A Pokémon fan had one of those lucky days at a thrift store, where they walked away with something cool for under three bucks. Yes, you read that right. They snagged an old-school Pokedex toy! To some, it’s like catching a real-life shiny Pokémon—one that fans drooled over as kids.
Now, Pokémon has drowned us in a sea of merch way beyond video games—like far, far beyond. Think electronic toys, for example. Over the years, this stuff’s gone poof, often due to… well, life happening. Things get lost, kids break toys, or parents just toss them. Among the casualties? The original Pokedex toy, modeled after Ash’s from the iconic anime.
So, a Reddit user with the handle rebmanworb posted about finding this gem at a Value Village for just $2.99. Wild, right? Even if it was broken, that’s like thrift store gold. But surprise! It still works. The photos? This thing’s basically mint, aside from a couple of tiny scratches. Considering it dates back to 1998, and they didn’t get the box? It’s like finding buried treasure because these can get super pricey online if they’re in good nick.
Now, funny story—even though everyone loves this Pokedex, it almost didn’t come to life. Apparently, behind the scenes, Nintendo Japan had cold feet. The worry? That it’d distract folks from buying a Game Boy and playing actual Pokémon games. The compromise? It got delayed six months during the height of Pokémon frenzy, but when it launched, it sold like hotcakes. More versions popped up over the years, thanks to new Pokémon and anime tweaks.
Anyway, back to this thrift store saga. Tons of comments rolled in, cheering on this epic find. So many fans had this Pokedex—or wanted it—back in the day. A trip down memory lane, sure, but there’s a kicker: these toys were fragile. Most folks reminisced about theirs breaking, covers snapping off, or worse. So finding one in pristine condition? It’s shockingly rare, like winning the Pokémon lottery.
Life sure is strange sometimes. Who knew a trip to the thrift shop could become a Pokémon adventure?
