Explore every episode of the podcast Wild Cards Podcast

What makes Pokémon’s 30th anniversary different from the 25th, and can printing more cards actually be good for the hobby? In this episode of Wild Cards, Sean, Jason, and Mecha discuss the highly anticipated 30th anniversary release, from its 30 unique Pikachu cards and interconnected artwork to the controversial RGB Mew, one of the set’s rarest and most expensive cards. They explore how the new set compares to previous anniversary releases, why certain cards are attracting collectors, and whether the latest designs live up to the hype. Wild Cards is produced by Ventures FM. Episode Guide: 00:00 The 30th anniversary hype 01:00 RGB Mew and its rarity 04:00 The evolution of card designs 08:00 Favorite anniversary cards 11:00 Collecting versus investing 12:00 Overprinting and accessibility 16:00 Pokémon's approach to scalping 19:00 Anniversary reprints 21:00 Card shops and market prices 23:00 Distributor pricing practices 26:00 Japan's distribution system 30:00 The impact on card shops 33:00 Overprinting and past market trends 36:00 Allocation and distributor relationships 37:00 Looking ahead to Pokémon's 50th anniversary 38:00 Japanese versus English card quality Episode Quotes The 30th Anniversary Set Jason: This is the thing, right? This is why I say 30th anniversary set is so much better than 25th. A lot of these things are super intentional, whereas 25th felt like a reprint run. For 30th, it felt like there's a lot more. You can collect the entire Pikachu line. You can do the different day and night combos, and then now you have all these different artworks. Overprinting and Long-Term Value Jason: With XY Evolutions from 10 years ago or 2016, they printed a lot, for that time period. To the point where a lot of people who were expecting to hold, they thought that within five years that they could get their returns. But in five years' time, it was stagnant relative to a lot of the other opportunities you had out there. Distributors and the Future of Pokémon Sean: I guess now that I feel less heated about it, it does make me realize, distributors, they distribute a lot of games. They really don't care about the long-term viability of this franchise. I think that's ultimately at the core of what bothers me. The supply chain basically becomes scalpers, and it destroys their brand long-term.