There has been a lot of anger and controversy about the expensive modern Pokemon card market. It tends to focus in on cards that are not particularly rare but have garnered a lot of interest and price activity. I'm talking about the Moonbreon, other alt arts and most recently the Secret Are Rare Miriam Trainer.
This card shares none of the qualities of "rare cards". It doesn't appear hard to grade, there will be an abundance of copies, and it's not vintage. It however is clearly a homage to "pop art" and this is more than intentional. In an age of abundance and availability the Pokemon Company has made an intentional step of releasing cards that call out to pop and contemporary art. By hitting you with call outs to the wider cultural world the cards resonate with large groups of people and are ripe for discussion. This discussion only feeds the interest and "hype" for these cards.
- Moonbreon took on Van Gogh's The Starry Night
- Pikachu took on Edward Munch's Scream
- Mario Pikachu is influenced by Warhol's Campbell soup cans, or Kaws', or any number of contemporary artists bringing brands and culture to streetwear, figurines and shoes.
This isn't an argument to buy modern Pokemon cards at elevated prices. It's a discussion on perspective and why these cards are part of the discussion. Ultimately you have to make the decision yourself on whether or not to add these cards to your collection. It's easy to dismiss the modern market but it's not just "fundamentals" that move these cards.
I encourage you to watch our full discussion on this here:
It's always important to keep a fresh perspective and enjoy the success Pokemon is having in keeping the cards fresh and appealing!