Auction celebrating 25th anniversary of Pokémon breaks the £100,000 mark

Fans across the world got involved with Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ special timed sale, which featured some of the finest examples of the collectable trading cards in existence.

Highlights of the online-only auction, which was managed from The Lichfield Auction Centre at Fradley Park, Staffordshire, included an unopened Base Set Booster Box still sealed in its original branded cellophane, selling for £16,000.

The sale, which made headlines across the globe, also featured around 1,000 assorted Pokémon cards accumulated by a collector from the Cannock area.

The majority of these were first editions PSA graded Gem Mint 10 – a rare, highly sought-after certification that the card is in perfect condition.

The highest hammer price for a single card was £4,600 for a first edition Team Rocket set Dark Charizard holo card, certified GEM Mint 10.

Richard Winterton, auctioneer, said:“With huge international interest this superb collection has surpassed £100,000 – a wonderful result for our client. Pokémon is a phenomenal global sensation.

"Not only is it a lot of fun, for many it’s the ultimate ‘new’ collectable and a very serious business for people who are prepared to hunt all over the world for that special card and will invest thousands of pounds to secure it.

“We’re already looking forward to our next dedicated Pokémon sale in May.”

The family firm has become the go-to place for Pokémon, with collections of cards fetching thousands of pounds at auction.

In July 2020, a rare complete first edition Pokémon base set sold online with Richard Winterton Auctioneers for £25,000 and the March 2021 sale was the company’s biggest Pokémon auction yet.