England Man Finds 15-Year-Old Pokemon Cards in Attic, Sells Them for £1.56 Million

A retired father in England has struck a million-pound fortune after stumbling upon a collection of Pokémon cards he had left untouched for 15 years. It has now fetched a staggering £1.56 million (more than $2 million) at auction.

According to a report by People, the retired decorator from Woking, who has chosen to remain anonymous, decided to have his childhood-era collection valued after reading about a couple who financed their wedding by selling just three rare Pokémon cards. Curious about the potential worth of his own stash, he approached Ewbank’s Auctions, only to discover that his collection was worth a fortune.

The auction house's team was left astonished after discovering 42 complete sets of Pokémon cards, all preserved in mint condition. The collector eventually agreed to put 41 sets under the hammer while retaining one for himself.

“When we saw what he had - all in mint condition - we couldn’t believe it, or the fact that he had no idea what they were worth,” James Spooner, head of trading cards at Ewbank’s Auctions, said in a statement cited by People.

Spooner said the discovery of 42 complete sets left the auction team amazed. The collection, which attracted intense interest from collectors, YouTubers and other bidders, ultimately fetched £1.56 million, equivalent to more than $2 million.

Andrew Ewbank, a partner at the auction house, said buyers were particularly impressed by the exceptional condition and extensive range of cards. Among the highlights was a collection titled Pokémon: A Decade of Masters (1999-2009), featuring the highly sought-after Legendary Collection Complete Master Set.

The prized set comprised all 110 cards, alongside 110 Reverse Holo Firework cards and four Box Toppers, making it an especially valuable part of the collection.

The collector's journey began in 1999, when Pokémon cards first arrived in England. He initially started purchasing them partly to share his son's growing interest in the craze, as the youngster collected and traded cards with his schoolmates.

“When my son was young, in the late 1990s, he started getting cards and swapping them at school,” he recalled.

The father said he was fascinated by the artwork on the cards and began wondering whether they could eventually prove to be a profitable investment as well.

His search for rare collections eventually led him to a seller in Malaysia through eBay. After purchasing several complete sets, he was offered the opportunity to acquire complete master sets, with the seller revealing that two or three editions were available for each release.

The collector revealed that his first purchase cost him approximately $400. The set, featuring the prized Sky Ridge Charizard, eventually fetched around £75,000 (approximately $100,400) at the recent auction.

Over the years, he carefully preserved the cards in Pokémon binders, ensuring they remained in pristine condition. Although his son maintained a collection of his own, he was not allowed to handle these particularly valuable sets.

Reflecting on his extraordinary discovery, the retired father said, “I know people always talk about finding treasure in the attic, but in my case that is literally true,”

He admitted that he had never imagined the collection could command such an extraordinary price until experts from the auction house assessed it.