How he became a millionaire overnight? Retired decorator made $2 million from 15-year-old Pokémon cards
The retired UK decoratorreportedly said he had bought some complete sets of the Pokémon cards from someone in Malaysia on eBay. He had 42 sets of cards.
A retired decorator from Woking, UK, unexpectedly became a millionaire after selling his collection of vintage Pokémon cards that had been stored in his attic for 15 years. Initially valued at around £250,000, the cards fetched £1.56 million ($2 million) at auction. The man, who wished to remain anonymous, bought complete sets of the cards from Malaysia via eBay between 1999 and 2009.
He sold 41 sets, keeping one for himself. One set, initially purchased for £300, sold for £75,000. The Surrey auction house claimed it was the largest trading card auction event in the UK, which could potentially be a European record. The man's son had traded cards with classmates in the late 1990s; his father never touched these cards, but now he's glad to have sold them.
Ewbank's, the auction house, reported their most successful sale in over 30 years. The man attributed his success to the nostalgia surrounding Pokémon and the fact that collectors in their 30s and 40s, who grew up with the franchise, had more disposable income.
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