Cards as an alternative asset
I collect Pokémon and sports cards the way an investor looks at any market: supply, demand, and what things actually sell for.
Hobbies
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Sealed vs. singles
A sealed box gets scarcer every time someone else opens one. A single is priced by how many people want that exact card.
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Read the pop report
It shows graded supply, not total supply. The number I watch is how many were submitted.
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Comps over asks
Sold prices tell you the market. Asking prices tell you what someone hopes for.
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Two different markets
Pokémon runs on nostalgia and artwork. Sports cards follow players and the news.
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Sports
I follow all of them, all year. There's usually a game on, and I usually have an opinion about it.