Getting ahold of Pokemon TCG cards isn't a particularly expensive or difficult task, until players start being interested in the rarest of the rare cards. While cards like the legendary holographic Charizard have been renowned for going for quite a lot, something even rarer just sold for nearly a hundred thousand dollars at auction.
While many collectibles from the 1990s have faded in value considerably, Pokemon cards seem to hold on to a lasting popularity among collectors. This becomes a particularly competitive hobby to have once interested parties start looking at the very rarest cards, as oftentimes - as is the case here - there are fewer than 10 of the cards in existence.
The Pokemon card in question is the Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer card. It features a holographic starry sky silhouette of Mewtwo. It shouldn't come as a surprise if one hasn't heard of it; it's a Japanese card that was only given away to the winners of seven regional tournaments held back in 1999. As such, there are only seven of these cards that ever existed, and of course, some of those may now be damaged or simply not survived the last 21 years.
While other rare Pokemon cards like the Pikachu Illustrator have sold for more, what makes this particular card stand out is its condition. It received a coveted Gem Mint 10 rating, which is the highest that can be awarded. In other words, it looks as good as the day it was handed out, and as a result, collectors scrambled to place bids on the card and ultimately pushed the auction's ending price to $90,000 even.
While many probably looked at the Pokemon boom in the late '90s as just another passing fad, Pokemon continues to steal the spotlight and enchant newcomers and veterans to the series alike. While certainly not everyone can or wants to own a piece of Pokemon memorabilia at this price, there's an established history of expensive Pokemon merchandise going on sale to this day, so it's clear that there's an audience that's willing to open their wallets for a little Pokemon nostalgia.
Source: Heritage Auctions (via Dexerto)