Dad learns Pokémon, part 1: the complete basics for parents
My son collects Pokémon. I’ve no clue what it’s all about. Like me, do you just shrug your shoulders at the mention of this topic? Then join me as I chat to the experts. First, we’ll look at booster packs, sets and the question of what kids actually want to collect.
When it comes to Pokémon, I’m completely clueless. I recognise Pikachu, but that’s about it. By the time the hype started, I was already a little too old, and the craze passed me by. But now the time has come – my son has become a collector and he’s suddenly started to speak a foreign language. Charizard, ex, VMAX, Holo – what does it mean? What’s it all about? I plan to find out in a series of articles. Because right now, all I see are cards, some more sparkly than others.
At first, I laugh at the hobby. But I soon realise that my son’s really into it, so I decide to find out more. We pack up his best cards and head over to TwoMoons, a trading card game and board game bar in Stettbach. There, we meet Jonas Rudin, co-founder of the store and former Galaxus colleague, and Patrick Landis, who’s a tournament player and an employee at TwoMoons, where he shares his expertise with the Pokémon community.
As soon as my son spreads out his cards, the three of them get down to business. «You’ve got a few valuable cards here,» says Patrick. I keep hearing the words «Phantasmal Flames», and I’m already in danger of losing the thread of the conversation within the first few minutes. We really need to start a step further back, I plead.
All I know is that you can also play Pokémon, but most kids are more interested in collecting and trading. So please, catch me up on everything. What’s the first thing I need to know when my little one starts collecting them?
Booster packs, sets and the fight for cards
«Maybe you’d like to know how to get your hands on the cards first,» says Jonas, spreading out a few colourful packets. Basic course, lesson 1 – a set is a series of cards that belong together. Booster packs are randomly put together with cards from these sets. «They’re made up of different numbers of cards. Most Japanese sets contain only five cards per booster pack, while the German and English versions have ten.» So far, so good. I’m familiar with these booster packs, and I’ll remember that there are different language versions. And apparently they’re all sought after for different reasons.
«Regular sets are released about every three months, and in between there are various complementary products and special sets,» Jonas continues. «These sets come in different versions. There are 36 booster packs in a display. Bundles contain six booster packs, and there are also, for instance, tins with two or four booster packs – so there really is a wide variety of formats.» Special sets are aimed more at collectors.
Why booster packs are sometimes unavailable
All those tins and bundles are too expensive for kids to buy them in bulk with their allowance. «Where do you actually buy the booster packs?» I ask my son. «At Migros or Coop, you can ask at the register if they have any, and sometimes they’ll sell them individually.» But collectors are often left disappointed. «They haven’t had any for two months,» I’m told.
It doesn’t just come down to luck – you’ve got to be quick, too. «People come in and try to buy as much as possible all at once so they can resell it at a higher price,» Jonas explains. «In technical terms, we call that scalping. These people want to turn it into a business, and that’s a problem for the hobby.» Amateur collectors come up against ruthless competitors who clean out the shelves both online and offline.
For a long time now, Pokémon cards have been more than just a hobby for players and collectors – many see them as an investment. Stories about the world’s most expensive card, which sold for over 12 million Swiss francs (linked page in German), or an incredibly valuable Swiss collection (linked page in German) are making headlines in the media.
Every booster pack is a bit of a gamble
Still, I didn’t realise that the fight for the cards starts at the local supermarket and involves even the youngest kids. I thought it was just people with money who were competing for the best historical collectables. But no, it can be difficult (or expensive) to get your hands on up-to-date cards. «If the Pokémon Company wanted to do the right thing, they’d print enough cards for everyone who wants to play,» says Jonas. «And collectors shouldn’t be allowed to buy quite as much as they want.» The Pokémon Company itself insists that it would like to make even more cards available to the public. Due to the very high demand, it has announced that reprinted products will be released as soon as possible.
Certain highly sought-after cards can be worth several hundred Swiss francs fresh out of a booster pack. Of course, these are exceptions, but every pack is a bit of a gamble. So it’s worth seeing what your kid pulls from their first booster pack and might take to school with them. If they don’t know much about the cards, it’s easy for them to end up making a very lopsided trade in the playground. A little knowledge helps them control the situation better and collect precisely the cards they’re looking for. Kids learn quickly and soon realise that they’re more likely to get what they want by trading or buying items individually. As a parent, you should know what their motivation for collecting Pokémon is.
Not every Pokémon will make your kid happy
«Parents should start by finding out exactly what their child’s interested in,» explains Jonas. Collecting or playing? In my experience, most kids like to collect the cards. But what do they do with them? «Some people really love a certain Pokémon and want a whole binder filled with Umbreons, for instance. Others create a Pokédex, which means they want to have one of every Pokémon. Or they want to complete a set. You can really get creative with it.»
Since there are over 1,000 Pokémon in all sorts of variations and countless sets, you could really go wrong if you just buy any random card as a gift. «It’s definitely a good idea to ask the kid a little bit about what their favourite Pokémon is and what they’re looking for right now,» says Patrick, the Pokémon expert at TwoMoons. «Even if you haven’t quite got to grips with the lingo yet, it’s worth writing it down. Once you’ve done that, game stores like ours are a great place to start.» The magic word is «TCG store» – enter this into Google Maps and it will take you to your destination in any major town. In stores like these, customers get advice, trade items and, of course, make purchases.
I’ve since learned that Phantasmal Flames is the name of a set and it’s the reason why my son and his friend are collecting these cards. «The set isn’t that big, and we want to complete it because we already have the most valuable card in it,» he explains. At least he now has a few ideas about what he might want.
At least I know now that asking for «Pokémon cards» is about as specific as asking for «any book». From now on, before I give a card as a gift, I’ll ask what the recipient is collecting first. I still can’t make sense of all those sparkly cards and strange abbreviations.
But all that changes in the second article in this series. I also learn how to identify rare cards, protect them and realistically assess their value. Not every card that sparkles is worth its weight in gold – but it might be.
Simple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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