A millionaire’s daughter is considering selling the world’s most valuable Pokémon card collection because it has become too dangerous to keep at home.
20-year-old Jolina Gisele from Switzerland has become the public face of a collection that started as a childhood hobby and has since grown into a multi-million pound fortune.
The collection contains over 60,000 cards – many of them extremely rare and in pristine condition.
Although the family has never publicly disclosed the value of the collection, experts believe it could be worth millions of pounds.
Professional Pokémon card dealer Thomas Kovacs estimated that the collection could be worth more than £50 million.
It is believed that some individual cards are worth more than £1 million.
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The collection may even surpass the current Guinness World Records collection, which contains 48,339 cards.
Among the standout items are two highly rated Pikachu Illustrator cards.
One such card was sold by an American auction house in March for $1.4 million (£1.05 million).
Another Pikachu Illustrator card, reportedly with a perfect PSA 10 grade, sold for a staggering $16.5 million (£12.3 million) earlier this year.
Jolina started collecting when she was just seven years old and in primary school.
Her family said she struggled to make friends throughout her childhood, but over time this hobby helped her connect with others and led to a shared passion with her father.
What started as a way to support his daughter soon became a serious collecting mission.
The timing proved extraordinary as the popularity of Pokémon card collecting increased during the pandemic.
Grading company Professional Sports Authenticator became so overwhelmed that it halted operations for three months.
Even now, collectors may face long waits for cards to be officially graded.
Unfortunately, Jolina’s father admitted that the boom also changed the hobby for the worse.
He said, “As a collector, the situation is bad. The hobby has become more expensive.”
What was once a favorite pastime has now become a logistical and security nightmare.
Jolina’s mother revealed: “The cards took up the whole room.”
For security reasons, the family has moved the collection to a professional storage facility in a secret location.
Security concerns have grown amid a rise in Pokémon card thefts around the world.
In April, Pokémon cards worth €300,000 (£261,135) were reportedly stolen during an armed robbery in France.
Incidents of theft targeting card shops and storage facilities have also been reported in other countries, particularly the United States.
The family now hopes to sell the collection in its entirety rather than dividing it.
“It’s together,” Jolina’s father said.
“We would love it if someone turned it into a museum so everyone can see these historic cards.”
The family has already received several serious offers but say they do not want to rush into a deal.
The timing also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the first Pokémon video game.
Jolina is said to be less interested in Pokémon than before.
Her parents are reportedly unsure whether she should stay in the limelight while focusing on her studies.
However, they emphasize that some cards will never be sold.
Speaking about Jolina’s original childhood binders, her father said: “We definitely won’t sell them.”
They are also expected to retain one or two cards as personal mementos if the collection eventually changes hands.
