It has almost been a year since words like social distancing, masks, and pandemics have become part of our daily vocabularies. In that time, the world has both changed and stood still. The overall health of the global economy has changed dramatically in that time. For some, little has changed. For others, everything has changed. The antiques and collectibles trade has also undergone some massive changes in that time frame as well. Online auctions have become the norm. Antique conventions, flea markets, and professional trade shows have all been put on temporary hold. Meanwhile, the government issued stimulus checks to ensure the economy would remain vibrant during this time. This caused a profound effect on most markets. Stocks saw record highs even though the basic fundamentals dictated that a lot of businesses were struggling. Collectors decided to use the extra downtime and cash to do what they do best, add to their collections. The effect was unpredictable and yet incredible.
Almost overnight, certain collecting markets started to accelerate in value. Mass-produced collectibles were the first to experience a boom. Due to the pandemic, production of a lot of everyday items was put on hold. Modern era video games were first to experience shortages. Almost overnight, Nintendo Switch systems went from their manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $299.99 to well over $600 on sites like Amazon and eBay. Insanity had set it, and by almost every living person in America receiving a stimulus check, and staying home, people had some money to spend on these luxuries along with newfound boredom.
Modern era sports cards were the next market to exponentially rise with a dearth of new YouTube channels popping up to show speculators cracking packs hoping to get a rare chase card or something of value. This caused a lot of media attention being paid to this market, and as a result, a lot of collectors and speculators flocked to the world of sports card collecting once again. This influx of collectors caused prices for vintage cards to also rise in value.
While sports card collectors were busy getting their fix by ordering whatever stock was available online, collectible card game enthusiasts wanted in on the action too. Modern era “Magic: The Gathering” game cards were being bought up as quickly as they could be printed, but the real action was occurring in the “Pokemon” collectible trading card game market. With production squeezed, serious minded investors started buying up as much new and sealed product as they could. This, in turn, caused a massive supply squeeze, leading to even more recent “Pokemon” products being gobbled up en masse. “Pokemon” sets and booster boxes that were printed just months or even just a few years before the pandemic started to rise in value to unprecedented levels. Still to this day, “Pokemon” product produced within the last few years and readily available before the pandemic selling for around $100 can be seen selling online for over $1,000!
As I write this in February of 2021, most antique and collecting categories are breaking new records at auction on a month to month basis. Just in the last three months alone, there have been record-breaking auction results for rare coins, vintage sports cards, vintage video games, “Magic: The Gathering” cards, and, of course, “Pokemon” trading cards. I have yet to encounter a collectibles market as hot as this one, and prices show no signs of leveling off soon. This has been a double-edged sword for anyone who is currently active in the trade. Buyers are either making bad decisions right now or are running away from the trade frustrated. Sellers are having a massive payday in most cases.
If you are a buyer in this market right now, I urge you to use extreme caution. The prices occurring in most modern era mass-produced collectibles will eventually self correct. This is not, in my opinion, the start of a new trend. It is a simple example of supply versus demand along with more capital than usual floating around. I have it on good authority that hoarders of a lot of these products over the last few years are having a field day selling into this market (myself included), and most online auction houses are doing well right now.
If you are a seller in this market, you can do very well. That said, I urge caution here as well. If you are a collector of truly rare coins, traditional antiques, or historical artifacts of which there is usually less supply readily available, my advice is to not sell unless you have to or wish to. I honestly see these markets as being less volatile overall. Let the speculators on the collectibles side of the trade take the gamble by buying or the gains by selling. Collectors who are well invested in established and mature markets on the antique side of the equation should not need to overreact in this market. One day this will all be behind us, whether or not we see the light at the end of the tunnel as of yet.
Believe it or not, I almost did not write this particular article because I am so tired of seeing news about a certain collectible or antique that has achieved a record price at auction. To be fair, I am guilty of writing some of them. A lot of these articles bring speculators and unsophisticated investors into the antiques and collectibles trade without understanding the fundamentals as to how these markets operate both short term and long term. Please make no mistake, what we are seeing occur in the collectibles trade at present time is anything but normal and definitely not sustainable over the long term, in my opinion. As collectibles expert Harry Rinker once said in an email reply to me, ‘Time is both an enemy and a friend.’ I couldn’t agree more.

Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.