Ludwig Twitch Stream Reveals Difficulty of Pokemon Card Grading
Pokemon cards have been red hot over the last few months, and a lot of collectors have made big [...]
Pokemon cards have been red hot over the last few months, and a lot of collectors have made big money selling them on the secondary market. Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahgren was given a reminder how fickle the process can be, however, after sending nearly 400 cards in to be graded by PSA. In an April 29th stream, Ludwig revealed that cards he assumed would receive a grade 10 received a 9 instead. While that grade is still very good, the cards also face a significant drop-off in value, as a result. Ludwig called the experience "eye-opening." A video showcasing the cards and their values can be found at the top of this page.
The video should show fans just how difficult the card collecting process can be. No matter how pristine you might think your card is, it could receive a grade lower than expected. It will be interesting to see if Ludwig's video convinces some newcomers not to get into the collecting habit. Those looking to make some quick flips on eBay might want to look elsewhere!
Streamers like Ludwig, Logan Paul, and more have invested quite a bit in the Pokemon card collecting craze. Sometimes, it pays off in a big way, and other times not so much. Streamers seem to have caused a significant demand for the cards, making them very difficult to come by. It also caused a number of problems when McDonald's offered a Pokemon card Happy Meal promotion in honor of the 25th anniversary of the first Pokemon games.
The craze around Pokemon (and other collectible cards) has been so strong that PSA seems to be struggling to keep up with the demand. At the end of March, the company sent out a press release stating that it would be suspending the majority of its services in order to get through its backlog of cards to be graded. PSA expects to have all services restored by July 1st, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case. Of course, the delay could give Pokemon fans time to decide whether or not the grading process is truly worth the time and cost associated with it!
Have you gotten any Pokemon cards professionally graded by PSA? Were you surprised by the grades your cards received? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!