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Rare Pokemon cards have sold for millions. Robberies are on the rise

Pokemon trading cards are displayed in Scituate, Massachusetts. (Charles Krupa/AP)
Charles Krupa/AP
Pokemon trading cards are displayed in Scituate, Massachusetts. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Thirty years since their debut, Pokemon cards have become a billion-dollar industry, with investors seeking to purchase rare cards for hundreds of thousands and, in some cases, millions of dollars. But the exponential rise of the market has led to more and more theft.

Host Robin Young speaks with writer Nicole Carpenter about how we got here.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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