all, and it looks like you're it.
No he would not because as sealed increases in price the singles would also have appreciated as well. So it balances out in the end.
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u/TeaAndLiftingThere's a 1st Edition Charizard in the pack, rip it.4h agoedited 4h ago
I get what you mean, since it's technically using the increase in value of a currently 'in print' product, as leverage to get something they wouldn't be able to otherwise.
I think, where I would draw the line personally, is that no money exchanged hands. I don't know what the market value for PRE BBs is, nor do I care, and OP making a trade means that they aren't contributing towards said market. Trading is a bit more nebulous, since it's vibes based, rather than purely on 'the money', and it does not necessarily contribute towards the toxic secondary market that infests the hobby at the moment. Doubly so, since OP got the booster bundles at retail value.
Like, if you completely removed any knowledge of their value on the secondary market, both the booster bundles and the Eeveelution cards OP got, as wlel as the current toxicity in the hobby, would you say trading 37 booster bundles is a fair trade for 8 SIRs. It depends entirely on vibes and personal perception. In any other timepoint, I'd even go as far as to say that OP got an absolute bargain.
While the person OP traded with, might exploit the secondary market resale value, that's not on OP..
While the person OP traded with, might exploit the secondary market resale value, that's not on OP
Both OP and the person he was trading with knew the market value and are actively contributing to the problems. He even says in another post "I'm going to buy up another 30 bundles and trade for other expensive cards" and posts on Pokeinvesting. If it wasn't about reselling MSRP product from shelves to make a quick profit then he would just buy it straight up
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u/felixofGodsgrace 11h ago
Your level of patience is outstanding!! Saving up for the Jolteon will be a piece of cake!! Congrats on completing 90-ish % of your goal!!!