Rare and expensive cards wow at huge arena show
BBCMore than 16,000 people attended one of the UK's largest trading card events in Coventry on Saturday.
Cardmania XL brought together more than 300 vendors from across the country at Coventry Building Society Arena, where visitors browsed everything from pocket-money Pokémon cards to rare collectibles worth thousands of pounds, including a Pikachu Rumble card on sale for £16,000.
The event gave people the chance to buy, sell and trade cards, meet specialist dealers and have collections graded, with many families attending a trading card show for the first time.
Eight-year-old Teddy, from Coventry, said he was "really excited" to attend his first event and had "enjoyed buying loads of cards".
His mother, Georgina, said: "I didn't know anything like this existed and Teddy absolutely loves Pokémon.
"Normally we'd just go to our local corner shop and hope they had some cards in, but this event has been really good for him. He has traded some of his own cards and spoken to adults who are really passionate about the hobby.
"We didn't know what to expect, but everyone has been really friendly and some people have even been giving the children discounts."
Among the exhibitors was local trader, CovCardz, which has been running for two years and hosts a weekly Pokémon club in the village of Wolston in Warwickshire.
One of its assistants said: "We've had some of the children from the club join us today and it's great to have the event on our doorstep."
Matt Cashmore-Gilder, from Coventry, who has collected Pokémon cards since they were first released, said the hobby helped bring people together and praised the work of CovCardz.
"They help people get access to cards - kids turn up with their pocket money and can buy things without being priced out," he said.
"It's really good what they do and the venue in Coventry today has been great".
Vendor Dave Benford, from Sheffield, turned his passion into a full-time business after returning to the hobby during the Covid pandemic.
"I used to watch YouTube videos and saw people selling cards and thought, 'Why not try my hand at that?'" he said.
"I started selling cards a year ago and now it's my full-time job. It's crazy."
Benford, who specialises in vintage cards, said values could range from just a few pounds to tens of thousands.
"It can be anything from £1 to £16,000," he said.
John Heathcote, from Dad's Card Co, said trading cards had taken him around the world.
"We're a family-run business and I've driven about 45,000 miles around the UK this year," he said.
"I've been to Las Vegas six times this year, and I'm going to New York in a couple of weeks to buy cards, sell cards and be part of the community [there].
"When you see people doing £3,000, £4,000 and £5,000 deals all day long, it opens up a whole new world."
Josh Pearce, 31, from Cambridge, who runs Cardkin with his brother while working as an accountant, said he met "incredible people" at the event on Saturday.
"I've never been to Coventry before and it has been good so far. It's busy, everyone seems lovely and we are going to go exploring afterwards."
Cardmania director, John Somerset, said he was delighted by the turnout.
"Everyone has had a smile on their face," he said.
"It's a really nice venue and the staff have looked after us amazingly. We'd love to come back again."
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