The Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) has exploded in popularity globally, with countless players diving in for new card releases and competitive tournaments. Card prices are constantly soaring, cementing its status as a titan in the card game world.
Recently, one overseas collector has become the talk of the town for an absolutely wild endeavor: amassing nearly 1,800 copies of the 1st Edition "Kabuto" card from early sets. This unique collecting obsession has captured the attention of netizens worldwide.
Known by fans as the "Kabuto King," collector Kabuto King (@KabutoKing_) exclusively hunts down 1st Edition Kabuto cards from early overseas releases. He regularly updates his collection count on X, and after an entertainment news account shared his posts, he instantly went viral.
As of now, his 1st Edition Kabuto collection stands at an astounding 1,783 cards. Thanks to the buzz, prices for "Near Mint" 1st Edition Kabuto cards on overseas card marketplace TCGplayer have skyrocketed. What was once $8.81 on November 28, 2025, surged to an incredible $37.43 by December 2, a truly mind-blowing increase!
The story kept gaining momentum, even catching the eye of major retailers and collecting platforms. GameStop, a platform specializing in game and card acquisitions, proactively offered Kabuto King "priority purchase rights" for PSA-graded Kabuto cards. Meanwhile, the official Collectr app, a popular overseas card collecting platform, even proposed: "Once you complete your collection, we'll create a custom badge and banner just for you!"
Inspired by the craze, other netizens have also started showcasing their own "Omanyte" collections, sparking an unexpected exchange among fossil Pokémon card enthusiasts.
This trend has left many netizens exclaiming, "Wait, even Kabuto can get hyped up?!" and "Now THAT'S true love."
It seems that in the collecting world, with enough passion and persistence, even a less popular Pokémon card can become the center of attention.