A single Pokémon card was nearly sold for the price of a private apartment. Over the weekend, trading card collecting once again drew huge crowds, with around 50,000 people attending the Singapore Card Show. One of the rarest Pokémon cards on display had received an offer of up to S$1.3 million last week, and during the two day event, more than 10 groups stopped by to ask about the card.
Shin Min Daily News reported that the Singapore Card Show was held over two days at the Singapore Expo, featuring close to 300 booths. The event attracted nearly 50,000 visitors from both Singapore and overseas. When reporters visited on Sunday, they observed that Pokémon cards made up the bulk of the collectibles on display, alongside football star cards, sports trading cards, and anime-related cards.
Beyond card buying and selling, many visitors were also there to have their cards professionally graded, including PSA grading. Others were seen livestreaming card pack openings at their booths. The value of a card depends largely on its rarity, which is influenced by factors such as the number of copies in existence, language versions, holographic finishes, alternate artwork, and limited edition releases.
The most expensive Pokémon card at the event belonged to Chew Zhan Lun, 33, founder of card trading platform CTRL Collectibles. He told reporters that he bought a PSA 9 near-perfect “Pikachu Illustrator” card from a private collector a few months ago. Just last week, someone offered US$1 million, or about S$1.3 million, for the card, but he declined.
“Over the past two days, more than 10 people have asked me about the card’s price, mostly out of curiosity. I hope the card’s value will continue to rise, and I may consider selling it in the future.”
Chew shared that his interest in Pokémon cards began when he was young, as his parents would reward him with cards for doing well in school.
“Those cards became very good childhood memories. I stopped collecting for a long time, but last year, when I saw this surge in popularity, my interest came back.”
He currently owns more than 300 cards, priced from $50 to six-figure sums, and has invested more than $1 million in total.
The organiser of the Singapore Card Show told reporters that card trading is often linked to wider investment trends, including the stock market and cryptocurrency. When the market is doing well, people tend to have more spare cash and are more willing to spend on collectibles they enjoy. He added that most local card collectors are between 25 and 40 years old and are mainly working professionals.
With Pokémon’s 30th anniversary coming up next year, the organiser said he hopes to hold the Singapore Card Show every quarter, giving more collectors a chance to showcase their prized collections.
