An Unopened Box of Pokémon Cards from 1999 Sold for $400,000

Don’t let anyone convince you Pokémon cards are worthless, because evidently they can be worth more than $400,000.

Last week, during an auction hosted by Heritage Auctions, a Pokémon First Edition Base Set Sealed Booster Box from 1999 sold for $408,000, setting a collectible card auction world record. A similar set broke the record when it was sold for $360,000 last November, which bore good tidings for how much this second one would go on to sell last week.

According to the listing on the auction site, the set was sealed in its original shrinkwrap and represents “the pinnacle of Pokémon box collecting.” The box contained 36 boosters packs, 11 cards apiece, making for a total of 396 cards. The listing touts that since the cards have never been handled they were sure to be in “GEM MINT” condition.

A highly-prized first edition Charizard card that comes in the set recently sold for $350,100, which really rockets the value of the entire pack and surely contributed to the incredibly high selling price that was ultimately landed on. That card was featured again in this auction and sold for $300,000.

I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely looking through my closet now seeing if I have any old cards worth a quick half million.