A childhood album of Pokémon cards – kept in a Bedfordshire bedroom for decades – has sold for thousands of pounds at auction.
Martin Rixon, 29, from Barton-le-Clay, hung on to hundreds of Japanese trading game cards he’d collected when he was eight years old – around 250 in total. As well as Pokémon, he liked Yu-Gi-Oh! and Digimon cards.
His cards, carefully stored for more than 20 years, went under the hammer at auction house Hanson Ross in Royston, Hertfordshire, in November. The total paid by a UK bidder, with buyer’s premium, was £4,723 (hammer £3,600).
Amanda Butler, director of operations at Hanson Ross, said: “I was delighted for Martin. His cards went to auction with an estimate of £2,000-£4,000 and comfortably achieved the top end of our guide price. That’s quite a return for items bought for fun in childhood, the sort of stuff many people throw away thinking they’re of no value.
“Luckily Martin was wise enough to look after his cards and realised they could be worth something one day. It’s amazing to think something tucked way in a bedroom for 21 years can net that sort of return now.
“We were delighted when his dad brought the album along to our Royston saleroom for valuation because Pokémon and rare vintage Japanese cards and gaming items are sought after. It’s a burgeoning market sector that’s grown massively in recent years, fuelled by a global army of nostalgic fans.
“Pokémon sparked a major card craze in the late 1990s and collections like this are probably gathering dust in many homes. If you have grown-up children in their 20s it might be worth checking their old bedrooms to make sure there aren’t any forgotten treasures from childhood tucked away in the wardrobe or under the bed. You never know, you just might be sitting on an auction windfall.”
The family said: “We are all so thrilled they went for the top end of the valuation and very much want to thank Hanson Ross. We have noticed this has inspired others to have their Pokémon collections valued.”
Auction: The Japanese trading card collection sold in the November 17, 2023 Hanson Ross Auction.
Enquiries: [email protected] or call 01763 430 042.
Valuations: Free valuations are held at Hanson Ross, Unit 1 The Power House, Lumen Road, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 7AG, every Friday, 10am-1pm. To book a valuation visit www.hansonross.com
