The Pokémon Company Adjusts Distribution of Van Gogh Pikachu Card to Combat Scalpers

The previous distribution of the Van Gogh Pikachu card at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam also ended in chaos, as scalpers flocked to the museum store and sold the free giveaway for exorbitant prices online. In an effort to prevent a similar situation, The Pokémon Company has reduced the number of cards given to local stores by 90%, from 100 down to just 10.

Scalpers were reportedly claiming to have organized deals to obtain as many as 100 cards from local stores, with some store owners even planning to give the cards away to locals or trade them directly. These cards are already being listed online for prices as high as €100 each.

To mitigate scalping, The Pokémon Company will be distributing the majority of the cards to larger chain stores in Amsterdam. The expectation is that these stores will be more stringent in giving away the cards as intended and may have less knowledge of their value compared to specialized stores.

The Van Gogh Pikachu card will only be available to those who spend €29.99, but it remains to be seen if this will completely deter scalpers. The Van Gogh Museum had to completely withdraw the card during the initial distribution, and several employees reportedly lost their jobs due to the chaos caused.

The popularity of Pokémon cards continues to attract individuals seeking to profit illegally from them. Tokyo police reported a significant increase in trading card thefts in the latter half of 2022. In February 2022, an independent gaming store in Minnesota had approximately $250,000 worth of Pokémon merchandise stolen. In another incident in Tokyo, a man was arrested for attempting to steal valuable Pokémon cards. Additionally, in March, a man from Georgia misused government funds intended for COVID-19 relief to purchase a rare, shiny Charizard Pokémon card.

The ongoing issue of scalping and theft surrounding Pokémon cards highlights the high demand for these collectibles. The Pokémon Company’s efforts to combat scalping with the Van Gogh Pikachu card distribution serve as a reminder of the challenges faced in ensuring fair access to these sought-after items.