Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
Pokémon card collection kept in attic for 15 years sells for £1.56m
A retired contractor in Surrey, England, sold his Pokémon card collection at auction for £1.56 million.
He had kept the cards in the attic for 15 years after his son lost interest in collecting them.
The man says he realised they might be valuable after seeing a local newspaper story about a Pokémon card selling for more than £6,000.
Most of the cards were in near-new condition, which surprised the auction house.
One set featuring a Charizard card sold for £100,000, while a set bought for £300 sold for £75,000.
The sale set a UK trading-card auction record, as collectors from around the world bid on the collection.
Coverage differs on whether 41 or all 42 sets were sold; one account says the owner kept one set.
A Pokémon card collection kept in an attic for 15 years sold at auction for £1.56 million.
The collection belonged to a retired interior contractor in Surrey, England, who had not known its value.
He sought an appraisal after reading a local newspaper report about a Pokémon card selling for more than £6,000.
The auction included 41 of his 42 sets; he kept one set.
A Charizard card set was the top lot, selling for £100,000.
- Who
- A retired interior contractor in Surrey, England, whose son collected Pokémon cards.
- What
- His collection sold at auction for £1.56 million.
- When
- The auction took place on October 21, according to one source; another reports it as the day before an October 22 report.
- Where
- Ewbank’s auction house in Surrey, England.
- Why
- He had kept the cards after his son lost interest, and later sought an appraisal after reading about a card selling for more than £6,000.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The owner’s son began collecting and trading Pokémon cards at school.
The owner stored the cards in dedicated binders in the attic.
The owner had the collection appraised.
Ewbank’s auctioned 41 of the 42 sets, which sold for £1.56 million.
- Sale price
- £1.56 million
- Collection size
- 42 sets; 41 were auctioned
- Top lot
- Legendary Collection Complete Master Set with a Charizard card, sold for £100,000
- Highest reported estimate for the top lot
- £15,000–£20,000
- Auction house
- Ewbank’s, Surrey, England
4 sources
What people are saying
I was amazed when I saw the cards he owned. They were all in perfect, like-new condition, and I was also surprised that he had no idea of their value.
By far the most valuable collection we have ever handled.
I thought they might have investment value.
Bidders from all over the world took part.