Pokemon collecting means something different to everyone at IGN, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the personal stashes scattered across desks and home shelves. Some staffers chase the legendary cards that defined a generation. Others hunt oddball merchandise most fans never knew existed. What binds them together is the unmistakable pull of nostalgia mixed with the thrill of the hunt.
Bo Moore's story illustrates how a childhood investment paid off beyond anyone's wildest expectations. Back in 1999, Moore ranked in the top 10 card players in his state and assembled a nearly complete Base Set collection. For Christmas that year, his parents bought him a First Edition Charizard off eBay for around $100, the "Holy Grail" of Pokemon cards even then. The card sat in a drawer for years, occasionally climbing in value but never reaching the stratospheric prices Moore had imagined as a kid. Then came the pandemic boom. Suddenly, his childhood gamble transformed into something worth vastly more.
Mark Medina's collecting days were simpler and purer. In 1999 and 2000, he started a paper route at age twelve and spent every paycheck on Pokemon card packs at 7-Eleven, gravitating toward the purple packs. He and his friends collected for the love of the game, not for resale or YouTube clout. Remarkably, Medina still owns his original binder holding all 151 cards from those early days, a tangible link to an era before Pokemon cards became a speculative asset.
Others took more selective approaches. Mike Mamon focused on Blue Version nostalgia and Blastoise, his favorite from the early games. Kevin Cappiello's desk overflows with 90s action figures, obscure trading cards, and retro game memorabilia. Samuel Claiborn pursues the truly exclusive, seeking one-off items and sealed games from decades past that were never mass-produced consumer goods in the first place.
Not all treasures are cards. Miranda Sanchez, executive editor of guides, earned her old San Francisco desk the nickname "Pikachu Mountain" thanks to her sprawling collection of Pikachu plush and figures. She also treasures Pokemon washi tape and Pikachu Pilot fountain pens, items that might seem ordinary but hold special meaning for her. Rising import costs and storage limitations have forced her to slow down, though she still makes exceptions for exceptional finds.
Amir Rakib's journey took a melancholy turn when multiple moves caused him to lose or sell most of his childhood collection, including cards and figurines he'd painstakingly acquired. A few years ago, his mother discovered his original card binder buried in old boxes. That rediscovery reignited his passion as an adult, now focused primarily on chasing Pikachu and Mew cards, with particular eye on rare variants like a Pikachu in a Grey Felt Hat.
Jacob Kienlen represents a different path entirely. Despite being a Pokemon fan since his Game Boy days, he gave away nearly all his trading cards and cartridges over the years. Recently, he acquired the new LEGO Eevee set released in 2026 and found it reignited his collecting spirit. He sees it as proof that starting or restarting a collection is never too late.
Casey DeFreitas, deputy editor of guides, has been collecting Pokemon merchandise since the beginning and never stopped. Her accumulation spans from Burger King toys (though her parents forced her to part with most of those) through the current era. She visits Pokemon Centers whenever she travels to Japan, loads up at Pokemon World Championships every year since 2016, and even owns pieces from BlackMilk's Pokemon collaboration. By her own admission, the collection has grown so large she could stock an entire vendor booth at a convention, and she's fighting her own FOMO instincts to keep buying.
Marhyan Franzen owns a single Pokemon card, a promotional from the 1999 Burger King movie promotion. A teacher gave it to her in fourth grade because she resembled Jigglypuff. Years later, she's become more of a Psyduck person, and now a small waddling Psyduck sits on her work desk alongside that lone card.
What emerges from these collections is a portrait of Pokemon fandom across three decades. Some chased investment potential and struck it rich. Others collected purely for joy and hold onto those memories. Many gave things away and found their way back to the hobby as adults. A few never stopped. None of them seem to regret the time, money, or emotional energy they've poured into these items.
Author Emily Chen: "The real flex isn't owning a pristine Charizard worth thousands, it's the people who still have that binder from 1999 and remember exactly why it mattered."
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