Pokémon card collecting has really been taking off online over the past year or so, with prices of booster packs, boxes, and individual cards soaring. We’ve even seen Pokémon Happy Meals, of all things, being scalped, which surely has to be a new low for scalpers in general (the thought of so many wasted chicken nuggets hurts me).
As such, I’m sure you’ll understand the pain of TikToker im.ivy.r, who discovered a particularly valuable card had gotten itself lost in the washing machine…unfortunately, after a tumble dry. In her TikTok video, which currently has over 13.6 million views, she finds the card face down amongst her washing, and turns it over to reveal a 2006 Delta Species holographic Charizard.
Of course, there’s Charizard cards and there’s Charizard cards. While this particular one might not have been the classic base set fire dragon of every collector’s dreams, according to eBay, im.ivy.r’s soggy card could have sold for about £600 in near mint condition. Which, I think we can safely say it doesn’t count as anymore. Ouch.
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While most TikTok users were understandably in great pain after witnessing such a tragedy, some couldn’t resist trying to lighten the mood. “Well water is super effective against fire types” commented masonlee077. “It’s okay it was in a sleeve” added sylveey.
Obviously, sleeves were never going to make a card withstand the wrath of a washing machine. The TikToker has since posted videos showing her attempting to save the sodden Charizard by drying it in rice, but to very little avail.
Despite Charizard now smelling sweetly of fresh linen and closely resembling a raisin in texture, the collector claims that she’s still going to get the card graded, although it’s pretty safe to say it’s not going to be a PSA 10. In fact, it’s debatable whether it’d even be worthy of a PSA 1, but you don’t know unless you try, I guess? Maybe you get bonus points for them smelling nice.
Featured Image Credit: The Pokémon Company