I have always loved books: the smell, the beautiful covers, and the stories they tell. So when my boyfriend told me how much he missed and loved collecting Pokémon cards, it made me imagine a world where I couldn’t read anymore. Without wanting him to feel like he had to leave it in the past, I had no choice but to give him his first trading card binder for Christmas. Five months later, he bought me my own.
I knew little about it all. I had only watched Pokémon Indigo League when I was younger, then Pokémon Concierge that same Christmas, and had barely started playing Pokémon Scarlet on the Nintendo Switch. Even though I only recognized one or two Pokémon every time we opened packs together, it was my first pull that got me hooked: Janine’s Secret Art from Shrouded Fable. The thrill and excitement from that card, along with the others that we pulled that same afternoon, solidified one thing: this was my new hobby. With his guidance and my openness to the experience, we’ve witnessed the cool highs and the awkward lows of Pokémon card collecting.
The rush of opening packs and ETB’s
My first taste of the addiction was opening packs. There are easier ways to get specific cards, but I just love the roll of the dice. In a Pokémon pack, you get 10 cards: seven uncommons and three holo/reverse holo (and if you are lucky, one of those might be rare or higher). The odds aren’t in your favor; each expansion has different pull rates. For example, in the Scarlet and Violet era, Prismatic Evolutions has a one-in-45 chance of pulling a Special Illustration Rare (SIR). While this frustrates collectors who only want the rarest cards to keep or sell, I collect mostly for the illustrations. I like not knowing what I’ll get in a pack because I appreciate all types of cards, even the basic ones you end up with 50 copies of. And honestly, isn’t it the best feeling to pull your favorite Pokémon naturally? That was my experience completing my collection of my dear Fuecoco. He isn’t highly sought after by the community and only has 10 cards to his name (9 normal and only one full art), which made it that much easier and more gratifying to fully collect. Now, I slowly work on other favorites like Maushold, Tandemaus, Gengar, Ditto, Wooper, Ninetales, Chandelure, Annihilape, and Greavard.
Another way I’ve grown fond of opening packs is through Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs). An ETB has 8-9 packs, a set of dice, a flipping coin, card sleeves, dividers, and a promo card. They’re designed for people who play the game and need storage, but even though my boyfriend and I don’t know how to play just yet, he is completely obsessed with collecting them for their stunning box art. I wish we could get some more often, but ETBs are notoriously overpriced by sellers, especially the ones exclusive to Pokémon Centers. Our Paradox Rift Pokémon Center ETB is our most prized possession… though it almost cost me my liver!
Organizing your binder
At first, I kept all my cards in a stack on my desk. If they were valuable, I handed them to my boyfriend for safekeeping in his binder. Once I had too many, he got me my own: a small, green 4-pocket card binder. I was so excited, but I had no idea how to start. There are endless ways to organize: by the Pokémon, rarity, evolution line, illustrator, color, background setting, or even silly themes like “Pokémon eating” or “Pokémon doing chores”. It’s completely up to you! Honestly, it can get addictive to rearrange the order or theme every few months. Sometimes I even catch myself flipping through the pages, as if it were my personal art gallery.
Events for collectors
Collecting in Puerto Rico can be tricky, depending on where you live. Chain stores like Walgreens, Costco, Sam’s, OfficeMax, and Walmart sell Pokémon products, but restocks are rare, and the selection is very limited. That leaves two options: visit collectible shops or wait for conventions. We usually attend anime or gaming events since they almost always have Pokémon-related booths, but our favorite experience yet has been Collect-O-Rama in Downtown Cupey. We were like kids at Disney. Every table had dozens of rare cards, old packs, and ETBs we had only seen online. It was overwhelming in the best way possible. We spent over 2 hours carefully looking at each table and meeting other collectors who were just as passionate as us.
The need for a money tree
The amount of money I spent that day is more than I ever thought I’d pay for pieces of cardboard (sorry), even if it was so worth it. It has a reason. During the current high demand caused by the wave of new collectors and the speed at which they are releasing sets, Pokémon is not accessible because the market price depends on too many factors: usage, rarity, condition, grading, or even just how beloved a particular set or Pokémon is. For example, Paldean Fates is a set whose booster bundles (box that comes with 6 booster packs) jumped from the usual $40-$50 to $120 or more, simply because of the chase card: Bubble Mew —which has a one-in-485 pull rate and currently sells for around $500.
Collectible shops respond to this in two ways: they sell for a bit higher than market price to have some revenue, or sell for a way out-of-touch number compared to said market price. Some take advantage of the rarity of the products, especially in Puerto Rico, and can even fool you into buying something for double the price. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding a rare product and overpay out of fear you’ll never see it again. That’s why it’s important to verify sites like TCG player or PriceCharting and set a budget ahead of time. I’ve fallen for it a couple of times, but now I know better.
Awkward treatments
Being a woman in the Pokémon scene can feel a little different sometimes. At events or shops, I’ve had moments where people cut in front of me, like I must not be there for the cards, or they’ll start talking to my boyfriend instead of me. Other times it’s the stereotypes, like assuming I’m only into the “cute” cards. Sure, I love those too, but that doesn’t mean I can’t also get excited over a chase card or serious pokémons like Lucario. My interest is just as wide and genuine as anyone else’s; I just happen to experience it through a different lens.
What started as a simple Christmas gift has turned into a hobby I never expected to love. From the thrill of opening packs to organizing my binder, Pokémon has given me joy, connection, and plenty of surprises along the way. It also works as a way to connect with my partner, but also as a mental break from the workload of my classes, which I very much need. Even with the high prices and occasional stereotypes, it’s a world I’m glad to be part of; because at the end of the day, it makes me feel like a kid again.