Pokémon card thief makes off with $113,000 worth of rare cards

The “shadowless” Pokémon cards lack a drop shadow behind the gold border surrounding the Pokémon’s illustration. These are the most vintage English language cards because shortly after the first shipments of cards hit the stores, Wizards of the Coast, which distributed and translated the cards, decided that they’d look even sharper with a shadow. The cards labeled “1st edition” are worth even more. In 2020, a Shadowless 1st edition PSA 10 Charizard sold for $369,000. The following year, a sealed box of 1st edition cards sold at auction for more than $400,000. Take that, parents who judge childhood investments.

Though the shop has alerted the public to their loss, in hopes that it will make the cards difficult to fence and easy to return, Vieira took the whole thing in stride. “It sucks. I mean, you work hard, and obviously, something like this happening is not a good thing,” Vieira said. “But I mean, it’s just money. No one died.”