Scalpers have long made significant profits from the Pokémon franchise by buying limited-edition cards and reselling them at much higher prices. However, the 30th anniversary releases of Pokémon cards have changed this dynamic. The Pokémon Company introduced a high "drop rate" for the anniversary cards, meaning more of the rarest cards were available than usual. The first wave of these cards launched on September 16, sparking a rush among collectors and investors. On the first day, some were willing to pay two, three, or even four times the retail price for certain cards, creating a brief frenzy. As the days passed, the increased supply of rare cards led to a sharp drop in their prices. Excluding the exceptionally rare Mew RGB cards, which remain valued at several thousand dollars, almost all of the 15 rarest cards are now worth less than $100 each. This sudden change has left many scalpers—who had invested heavily in these cards—upset. Some have taken to online forums to voice their frustration, with one commenter on a Pokémon investing subreddit predicting, "It's going to get even worse when more and more people start getting rid of their cards. It's going to be a real bloodbath." In contrast, many Pokémon fans are celebrating the scalpers’ misfortune and mocking their claims of being ruined by the situation. Some argue that the increased availability of rare cards has made the hobby more accessible and fair for the general public. The outcome seems to be largely positive for most fans, who now have a better chance of obtaining rare cards without having to pay inflated prices. The Pokémon Company’s decision to increase the drop rate appears to have successfully countered the scalping trend, at least for now. While some collectors are still reeling from the price drops, others are enjoying the shift toward a more balanced market. This change may signal a new era for the Pokémon card community, one where collectors and fans can participate more equally.