UK dad’s shadowless Pokemon cards set for $50,000 auction

As a kid, Nigel Brookes was given a pack of rare Pokemon cards for sticking up for his little brother. They’re now worth tens of thousands of dollars.

A UK dad is looking at a $50,000 payday for a set of cards he got for sticking up for his little brother more than two decades ago.

Birmingham father-of-three Nigel Brookes, 34, received the collector’s edition pack of Pokemon cards from his mum in 1999 after sticking up for his little brother, who was conned out of his own Pokemon cards by neighbourhood kids.

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The collection has been kept in excellent condition. Picture: William Lailey/Caters News

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Nigel’s then seven-year-old brother Jeremy (now 28) had been tricked into trading one of his own rare cards.

“Jeremy ran into the house showing off this new Pokemon card he had traded with the kids on the street,” Nigel told Caters News Agency.

“I knew straight away that what these kids had done is told Jeremy their cards were better and traded them with him for his cards, which were really rare.

“My brother was really sad about it and when our mum found out, being the big brother, she wanted me to sort it out,” Nigel said.

He found the kids and got his brother’s card back, and his mum then bought him a collector’s edition pack of Pokemon cards, itself worth around $600 in 1999.

Nigel wants to spend the money on his kids. Picture: William Lailey/Caters News

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Nigel wasn’t actually much of a Pokemon fan and thought the cards were a bit of a waste of a present, but held on to them in the hope they’d be worth something one day.

More than 20 years later, he’s had the cards valued and found out that indeed they are.

The 103-card pack is from a highly sought after “shadowless” era – before the cards were redesigned to add shadows to the characters.

Nigel is now set to part ways with the rare collection including favourites like Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu and Venusaur.

Nigel stuck up for his younger brother and is now set for a big financial reward more than 20 years later. Picture: William Lailey/Caters News

The collection actually contains two versions of Pikachu cards (one with red cheeks one with yellow) and come in a vintage official Pokemon binder with the “gotta catch ’em all” slogan.

The cards have largely been kept in plastic sleeves and are “in excellent condition” according to British auction house Richard Winterton Auctioneers, who expect the collection to fetch at least £25,000-£35,000 ($44,500-$62,000) when it’s auctioned off next Monday.

Auctioneer Richard Winterton said the collection “is viewed as something of a Holy Grail for serious Pokemon aficionados all over the world”.

The collection features 103 cards, worth around $500 each. Picture: William Lailey/Caters News

Nigel said his daughter Layla had already put in a bid of £6 ($10).

“Unfortunately that won’t cut it, and I’m sure she’ll appreciate why I said no in the future,” Nigel said.

“My kids are growing up and I want to be able to give them a really special childhood. With this money we can really set ourselves up for the future.”

The online-only auction has been specifically timed to give international collectors a chance, though if you’re trying to bid from Australia you’ll want to put the coffee on.

Bidding will commence at 4pm British time on July 27, which is 1am the next morning on Australia’s east coast.

— with wires