The Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) has been absolutely exploding globally in recent years, with new sets flying off shelves and tournaments drawing massive crowds. Card prices? Let's just say they're often through the roof, cementing PTCG's status as a titan in the TCG world.
But sometimes, even the most prized collections face a nightmare scenario. A recent Reddit post from an overseas player, sharing how they "lost their entire Pokémon card collection due to an unfortunate event," has sparked intense discussion.
The original poster (OP) has been a Pokémon fan since childhood, rekindling their card collecting passion around 2019 after graduating college. To help his dad start a business, he temporarily left his job and moved with his wife to his grandma's house. During this time, he stored his precious card collection in his grandma's basement.
Then came the dreaded call from his wife: the basement was flooded. Turns out, a sewage pipe had burst, leaving everything in the storage area submerged in dirty water for two to three days. This included his and his wife's years-long Pokémon card collection, whether packed in cardboard boxes or plastic storage containers – all completely ruined.
According to photos taken by his wife, some card binders and unopened packs "looked" okay on the outside. However, professional cleaners confirmed it was "Category 3 contamination" – meaning highly hazardous sewage water teeming with bacteria and toxins. Porous materials like card stock are impossible to safely clean, so everything had to be discarded.
When the insurance company came to assess the damage, their response was a cold one: "You should have insured your collection beforehand. We can only compensate you for the value of the 'cardboard,' not as valuable collectibles." Despite the collection being roughly estimated at nearly $10,000, insurance offered little to no relief. But what hurt the most wasn't just the monetary loss; it was the memories attached to those cards – the satisfaction of completing a deck, the thrill of finding a rare card in a shop. All those "moments of joy" were washed away in an instant.
After sharing his story on Reddit, many users offered comfort, reminding him that his safety was paramount and offering advice on storing valuable collections, even if the memories couldn't be replaced. However, some Redditors weren't so sympathetic, criticizing him with comments like, "Why hoard so many unopened packs?" and "People like you make it hard for others to buy cards; this is karma." It seems even in the face of such a devastating loss, some still chose to condemn his collecting habits.
Undoubtedly, such a loss is heartbreaking for any card collector. But whether it's cards, gaming consoles, or other valuable collectibles, accidents can strike at any time. Perhaps it's time to re-evaluate where you store your treasures and ensure they're protected against water, humidity, and contamination – because as this story shows, even insurance might not have your back when disaster strikes.
via： Reddit