Kabuto King: How one collector rewrote Pokémon TCG history

What started as a personal obsession became a cultural moment. Known only as Kabuto King, this anonymous collector set out to own every 1st Edition Kabuto card from the 1999 Fossil set a card once ignored and selling for just $2.57 in August. As his daily updates went viral, demand exploded. Prices surged, scalpers entered the scene, and the hobby took notice. By December, Kabuto cards climbed to $46.44, marking an eye-watering ~1700% price increase driven almost entirely by one collector’s visibility and passion. The movement didn’t stop there. A Kabuto-themed crypto coin, launched independently by supporters, emerged to fund purchases and fuel hype blending Pokémon nostalgia with modern meme-coin culture. Love it or hate it, Kabuto King proved one thing: every Pokémon is someone’s favourite and passion can move markets. 🃏🚀