A woman was absolutely stunned when she discovered that her partner’s hobby could actually generate significant income.
It might be time for all of us to revisit our childhood games, because this discovery is truly remarkable.
When this woman found out that her husband had been sitting on a valuable collection for decades, she was at a loss for how to respond.
Madeline Brice was unaware that her husband Juan Pardo’s collection of rare cards, which he began accumulating at the age of five, could be worth so much money.
At 31, Brice was bewildered when her 29-year-old husband decided to use an app to scan 670 of his 1,500 cards to determine their value.
The app indicated that these cards could be worth approximately $1,312.30, prompting the couple to explore the potential value of the entire collection.
Pardo’s fascination with collecting began with his love for a popular anime TV show during his childhood.
The subsequent release of cards and Nintendo games allowed an entire generation to immerse themselves in the fantasy world and embark on their own adventures.
Naturally, it’s Pokémon.
For anyone unfamiliar, Pokémon was the must-watch show of the 90s, captivating children everywhere.
The show followed Ash Ketchum, a young Pokémon trainer, along with his friends Misty and Brock, as they battled other trainers and participated in tournaments to prove their skills.
The Japanese franchise remains popular today, with various games available on Nintendo consoles.
Many will also recall the Pokémon Go! phenomenon, which enabled players to use their smartphones to locate Pokémon and hatch eggs.
For Brice and Pardo, the long-term storage of original Pokémon cards led to a significant increase in their value.
Pardo now estimates that his ungraded collection could be worth between $2,624.60 and $3,936.90.
If Pardo chooses to grade the cards, meaning he sends them to a trusted grader to assess their exact value, he might fetch a higher price than by selling them directly to collectors online.
Brice, from Kansas City, Missouri, commented: “I knew he was a Pokémon fan. But I was shocked when he told me how much they are worth.”
Originally, many of these cards were bought for Pardo by his mother from Walmart, with each box costing around $26.
Although he frequently traded and played with the cards, he stopped when he reached college age.
However, his mother did a wonderful job of preserving and even expanding his collection.
Pardo remarked: “It’s my collection but it’s mainly her thing. I was totally shocked when I realised how much they’re worth. I thought it’d only be a few hundred dollars.”
Now, Pardo faces a difficult decision: whether to sell the cards for a nice sum or hold onto them in hopes their value will rise even further.
It’s certainly a tough choice.