Whether you were directly involved or not, if you were of school age in the late 90s/early 2000s, it would have been impossible to ignore the high-stakes world of Pokémon cards on the playground. It was a serious business, requiring tactical trades and the occasional showdown over a shiny card. 

I was part of the generation that would have had first edition Pokémon cards. In one particular moment of desperation, I even traded my prized Chicago Bulls hoodie for a shiny Charizard. At the time, I thought I’d struck gold; Charizard was the holy grail, after all. But a week later, in a tragic twist of ‘fate’ (or, more accurately, as a direct result of my negligence) I lost the card. Just like that, my hoodie was gone, and so was the Charizard. Apparently, the card that was worth my favourite hoodie, was not worth looking after. Little did I know that, in today’s world, that card would be worth many Chicago Bulls hoodies. 

Fast forward to 2024, and news like the rare Pokémon card set to sell for up to €300,000 astounds me. Who could have imagined that something as simple and, at the time, seemingly trivial as a Pokémon card would become a high-value collector’s item? The idea that my playground trades could have been worth hundreds of thousands of pounds one day seems surreal.

It's fascinating how these cards have appreciated in value. Something that was freely traded, passed around, or even shoved to the bottom of a school bag, has now become a serious investment. These first-edition cards, especially rare ones like Charizard, hold immense value not just in terms of nostalgia but in real monetary terms. Those who held onto a slice of their childhood now find themselves owners of a serious asset.

Interestingly, I see a similar phenomenon repeating itself with my son, though in a slightly different form. He’s deeply into collecting Match Attax cards, and recently “packed” a rare Jude Bellingham card. He is convinced it's worth £110 based on what he’s seen online, and no amount of persuasion can shake his belief. A quick check on the secondary market shows that it’s actually worth around £15, but you’d never know it from how closely he guards that card. He refuses to let it out of his sight.

I can’t help but wonder if he’s on to something. After all, I had no idea that the Pokémon cards I casually traded on the playground could one day be worth a fortune. Maybe in 25 years, his Jude Bellingham card will have followed a similar path, appreciating far beyond today’s expectations. At least he, unlike my 11-year-old-self, has the foresight to protect his asset to the best of his ability.

Whether my son is right about the card or not, his attitude towards ensuring its safety gives me hope for his future, as it’s a trait I see in Saffery Trust clients every single day. Regardless of the type of asset – whether it’s cryptocurrency, art, yachts, or traditional assets – the common thread, at least in my experience, weaving between all ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families is that they understand the value of safeguarding their assets. 

The attention to detail, care, and long-term thinking that my son is demonstrating now, are the same qualities that drive the success of our clients, who approach their wealth with a similar mindset, focused on protection, growth, and the future.

While I wish I’d been a little more careful with that shiny Charizard all those years ago, the lesson learned in its loss may, at least, have taught me something far more valuable. It's a reminder that sometimes the things we overlook or take for granted can hold immense worth in the future. 

This is a mindset I carry into my work every day at Saffery Trust, where careful stewardship and forward-thinking are paramount. Whether we’re managing wealth structures, safeguarding legacies, or simply guiding clients through decisions that may seem small in the moment, a long-term perspective is always key. It’s about recognising value, nurturing it, and protecting it for the future - whether it’s a rare Pokémon card or a life’s worth of assets.