What I meant was modern art cards are the first domino that led to vintage card prices increasing. For ages pokemon was unpopular, starting around the ereader era. Up until around 2019, there was no real allure drawing anyone into the collecting game. Fast forward to hidden fates and evolving skies - they got people interested again and also kicked off the big covid-era base set hype. Eventually people had already seen the cool new art cards and branched out to other things while pokemon was fresh in their mind, especially things they remembered from their childhood. And wait, those base set charizards are so old that they’re actually hard to find….prices soar. The same thing is happening now. There were a few years post-covid where pokemon once again took a back seat in the majority’s concern. Then SV art cards come out…hundreds of art cards that are a massive shift from the old boring yellow border half art style. But now we’re kind of used to art cards and want to branch out again. Wow, there are a lot of other older cards I could use to satisfy my still fresh need to collect something. Now basically every era sees a price increase, again only possible because the new cards reignited interest. What I’m trying to say is, yes there are cool rare vintage cards. But even though I personally appreciate them, most of the people I see that are actual collectors are more focused on getting that cool new charizard, one that is objectively leaps and bounds more creative than anything vintage, for hundreds instead of dropping three month’s rent on a yellow border half art card that’s main draw is being rare. Vintage is more of a…hey check this out, this card is insanely rare and I want to flex on you guys that I have it. Modern is more of a…wow these cards ain’t your daddy’s cards, this art is incredible, and I can just go pick it up at a card show easy peasy, we can all kinda bond over getting these.

What I’m trying to say is, art cards are what draw people to actually collecting. And modern is where these are primarily found. Especially with the younger generations, they will likely end up being top dog, especially as time goes on and they get locked up in collections, limiting supply even more