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Rare, classic Pokémon cards have always been an expensive thing to collect, but recent years have seen the value of particular cards soar beyond our wildest imaginations. Now, one company is aiming to jump on this trend by allowing fans and collectors to buy shares in highly-priced cards.
The company in question is Otis, an investment app that makes it possible for buyers to invest in sought after merchandise like sports cards or collectable stickers. On the app, a potential buyer can grab a share of a Pokémon card from $10 and up, and this can be traded at any time through the app’s dedicated trading platform.
Here, for example, you can choose to buy shares in a 1999 Pokemon 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Raichu card valued at $10 each, with a minimum of 25 shares needed to be bought to complete the transaction. The listing shows buyers a description of the card, data on how much the card has been worth over time, and offers reasons as to why it might be a good investment opportunity. Mewtwo and Blastoise cards are currently live on the site, too.
Here’s how it all works, according to Otis:
“Investors select an Otis asset and acquire fractional interests that represents an indirect ownership interest in that asset. When you purchase shares in an Otis offering, you invest in an LLC which owns a specific asset, such as a painting. If the value of that asset rises, so does the value of your shares.
[You can] sell your shares to other Otis members on our trading platform or receive pro-rata returns if we sell one of the underlying assets you invested in.”
It’s bizarre to think that these little bits of cardboard can hold enough value that people are willing to buy shares in them, yet here we are.
Do you think this is an interesting idea? A sad reminder of the downsides to Pokémon card collecting? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.