Thousands of trading card enthusiasts are expected to gather at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver over the weekend for a convention celebrating the hobby. Collecttopia, running Feb. 7 and 8, promises hundreds of vendor tables, creator panels and special guests from the world of TCG (trading card games), as well as a pop-up museum where fans can see ultra-rare cards up close. Founder of the TCG Hall of Fame Jesse Peng says the collectibles on display are worth more than $100 million, and says his goal is to make the event annual and turn Vancouver into the “Mecca of TCG.” “There has never been a $100 million display in the history of TCG. This is not talking about Vancouver, we’re talking about the world,” he told CTV News. Peng says featured cards include seven Pikachu Illustrators, the “holy grail” of Pokémon, and a Pristine 10 Alpha Black Lotus, the rarest and most valuable Magic: The Gathering card, along with the original art by late illustrator Christopher Rush. The TCG Hall of Fame plans to induct a class of iconic collectors each year. “Collecting cards weren’t always cool. We used to be the nerdy losers in town, right?” Peng said. “Thirty years later, TCG is now recognized as a legitimate collectible and alternative investment. It’s time to celebrate the people that were here through the dark ages.” The event is also raising money for the Starlight Foundation in honour of Avery Garcia-Valentin, an 11-year-old Pokémon card collector battling cancer.
