In a delightful twist of fate, a soon-to-be groom found that his childhood hobby would finance his entire wedding. Andrew Braund, a teaching assistant from England, decided to auction off his collection of vintage Pokémon cards, hoping to make a few hundred dollars. To his surprise, the sale generated enough to cover the expenses of his dream wedding.
Braund and his fiancée, Rachel Moseley, had been meticulously planning their ideal ceremony for months. The financial demands of the occasion prompted Braund to revisit his childhood treasures, thinking his collection might offer some relief. Initially, he valued the cards at a modest £500, approximately $673, underestimating their true potential.
The unexpected windfall came thanks to three Charizard cards hidden within the collection. As one of the most coveted fire types from the original Pokémon series, Charizard cards can range in value from a few hundred dollars to several tens of thousands each.
“When my friend mentioned the potential worth of the Charizard cards, I felt dizzy and nearly had a panic attack,” Braund confessed to the Daily Journal. This revelation turned a nostalgic gamble into a wedding-saving fortune, allowing the couple to celebrate their special day without financial stress.
Charizard is a popular fire type from the first generation of Pokémon whose cards sell for anywhere from a couple hundred to tens of thousands of dollars a piece.
âWhen my friend told me how much the Charizard cards might be worth, I got quite lightheaded. I almost had a panic attack, quite frankly,” Braund told the Daily Journal.
All three of the cards were from the 2003 “Skyridge” series, hailed as one of the best ever produced in the company’s 30-year history. The holographic Charizard is the unofficial “chase” card and, in a perfect condition, can sell for upwards of $40,000.
Braund had the cards graded by PSA, a professional authenticating company. One holographic Charizard was somehow rated a nine, despite decades of poor storage, and sold for a whopping $21,250.
Another near-mint of the same card sold for $16,250. The third, a reverse-holographic Charizard from the same series, sold for $3,500, the outlet reported.
Each sold for at least $1,000 more than originally estimated, raking in a a potluck that crept over $40,000.
Braund was eager to part with the cards, noting that they had “the lowest sentimental value” compared to the favorites from his collection.
“The ones I loved as a kid look worn from being in my pockets all the time,” he said.
“I’ve absolutely lucked out,” he added.
He said he’ll be putting the profits towards his and Moseley’s wedding, set for August. He is relieved that he doesn’t have “to worry about where the money for the wedding is going to come from now.”
