A financial expert says Pokemon cards would be the perfect “global currency” during an apocalypse — so you might want to think twice before tossing your old collection in the attic.
Peter Levin, founder of Griffin Gaming Partners, told The Hollywood Reporter that he owns over 500,000 trading cards across different scenes. But Pokemon is the one he believes would survive the end of the world.
“Pokemon is a global phenomenon. I’m absolutely convinced that if the world suffered an apocalypse tomorrow, the following day the global currency would be Pokémon cards.”
Why Pokemon cards beat bottle caps
The idea of post-apocalyptic currency is a familiar one in pop culture. Fallout uses bottle caps. The Last of Us trades in meal coupons and actual food. Some preppers stock water and supplies.
Levin thinks Pokemon cards have a stronger claim. He points to their track record as an investment.
“Pokemon cards are beating the S&P 500 by 3,000 percent. Emanating from Japan, it really took hold around the world in the late ’90s and early 2000s. It then had a zenith moment and then a nadir moment, and ever since then, it’s been on a parabolic growth curve. And that really has driven the international market expansion for trading cards.”
The math is simple: a global fan base, a proven market, and a physical item that holds value. In a world without banks, that might be enough.
Levin’s 500,000-card collection
Levin is not a casual collector. His personal holdings span 500,000 trading cards across different scenes, but he singles out Pokemon as the one with true staying power.
His argument rests on the brand’s reach. Pokemon originated in Japan, spread worldwide in the late ’90s and early 2000s, and has since grown into a global phenomenon.
That scale is what makes the cards viable as currency, in his view. A currency only works if people agree on its value, and Pokemon has a fan base that already does.
The Logan Paul record sale
If a Pikachu needs to be sacrificed for food, some collectors are better positioned than others.
Logan Paul said back in March that he has spent more than $10 million on Pokemon cards and has a “gangster” collection. The YouTuber also sold his PSA 10-graded Pikachu Illustrator for $16.4 million, smashing a world record.
That sale shows the upper end of what the market can do. It also demonstrates that demand for rare cards extends well beyond casual fans.
Anniversary expansion and controversy
Pokemon is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary on September 16, 2026, with an all-new expansion to the trading card game. One YouTuber already got her hands on a box early, but has come under fire for promoting an affiliate link where the price is 12 times the retail cost.
That controversy is a reminder that the market has its rough edges. Prices can move fast, and not everyone plays by the same rules.
The value of a global brand
Levin’s claim depends on Pokemon’s reach extending far beyond its origins. The franchise started in Japan, expanded across the world in the late ’90s and early 2000s, and has maintained that momentum ever since.
That longevity matters for a currency. People need to trust that value will hold, and Pokemon has decades of history to back it up.
What the cards represent
Levin’s claim is bold, but it rests on a simple observation: Pokemon cards already function like a global currency in some ways. They are traded across borders, hold value over time, and have a massive, engaged audience.
The apocalypse is a hypothetical. The Pokemon card market is not.
Whether you agree with Levin or not, the cards have proven their worth in the real world. In the right scenario, they might prove it in another one entirely.
Source: dexerto.com
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