The Vincent Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is a must-see when visiting the region. It houses many of Van Gogh’s most famous works. Recently the museum made the odd decision to sell a limited edition Pokémon trading card featuring Pikachu wearing a hat, similar to Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait with Grey Felt Hat”. No, this is not fiction, this is real talk.
Unsurprisingly the shop at the museum selling the card was swarmed by scalpers looking to purchase the rare card and resell it online for thousands of dollars – some of them selling it for as high as $8,500! It got so bad that the museum finally decided to stop selling the card entirely, citing safety concerns. It just goes to show that when it comes to trading cards, scalpers will do anything to get their hands on one, especially if it’s a rare, limited edition being sold at a low price.
One can’t help but wonder – what was the museum thinking? How could an establishment that understands the importance of rare artworks think that selling such an item would result in anything less than total pandemonium? Clearly they were just trying to make a quick buck at the gift shop without thinking about the ramifications on their staff – who most likely complained and got the card removed. God only knows what those scalpers were doing to those hard working people to get their hands on the limited edition Pikachu. Apparently it was enough to raise concerns for the staff’s well being.
Want to get your hands on the card yourself? Well, you’re in luck. The card will be sold again next year, and will also be accessible online via the Pokémon Center. It will most likely be sold out in a matter of seconds, but you can still try to snipe on of your own if you’re feeling lucky! Be safe out there.
The American Centrist 