Proceeds from the sale of rare Pokémon cards now cover his wedding, turning his childhood collection into life-changing value/SWNS
What started as a routine eviction in a Dorset attic, ends in an all-expenses-paid wedding, after a set of long-forgotten Pokemon cards turns out to be worth much more than expected.
A routine search in the attic turns into something else
Andrew Braund, a 37-year-old teaching assistant, found his childhood Pokémon card collection while cleaning out old belongings at his parents’ house. He collected the cards between the ages of eight and fifteen, and by his own account, most of them showed the usual signs of use, “much loved and much loved”, which is why he did not expect them to hold any real value. Thinking the set might fetch around £500, he took it to a friend who ran a trading card shop for a second opinion.
This expectation quickly turned around. “My friend reached the last box, looked at them and told me to sit down,” Brund said, describing the moment he realized something was different.
Three overlooked cards change everything
The value wasn’t in the bulk of the set, but in three Charizard cards that weren’t properly organized in his folders.“When my friend told me how much Charizard cards were worth, I was so giddy,” Braund said. “I almost had a panic attack, quite frankly.” Daily magazine I mentioned.
These cards, initially estimated at around $20,000, were later sent to Ewbank Auctions, where the final result exceeded early expectations.
Among the finds was a Charger in good condition and two others to fund a Dorset man’s wedding after a successful auction.
The three cards sold for a total of £32,800 (about US$41,000), with individual sales of £17,000, £13,000 and £2,800. One of them, the Skyridge Charizard Holo, set a Pokemon sales record at the auction house, selling for $21,250 despite its low pre-sale value, according to Daily magazine.
Feelings and value don’t always match
Brund noted that the highest-priced cards were not the cards he cared for the most as a child. “I didn’t expect it to be worth anything like this,” he said, adding that the valuable cards came from one of the last packs he ever bought. “They have the highest monetary value, but low sentimental value. The ones I loved as a kid look worn out from being in my pockets all the time.” This contrast between status and attachment, which is common in collectibles, ended up working out in his favor.
Wedding plans are reshaped by an unexpected windfall
The proceeds went directly toward his upcoming wedding with fiancée Rachel Mosley, which is scheduled to take place in August. “I totally lucked out,” Brond said, adding that he no longer “needs to worry about where the money for the wedding is coming from now.” He was at work while the auction was taking place, receiving updates as bids came in, and described the final total as “mind-boggling.” The couple, both of mixed nerves, are now also considering a honeymoon, with a quiet week in Devon among their plans.
