Collecting has always been about the thrill of the hunt — finding that one missing stamp, comic or vinyl record to complete the set. But in the past couple of decades, collecting has evolved into something new: a game of chance. From Pokemon cards to Pop Mart’s Labubu figures, the modern collector doesn’t always know what they’re getting until they open the box.
In the 1920s and ‘30s, the first modern sports cards were printed. These collectible cards, which included statistics and biographical information about a player, were an evolution of a previous, marketing-based card. Originally, sports cards came with gum or cigarettes. Now, they are some of the most sought-after collectibles in the world.
The first Pocket Monster games were released for the Game Boy in Japan on Feb. 27, 1996,. These — now known as Pokemon Red and Green — became the basis for the Pokemon Trading Card Game. An instant success, the Pokemon TCG eventually made its way to North America in 1999 with the help of the board game company Wizards of the Coast, the parent company for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.
In 2015, author Kasing Lung wrote a book series called “The Monsters.” Based on Nordic mythology, the books often featured a tribe of female elves called Labubus. In 2019, the company Pop Mart created the first round of Labubu toys, which made record sales in the art toy category. In 2025, they became the latest in a trend of blind box collectibles.
Why do people love blind boxes so much? Chris Hydock, assistant professor of marketing at the A.B. Freeman School of Business, had a few theories.
“Blind box sales are estimated at around 10 billion — which is significant. But blind boxes feel relatively new — and they appeal to younger consumers, which makes them timely,” Hydock said. “For companies though, these are low-cost products with high margins — which makes them very valuable.”
Still, not everyone sees blind boxes as harmless fun. There are ethical concerns about the practice, particularly when it comes to younger audiences.
“Blind boxes are mini, legal lotteries for children in the sense that you are buying something that you do not know the value of until a later point,” Hydock said.
Beyond economics and ethics, there’s also a powerful psychological appeal at work.
“In terms of consumer psychology, [blind boxes] also take advantage of rarity. Goods that are rare are perceived as more valuable — even if they hold little objective value,” Hydock said.
Hydock explained that certain factors boost the perceived value of the rarest blind box prices: speculation about future prices, reselling opportunities and trading.
In 2025, I began collecting Pokemon cards again after a hiatus. I was never the biggest collector in my youth, but the idea of owning something valuable appealed to me in my young adulthood.
It was the thrill and dopamine rush of not knowing what I was going to get that drew me in. I also kept a small collection of Pokemon Elite Trainer Boxes simply because I enjoy their packaging. The hobby allows for such a wide variety of collections that even just the packaging sells for upwards of $20.
The final allure of collecting lies in the design and branding behind each item. For many collectors, the visual appeal and identity of a brand are just as important as the rarity of the pieces themselves. People buy Pokemon cards not only because they hope to pull a valuable one, but because the franchise carries decades of nostalgia, storytelling and instantly recognizable art. The same holds true for designer toys like Labubu — their charm isn’t just in the mystery of what’s inside the box, but in the creativity and consistency of the brand’s aesthetic.
Good design turns a simple collectible into a piece of art, while strong branding transforms it into a cultural symbol worth chasing.