A retired UK painter and decorator has uncovered an extraordinary £1.56 million (about $2.09 million) from Pokémon cards that had been stored and forgotten in his attic.
The collector, who lives in Woking and has not been publicly identified, remembered the cards after reading about a single Pokémon card selling for more than £6,000 ($8,024). He searched the roof space to see whether his old collection might have any value and discovered a far larger treasure than expected.
He eventually sold the cards at auction through Ewbank’s. The auction house described the result as its most successful sale in 30 years, with the contents reportedly causing an immediate stir when they were presented for appraisal.
From school trades to a serious collection
The collection began in the late 1990s, when the man’s son was swapping Pokémon cards with classmates. The father was drawn to the artwork and wondered whether the cards could become a worthwhile investment.
“I thought they looked nice,” he said, adding that his son had a separate collection and never handled the cards that later became so valuable.
He continued collecting after his son lost interest, buying numerous complete sets through eBay. Around 15 years ago, however, the binders were moved into the loft and remained there until the news story prompted their rediscovery.
The situation will feel familiar to anyone who has stored away an old gaming hobby. Whether assessing a trading-card collection or planning a home arcade machine, condition, completeness and careful storage can have a major effect on long-term value.
Rare sets beat their auction estimates
The collection included a Legendary Collection master set and a near-mint binder containing every card from the 2002 compilation set. The latter was expected to fetch between £15,000 and £20,000, but eventually sold for £130,000 (approximately $173,783).
A complete Skyridge set also produced a remarkable result. Its owner had originally paid £300, while the auction estimate reached as high as £40,000. Competitive bidding drove the final price to £97,500, or about $130,337.
The Aquapolis master set exceeded expectations as well. Because some cards were in mixed condition, it carried an estimate of £15,000, yet sold for £49,500 (around $66,171). The source material notes that a single Aquapolis booster pack currently sells for about $2,000, suggesting that condition may have limited the set’s result.
Other highlights included EX Team Rocket, EX Delta Species, EX Deoxys and a complete POP Series binder. The breadth of the collection turned an overlooked loft storage discovery into a landmark auction for Ewbank’s.
Why storage and condition matter
The owner had heard the familiar stories about valuables being found in attics. In his case, the cliché became reality: the cards were recovered before they could deteriorate, be discarded during a household clear-out or be lost in an accident.
Anyone sorting through old trading cards should check the set, completeness, condition and storage history before assuming the collection has no value. Specialist advice can also help identify unusual releases and establish an appropriate route to sale.
The auction house asked auction house report provides further details, while BBC News also covered the discovery. For readers interested in the wider preservation and restoration side of gaming, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide, arcade parts and arcade news coverage offer useful related reading.
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