Millennials spend the most money on collecting, followed closely by Gen Z. Together, these two generations represent nearly three-quarters of all collectors worldwide, fundamentally reshaping what the collectibles market looks like in 2024 and beyond. According to a 2024 Bank of America Private Bank study, 94% of individuals under age 44 expressed interest in collectibles, compared to just 57% of Baby Boomers and 55% of the Silent Generation. For Pokemon card collectors specifically, this means the bulk of serious buyers driving market prices are between 25 and 45 years old””people who grew up with the franchise and now have disposable income to pursue cards they couldn’t afford as children.
This demographic shift has real implications for anyone buying, selling, or investing in Pokemon cards. A 48% rise in millennial collectors has been identified as a key growth driver in the broader collectibles market, and trading cards sit at the center of this trend. The U.S. alone contributes 38% of trading card sales and 41% of online collectible transactions globally, making it the dominant market for Pokemon collecting. This article breaks down the spending patterns across generations, explains why younger collectors outspend their older counterparts in this category, examines what this means for Pokemon card values, and explores how these trends might evolve in the coming years.
Table of Contents
- Which Generation Dominates Collecting Spending?
- Why Millennials Outspend Older Generations on Collectibles
- How the Pokemon Card Market Reflects These Trends
- What This Means for Pokemon Card Values
- Risks of Relying on Generational Trends
- Regional Variations in Collector Demographics
- The Future of Generational Collecting Patterns
- Conclusion
Which Generation Dominates Collecting Spending?
Over 58% of collectors in the U.S. are aged 25-45, placing millennials squarely at the center of the market. A 2021 survey found that 42% of millennials collect physical items as a hobby“”the highest rate of any generation. This isn’t just casual interest; these collectors are actively spending. At major auction houses in 2024, millennials and Gen Z accounted for 25-33% of bidders and buyers, more than doubling their share in just five years. The numbers become even more striking when examining luxury collectibles.
Those under 44 are at least twice as likely as older generations to collect in premium categories like watches (46% vs 19%), wine and spirits (36% vs 13%), rare cars (32% vs 9%), and sneakers (30% vs 2%). Gen Z averages 56% of their total spending on collectibles including sneakers, luxury handbags, classic cars, and lifestyle assets. For context, this generation treats collectibles not as a side hobby but as a primary spending category. Pokemon cards fit neatly into this pattern. A millennial who collected cards in 1999 at age 10 is now in their mid-thirties with established income. They’re not buying $4 booster packs””they’re bidding on PSA 10 first edition Charizards at auction. This nostalgia-driven purchasing power, combined with genuine investment interest, explains why certain vintage Pokemon cards have appreciated more dramatically than traditional assets over the past decade.
Why Millennials Outspend Older Generations on Collectibles
The spending disparity between generations requires some context. Gen X actually leads overall consumer spending at $15.2 trillion globally in 2025, with average monthly expenditures of $974 compared to $783 for millennials and $468 for Gen Z. However, older generations allocate this spending differently. Gen X and Baby Boomers prioritize housing, healthcare, and traditional investments. Millennials and Gen Z dedicate a larger percentage of discretionary income specifically to collectibles. This allocation difference stems from several factors.
Younger collectors grew up with eBay, StockX, and digital marketplaces that made buying and selling collectibles frictionless. They view certain collectibles as alternative investments with genuine appreciation potential. They also have different relationships with traditional wealth-building””facing higher housing costs and student debt, some millennials have turned to collectibles as both hobby and investment vehicle. However, raw spending power still matters. A millennial spending 15% of discretionary income on Pokemon cards might still spend less in absolute dollars than a Gen X collector who dedicates just 5% of a larger budget. The data suggests millennials dominate by participation rate and market share, but individual high-value purchases can come from any generation. The most expensive Pokemon card sales often involve buyers who prefer anonymity, making precise generational attribution difficult for seven-figure transactions.
How the Pokemon Card Market Reflects These Trends
The Pokemon Trading Card Game provides a clear case study of generational spending patterns. The global collectibles market reached $2.91 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $4.89 billion by 2033. Pokemon cards represent a substantial slice of this growth, with vintage cards from 1999-2000 commanding the highest premiums. Consider the trajectory of a Base Set Charizard. In 2019, a PSA 10 first edition sold for around $30,000.
By 2021, comparable cards reached $400,000. While prices have normalized somewhat since pandemic-era peaks, they remain far above pre-2020 levels. The buyers driving these increases fit the millennial profile: collectors in their 30s with childhood connections to the cards and current financial capacity to acquire them. This trend extends beyond vintage cards. Modern Pokemon releases like Crown Zenith and 151 see strong demand from collectors across age groups, but millennials demonstrate higher engagement with sealed product speculation and grading submissions. The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) reported record submission volumes in recent years, with Pokemon consistently ranking among the most-submitted card categories.
What This Means for Pokemon Card Values
Understanding generational spending patterns helps predict which cards might appreciate and which face headwinds. Cards with strong millennial nostalgia connections””Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, Team Rocket, and the Neo series””benefit from buyers who remember opening these packs as children. This emotional connection creates price floors that purely speculative assets lack. Contrast this with modern cards. While sets like Evolving Skies contain genuinely valuable chase cards, they lack the decades of nostalgia backing vintage equivalents.
A 2024 buyer of modern sealed product is betting that future collectors will pay premiums for today’s releases. This might prove true, but it requires Gen Z and Gen Alpha to develop the same attachment to current sets that millennials have for late-1990s releases. The tradeoff for collectors is clear: vintage cards offer established demand but high entry prices, while modern cards offer accessibility but uncertain long-term appreciation. A PSA 10 Base Set Blastoise might cost $5,000 today but has demonstrated price resilience across market cycles. A modern alt-art card at $200 could quintuple or stagnate depending on future collector sentiment.
Risks of Relying on Generational Trends
Market predictions based on demographic data carry inherent limitations. The assumption that millennials will continue prioritizing collectibles indefinitely may not hold. Life circumstances change””mortgages, children, medical expenses, and economic downturns can all redirect discretionary spending. The collectors driving today’s market might reduce their activity as competing financial obligations increase. There’s also the question of market saturation.
Pokemon has printed exponentially more cards in recent years compared to the late 1990s. Modern production runs dwarf vintage quantities, which affects long-term scarcity calculations. While population reports for graded vintage cards remain relatively stable, modern cards face potential supply issues that could limit appreciation. Additionally, the 25-33% auction house participation rate for younger generations, while growing rapidly, still means older collectors represent the majority of high-end auction activity. Wealthy Gen X and Boomer collectors may be less numerous in the hobby overall but can still dominate premium segments through larger individual purchases.
Regional Variations in Collector Demographics
The U.S. market’s 38% share of trading card sales and 41% of online collectible transactions makes it the primary driver of Pokemon card prices, but generational patterns vary by region. Japanese collectors skew older on average, with stronger representation from Gen X buyers who collected during Pokemon’s original 1996 release. European markets show patterns similar to the U.S.
but with smaller absolute spending volumes. For Pokemon cards specifically, Japanese-exclusive releases like certain promo cards see different demand curves than English-language products. A Japanese collector in their 40s might pay substantial premiums for cards that American millennials barely recognize. Understanding these regional nuances matters for collectors building internationally focused portfolios.
The Future of Generational Collecting Patterns
Gen Z’s growing market participation suggests the demographic trends favoring younger collectors will continue. As Gen Z members enter their peak earning years over the next decade, their influence on collectibles markets should increase substantially. The question for Pokemon specifically is whether this generation develops the same attachment to the franchise that millennials hold. Early indicators are mixed.
Pokemon remains culturally relevant through video games, Pokemon GO, and continued anime releases. However, Gen Z has more competing franchises and entertainment options than millennials did in the late 1990s. The singular dominance Pokemon held over childhood collecting culture may not replicate exactly. Smart collectors will watch Gen Z engagement metrics closely””their eventual spending patterns will determine which cards appreciate most dramatically in the 2030s and beyond.
Conclusion
Millennials currently spend the most money on collecting, with Gen Z close behind and growing rapidly. For Pokemon card collectors, this means the market is driven primarily by buyers aged 25-45 who combine childhood nostalgia with adult purchasing power. The 94% collectibles interest rate among those under 44, compared to 57% of Baby Boomers, creates sustained demand that has transformed vintage Pokemon cards into legitimate alternative assets.
Collectors should factor these demographics into buying decisions without treating them as guarantees. Vintage cards with millennial nostalgia connections offer the most established demand, but modern cards could benefit from Gen Z’s growing market share. The most prudent approach combines understanding of these trends with traditional collecting wisdom: buy cards you genuinely want to own, focus on condition and authenticity, and maintain realistic expectations about long-term appreciation.
