Hahaha funny I wonder if my deleted post was your inspiration. As someone who honestly gave up scratch off tickets for ETB and recollecting I can honestly just say fuck off. You and everyone else who bitches they can't find an ETB or Celebration tins or what ever should know the following.
Most of us are well into our late 20s to older 30s. Some of us have disposable income we can wipe our ass with. And since my Target not Walmart enforce buy limits, every restock day with in 5 minutes to 2 hours it's all gone.
Sure it's helping scalpers keep prices up. That's a natural cause and effect when most of what's on the market is being opened as much as it's being resold. I've paid over market for one ETB from my local card shop to support them. It was 65.00 and I pulled Mewtwo EX from it which I needed, and now I need 5 more cards to complete the set.
I didn't want to buy singles. I wanted to find them all the hard way. Whether or not it takes the fun out of it for you or the next person in line doesn't matter to me. Pokemon has always been a competitive video and trading card game.
I also noticed on this first wave which is estimated to be 58% of all prints for Celebrations they have nerfed pull rates. I've opened a few complete duds this week and compared to Launch day, nothing was a bust. Every box was like a holy grail and now I regret not buying more. I assume that's to actually balance the small set out. Expect Charizard to go up in value soon as well as all these other rare singles.
Of course Pokemon Company cares about its status quo as a collectible just as much as it does it's players. So why wouldn't they pump the rares out on launch day just to skew them further more and more. Next wave before Xmas will make up for 92% of all prints so grab these boxes even at slightly above market now.
And if it's any consolation as to why you can't get any locally it's because people like me are there every restock day ready to drop $400-600.
Yesterday the local Walmart had it's first restock in 3 weeks and I bought every ETB from a freshly stocked shelf. Or all 8 plus the mini tin entire case and their only two Pikachu V boxes. Am I an asshole for going home and opening them all? Maybe. But that's not the point. The point is people like me won't stop. And if it's not myself I'm actually in a small group I formed with two people. A scalper who is also a fan and a girl I met who is like me and has to money to spend. We text each other some restock days and pool together and split it.
And I don't think any of us have missed a single stock day.
Now after I pull what I need. I'm sending off duplicates galore to have graded, and next year I'll be laughing at everyone naive enough to think this set would be printed into Oblivion.
Buy what you can Mr. Salty. All this post did was make me say what ever. I might just start buying them to hoard for a few years even after I hit my goal set.
Have a good day.