A $50 Pokémon card is not always a $50 purchase.
Suppose you buy one online for $50, pay $6 shipping and $4 in applicable sales tax, and spend another $2 on a holder. You are now at $62. That is a 24% increase over the number that first caught your eye.
This is why I prefer tracking the amount that actually leaves my account rather than just the sticker price.
There are a few less obvious costs, too. A buyer's premium on an auction, international shipping, currency conversion, customs charges where applicable, or the risk of a card arriving in worse condition than advertised can all change the calculation.
And if you later decide to sell it? Marketplace fees and outbound shipping mean that reselling at the original $50 listing price may still produce a loss.
One useful rule
Before buying, calculate the landed cost:
`Item price + shipping + tax + buyer fees + supplies = actual purchase cost`
Then ask yourself whether you still want the card at that number.
This is especially useful when deciding between buying a single and opening packs. If you want a particular card, sealed product gives you an uncertain chance of obtaining it. The pack-opening experience can be fun, but it is not a predictable substitute for buying the single. Our packs versus singles comparison explores that trade-off.
Collecting does not have to be an investment. A card can be worth buying because you love it. Just make the decision using the real cost, not the most flattering number in the listing.