Pokémon TCG Fans Disappointed By Scalpers At Van Gogh Event
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By: Em Stonham
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Pokémon TCG fans were treated to a beautiful Van Gogh-inspired promo card recently, made in collaboration with the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum for the Pokémon x Van Gogh exhibition. The card has been immensely popular already and it’s very hard to get hold of without attending the exhibit, thanks to an influx of scalpers looking to make easy money.
Here’s everything you need to know about the promo card, including how you can get it, the other Pokémon merchandise and artwork, and more information about the exhibition, too.
The Exhibit Features Several Iconic Paintings
As noted, the Pokémon x Van Gogh exhibition is in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. There are Pokémon versions of iconic Van Gogh paintings to enjoy in this exhibit, featuring fan-favorite Pokémon such as Snorlax, Pikachu, and Eevee.
The exhibit is a wonderful blend between the modern style of Pokémon’s artwork and the timeless elegance of Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork.
This exhibit is running until the 7th of January next year. If you’re able to get to the museum and check it out, it’s absolutely worth your time. It’s also very family-friendly, meaning it’s perfect for younger Pokémon fans as well.
The Card Is Given Away With Tickets
The promo card that’s got everyone in an uproar is a stylized version of Van Gogh’s 1887 self-portrait Grey Felt Hat, featuring Pikachu.
Pikachu promo cards are being given away as part of the ticket purchasing process.
In order to get one of the promo cards, fans will need to book a ticket then complete a scavenger hunt at the museum. It’s definitely geared towards younger fans, and it’s a great way to teach children about Van Gogh’s work.
There are other pieces of merchandise up for grabs, which can be purchased at the gift shop at the Van Gogh Museum.
Resale Prices Are Already Sky-High
Pokémon fans have taken to social media to share their disappointment at seeing the vast amount of scalpers trying to hoard merch and take it off of other people. While not all the videos and photos from the exhibition so far are like this, of course, the videos of the aggressively crammed shop aren’t nice to watch.
Dexerto shared a video to their official Twitter page noting that Pokémon fans were ‘going crazy’ at the exhibit, and we’d have to agree that it looks intense.
Joe Merrick, the webmaster of Serebii.net, shared a thought on the chaotic scenes at the museum, noting how sad the aggressive attempt to resell is and sharing in a later tweet that this behavior could impact potential collaborations in the future.
Of course, the scalpers don’t represent the community and there have been some really positive posts coming out of the exhibit showing fans enjoying the experience. It’s a really beautiful exhibit, so the fact it’s open until January is great, and as it’s been open for longer than a few days, the crowds seem to be much calmer now from what we’ve seen.
Predictably, the promo card prices are through the roof right now.
If you’re hoping to get your hands on one of these cards and can’t get to the exhibit to complete the scavenger hunt yourself, it is absolutely worth waiting for prices to drop.
A drop in price isn’t guaranteed, but it’s likely. As more and more of the cards enter the community, the value and rarity will naturally decline. It’s possible we could see a spike in price once the exhibit closes, though.
The official exhibit website notes that merchandise will be restocked in October, as the vast majority of the collection is sold out right now. It’s worth taking a look, as there are some really beautiful pieces that would make a great addition to a Pokémon collection.
