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Library/Activity/Pokémon card boom (2020–2021)
Grade B19 sourcesHIS-01348

Pokémon card boom (2020–2021)

Activity · 2020 · Notable

43Editable slideCertificate

Heritage reported a $408,000 Pokémon box sale before Target halted in-store card sales.

Original · Logan Paul

PSAcard

@PSAcard · Mar 30, 2021

PSA announces the immediate suspension of nearly all card grading services. PSA is temporarily halting Value, Economy, Regular and Express Services which account for 97.9% of all items submitted. Read PSA President Steve Sloan’s update for details: bit.ly/39t0LfG

315108
Post · @PSAcard on X

AskTarget

@AskTarget · Jun 2, 2021

Stores will resume selling select Pokémon Trading Cards the week of June 1, 2021. Pokémon Trading Cards can be sold seven days per week and will have a limit of 2 items per guest per day.

25231
Post · @AskTarget on X

Logan Paul

@LoganPaul · Oct 10, 2020

last night was one of the coolest experiences of my life. 3.6M views, 300k concurrent viewers, raised ~$130,000 for @NAMICommunicate, and made Pokémon/entertainment history. thank you to all the viewers, donors, and buyers for an unforgettable evening!

7.9K96
Post · @LoganPaul on X

Nintendeal

@Nintendeal · May 13, 2021

Target is no longer selling Pokémon cards in stores “to ensure the safety of our guests and team members.”

7.9K268
Post · @Nintendeal on X
Shiny Star V pack artwork, The Pokémon Company
The Pokémon Company
Logan Paul's livestream opening a $200,000 first-edition box
Logan Paul on YouTube
Target's sign announcing it stopped selling Pokémon cards in stores
@Nintendeal on X
Logan Paul wears a first-edition Pokémon card necklace at the Mayweather fight
VICE / Motherboard

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion35Breadth50VelocityNo data yetLongevityNo data yet43

Numbers

Seed to milestone
7 months
Oct 9 ’20 to May 14 ’21
Platforms
6
Started on YouTube
Origin
Mixed
Toys & collectibles

Mechanics

  • Variable reward
  • Scarcity drop
  • Resale marketPrimary
  • Revival
  • Press loop

How it spread

Trace the origin

Paul opened a vintage box on YouTube as card prices rose. Auction records and anniversary-card shortages drew coverage; PSA suspended submissions. Target’s May 14 sales halt provided a retail milestone for this case.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Google searchesSep ’20NovDecJan ’21FebMarMayJunJulSepMilestoneYouTubePressOpen webRetailXTV
YouTubePressOpen webRetailXTV

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (16)

  1. October 2020

    Logan Paul seed · Oct 9 ’20

    Paul opened a first-edition Base Set box on YouTube after selling its packs to fans.[1][2]

    Logan Paul's livestream opening a $200,000 first-edition box
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Polygon press · Oct 13 ’20

    Polygon reported rapper Logic’s purchase of a gem-mint first-edition Charizard at auction.[3]

  3. November 2020

    Heritage Auctions commercial · Nov 2020

    A sealed first-edition Base Set box sold for $360,000 at Heritage during November.[4]

  1. owner response · Nov 27 ’20

  2. commercial · Dec 14 ’20

Join free to see the other 13 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

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Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
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Pro opens the playbook, all 13 sourced numbers and 19 sources. Start with a free account.

Join freeGo Pro
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Toys & collectibles
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

Film · Box office · 200974

Avatar (2009)

Twentieth Century Fox (distributor); James Cameron / Lightstorm Entertainment

James Cameron's 3D film earned $2.74 billion worldwide in its original release.

$2.92B box office

1 / 8

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.