The surge in prices for Japanese Pokémon card boxes has finally resumed.
Until July 2024, the Pokémon Card 151 was being traded for around 9,000 yen, but as of today, its price in the Japanese market has skyrocketed to an astonishing 15,000 yen.
Moreover, the price increase of Pokémon 151 has triggered a rise in the prices of other booster boxes and single cards.
This phenomenon showcases the enduring popularity of Pokémon cards and their growing strength as investment assets.
But why has this surge in Pokémon card prices occurred? And what is the current state of the Japanese market?
Today, we'll dive into the "Resurgence of the Pokémon Card Bubble in 2024."
1. The Pokémon Card Distribution Strategy So Far
First, we need to review what kind of items distribution plan The Pokémon Company has followed up to this point.
Until the end of 2023, Japanese Pokémon cards were in a state of scarcity. This was mainly due to the limited number of printing facilities owned by The Pokémon Company.
With low supply and high demand both in Japan and abroad, it was nearly impossible to purchase Pokémon cards at retail price.
In particular, the Pokémon Card 151, released in 2023, became one of the most sold boxes ever, largely because of the variety of rare cards and the the God Pack.
At that time, Pokémon Card 151 was being traded for 23,000 yen—about four times its retail price.
However, this situation wasn’t exactly favorable for The Pokémon Company. The scarcity of cards made it difficult for trading card players, the company’s primary audience, to get their hands on them.
Understandably, players were frustrated at having to pay significantly more than the retail price just to continue playing.
Additionally, in Japan, price hikes like these aren’t seen as a positive thing. In fact, the Japanese media repeatedly criticized The Pokémon Company for this situation.
As a result, the company devised a strategy to increase the number of printing facilities, which was finally implemented in January 2024.
2. The Effect of The Pokémon Company’s Strategy
Their strategy worked remarkably well. As a result, the price of the Pokémon 151 box dropped to around 9,000 yen.
Once the price of Pokémon 151 stabilized, the prices of many other boxes began to plummet as well.
At one point, there was such an oversupply of boxes like the "Ruler of the Black Flame" in Japan that they were being sold for less than the retail price.
Additionally, the sharp decline in the value of Pokémon cards caused many collectors to disappear from the market, which further contributed to the drop in prices.
3. What’s Sustaining the Market?
There are various theories about what sets the market standard, but one of the most significant factors is the buyback price offered by Japanese trading card stores.
This is widely regarded as a major driving force in the market. Many collectors closely monitor the buyback prices offered by stores and bring in their boxes when the price is right.
This method is far simpler and more reliable than selling cards individually on platforms like eBay or Mercari.
As a result, when one store raises its buyback price, competitors tend to follow suit, leading to a competitive cycle that drives market prices upward.
The area often referred to as the epicenter of these price trends is Akihabara in Tokyo, so it’s worth keeping an eye on developments there.
4. Why Did the Price of Pokémon Card 151 Increase?
As mentioned earlier, one of the key reasons for the recent price surge is the rise in store buyback prices.
This increase is largely based on clear information suggesting that there will be no reprint of Pokémon Card 151 this year.
In fact, some stores are speculating that a reprint may never happen. Typically, reprints of Pokémon cards stop within a year or less, and since Pokémon Card 151 was released in June 2023, there’s growing speculation that it might soon be discontinued.
You can easily imagine what will happen next: if the production of Pokémon Card 151 stops, the market will quickly drive up the value of this box. Furthermore, this box has proven one key point—no matter how much The Pokémon Company attempts to reprint, the market will always rebound.
While their reprint strategy may have failed, it simultaneously highlighted the enduring strength of Pokémon cards themselves.
This recent price spike has not only affected Pokémon Card 151 but has also led to increases in the value of many other boxes.
It will be exciting to see how the Pokémon card market evolves from here.
