Massachusetts Man Goes To Marshalls With His Girlfriend. He’s Happy He Did When He Sees What’s On The Store Shelves: ‘What Are These Doing Here?’

Everybody loves a deal. The thrill of finding something valuable at an affordable price can feel like the universe is smiling on you. Like you’ve been specially chosen to have a fantastic day. Luck, just running in your direction.

But getting a deal often means time looking for one. And often, it’s time most men don’t want to spend at an off-price department store. So when one Lowell, Massachusetts-based man went to Marshalls with his girlfriend, he wasn’t expecting much. Maybe, like, a new pair of socks.

Sebs (@fromsebs) is advising his viewers to “run, don’t walk” to their nearest Marshalls store. Because what he found was “kinda crazy,” he says. The factory-sealed treasure that he bought multiples of was four packages of Pokémon cards.

“If your girlfriend asks you to go to Marshalls, just go with her,” he says.

As she was shopping, he was wandering around, and then noticed something in the locked cologne case. It was the Pokémon cards. He inspected them, concerned they might’ve been resealed, but he thinks they’re pristine—straight from the factory. Though he does invite the internet to weigh in: “You let me know,” he says.

‘Check The Toy Section’

A professional day trader, Sebs is clearly into the thrill of the return on investment—even if sometimes, like the day he lost over $5,000 in ten seconds, it doesn’t pan out. But he’s always got his eyes peeled and suggests that after checking the locked cases at stores like Marshalls (or its sister store T.J. Maxx), the toy aisle is a great place to look.

As for Sebs, a closer look at his boxes reveals he scored four of the highly collectible Pokémon Paldean Fates booster packs. He paid $26.99 for each set, and currently one box is valued at about $170 per PriceCharting. This is borne out in the market: eBay has one available for $169.99. That’s a profit margin of 84.12%. Not bad for an afternoon of shopping.

Not a bad return if he can bring himself to part with them.

‘Why Would You Tell Everyone?’

Though a couple of users are bummed that Sebs is telling secrets, there’s another Marshalls treasure hidden in the comments section.

TikToker @amanda_drawzz says, “I don’t need men ruining my Marshall’s [sic].”

Subsequently though, another user, @mrsladenburger, identifying herself as a Marshalls store manager, shares a tip: “We’ve been getting alot of pokemon lately! All different packs, the kind that hang, there’s the boxes that have multiple packs with the window on the front where you can see the packs, the boxes like you purchased and so many pokemon toys. I know nothing about the pack types as I haven’t collected since I was young… but just know we’ve been getting quite a bit! all sealed.”

And for those who’re on the fence about whether or not this is a big deal, @luckiestgirlinthewor1d offered some Poké-perspective. “I genuinely stopped breathing the second I saw you pull PALDEAN FATES out of that bag,” she said.

What Is The Most Valuable Pokémon Card?

The most valuable Pokémon card ever sold is a Pikachu Illustrator PSA 10 issued in 1998. The final price was $16.5 million. The seller who realized over $11 million in profit on his original $5.275 million investment was Logan Paul. He sold it to venture capitalist A.J. Scaramucci, of the ten-days-in-the-White-House Scaramuccis.

But why would a grown man pay millions for a card you can’t even touch? It’s all in the valuation. First off, the designation PSA 10 stands for Professional Sports Authenticator. “To hit a PSA 10, or Gem Mint grade, the card must be perfect, meaning four sharp corners, an exact percentage of art centering, and no stains at all, with a slight allowance for printing errors,” explains the gaming information site, Eneba’s Hub.

Design-wise, the card is a chubby Pikachu, wielding a paintbrush and fountain pen, against a backdrop of other playing cards. It was designed by Atsuko Nishida, one of the Pokemon franchise’s original artists, and the card is holofoil. But it is not playable. There is no “effect” or power associated with the card.

And unsurprisingly, the card is rare. Only 39 are in circulation. Further, the only way to get one was to be a winner of three illustration contests held by the Japanese company Corocoro Comic from 1997 through 1998. The other is to take a cue from the venture capitalists and influencers and spend millions on the secondary market.

But if you’re just an everyday collector, perhaps you’ll take a trip to your nearest Marshalls. Pika pika, indeed!

BroBible reached out to Sebs via TikTok direct message and with a comment on his post. We emailed Marshalls for a comment. We will update this if either returns our query.