Pokemon scalpers accused of using Avery the Poke Kid’s death to inflate 30th Celebration prices

Pokemon collectors are accusing resellers of using Avery the Poke Kid’s death to inflate the price of a 30th Celebration Jirachi card.

Avery, a 12-year-old Pokemon creator who had battled stage 4 pancreatoblastoma for nearly eight years, died on September 18. His parents later shared footage of his final pack opening, in which he pulled a Jirachi Special Illustration Rare from the 30th Celebration set.

The emotional video quickly spread across the Pokemon community. Avery covered his mouth in disbelief after pulling the card before signing off with, “See you next time, trainers.”

The Jirachi card has since become closely associated with Avery, with some fans referring to it as “Avery’s Jirachi.”

A $20,000 listing sparks backlash

A screenshot shared by JtheFrog0 on X appeared to show an eBay seller listing the Jirachi card for $20,000 while claiming that 90% of the proceeds would be donated.

The listing was not for the exact copy Avery pulled, but instead used the community-given name for the 30th Anniversary Jirachi SIR. Its timing and wording led to accusations that the seller was using the child creator’s death to justify an inflated price.

The post was shared alongside criticism from other collectors. Celeste, known as fzzypckles, wrote that she was “utterly disgusted” by the idea of using “a 12 year old child’s death” to increase the price of a Pokemon card.

At the same time, Lord Charizard posted that the Jirachi Special Illustration Rare had climbed above $100 after reportedly selling for around $70 several days earlier.

A completed eBay listing shows one copy sold for $65 on September 20, while current listings vary widely, with several sellers asking between roughly $125 and $240. The most recent sales at the time of writing are for $80 and $120.

The controversial listing has since appeared to be removed from eBay, although screenshots continue to circulate online. However, there has been a noticeable spike in listing prices, with over 20 copies of the card selling for more than $100 in the last 24 hours.