My Older brother is playing Fire Red, and he’s stuck in Rock Tunnel. What does he do? He hands me the GBA, and I work my way through, and he snatches the Game Boy from me and asks how I did it. I tell him the cold, hard truth. “I am a Pokémon Master.” Pokémon is my favorite franchise, and I’m particularly fond of the older games, such as Gold, Silver, Crystal, and Fire Red. You get the point. Nostalgia is one heck of a drug, and old Pokémon is my dealer. I also love collecting, but realized that Modern Pokémon collecting wasn’t for me.
Reasons I like vintage
I know the Pokémon
I recognize and enjoy all the Pokémon from the vintage. No more pulling nice-looking artworks, but have no idea what the Pokémon is or from what generation it’s in. For me, there’s no connection to the card. I haven’t seen it in a show or movie, nor have I used it in a playthrough. No doubt the artwork is stunning, but it’s missing childlike enthusiasm. That’s why a set like 151 made Pokémon so popular again, because it features recognizable Pokémon with great new artwork.
Easier on the wallet
I remember a couple of years ago, I went through my sister’s binder, where she had some Neo Genesis and Base Set cards. When I first went through her collection, I thought she was sitting on a gold mine. But looking up the cards’ values, I was shocked at how little some of the cards were worth. Even some of the Holos were worth peanuts compared to some of the new cards. It’s crazy to think that it’s cheaper to complete Base Set, Jungle compared to newer sets. I will point out that the newer sets tend to have more cards and also more Secret Rare cards. But to me, it’s kind of baffling that in a trading card game. Sets released more than 20 years ago can be cheaper than modern sets.
Get away from the market craziness
People are out here getting pushed, punched, and even stabbed for Pokémon cards. Our Grandparents might be tough, surviving Vietnam, but ask them if they ever went to Target or Best Buy and bought Pokémon cards unscathed. Collecting Vintage allows you to escape the craziness of modern Pokémon and lets you collect for fun. No trying to fight off scalpers and no job people for cards. Even when I go to card shops, they have a lot of vintage stuff in a side binder. Collecting Vintage lets you enjoy the hobby without having to deal with modern Pokemon.