Pokemon's 30-year anniversary: Japanese cards sell like wildfire

Braving the cold for a hit of nostalgia, loyal Pokémon fans across France stand freezing in line. I couldn't even read or write and I was playing Pokémon on the Game Boy. Then came the cards, trading them in the playground and honestly it just stayed with me into adulthood. For 30 years they've ruled the playground, a colourful cast of manga characters that became a cult phenomenon for a whole generation. To mark the anniversary, a special, limited-edition box set was released. I came for a friend who... I'm actually here for a friend who's paying me to stand out here all night. It's a huge card draw. You need this. They only have 55 of them. So if you get one, you're guaranteed a UPC. A UPC, short for Ultra Premium Collection, retails for around €230. 30 euros. On social media, fans tip each other off on which stores still have stock. In this shop, the boxes are kept behind the counter and it's just one of many safety measures. We notified the police who've been running patrols all night. We also brought in a K9 unit and extra security guards to keep everyone safe and make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Thank you. Inside each box is an ultra-rare card. Online, they're already reselling for huge sums. Buyers know the stakes and treat these colourful cards like a real investment portfolio. In two years something like this will easily be worth about 1200 euros. There's even a 30th anniversary card that just went for 23,000. This whole collection is going to be my kid's inheritance. A high price to pay perhaps to keep childhood memories.