A Pokemon TCG collector’s devastating story of rare Van Gogh cards destroyed by farm animals after delivery mishap
The Van Gogh Collaboration and Collector’s Quest
This Pokemon TCG collector experienced every collector’s worst nightmare when his highly coveted Van Gogh collaboration cards were completely destroyed by farm animals following a problematic FedEx delivery. The valuable collectibles literally ended up on the Thanksgiving menu in an ironic twist of fate.
A Pokemon TCG enthusiast watched their precious Van Gogh promotional cards get decimated by farm animals after the delivery driver improperly left the package outdoors. The incident took an unexpected turn when some of the culprits became holiday dinner plans.
Following The Pokemon Company’s announcement of their special collaboration with Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, Reddit user Mrpuffpuff196 became determined to acquire these exclusive items. The promotional video showcased stunning artwork blending Pokemon characters with Van Gogh’s distinctive painting style.
This limited-time promotion was available through The Pokemon Center online store and physically at the museum, highlighting how Japanese print art influenced Van Gogh during his time with French impressionist painters. The standout item, the Pikachu with Felt Hat card, currently holds the record as the most valuable English Pikachu card with a market price averaging $161.36. Many collectors consider this collaboration among the most artistically significant Pokemon releases in recent years.
Unfortunately, opportunistic resellers quickly overwhelmed the release, causing the promotional items to sell out at unprecedented speeds. The overwhelming demand even crashed The Pokémon Center’s website temporarily, leaving many genuine collectors empty-handed. This reflects a growing problem in the collectibles market where automated bots often snag limited items before real fans get a chance.
Delivery Disaster and Animal Encounter
Despite the competitive purchasing environment, one dedicated collector successfully placed an order for the set, only to have the delivery go catastrophically wrong upon arrival.
The collector recounted: “The FedEx delivery person tossed my package into the yard while I was at school, and the farm animals got to it before I could intervene.” This highlights the importance of specifying delivery instructions for valuable items.
Online commentators offered various perspectives, including some who sympathized with the delivery worker’s position. One person noted: “I wouldn’t enter any property with unsupervised dogs either. While unfortunate, you need to secure your animals when expecting deliveries. Obviously, they aren’t properly trained for visitors.”
The original poster quickly corrected this assumption: “They’re not dogs at all. My mother keeps goats that freely roam around our property.”
In additional comments to Dexerto, Mrpuffpuff196 revealed the property also housed a pig and several turkeys alongside the goats.
Within the Reddit discussion, numerous Trading Card Game enthusiasts suggested this incident represented “karma” for potential scalping activities, especially when the collector mentioned: “My mother’s goats essentially consumed half my monthly earnings.” This reflects ongoing tensions within collector communities between enthusiasts and resellers.
Aftermath and Thanksgiving Irony
So what transpired following the initial discovery?
The collector from Montana clarified their motivations for purchasing the cards, addressing allegations of being a reseller directly.
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He explained: “The artwork was incredibly appealing. Since my mother is an artist herself and has always admired Van Gogh’s work, that connection influenced my decision. Primarily, this was one of the first promotions in recent memory that made me think… I absolutely must have this.”
They had managed to order the cards while at school but returned home to discover the devastating scene.
“I actually slipped away to the restroom during history class and remained there for nearly forty minutes, nervously pacing with my phone and debit card attempting to complete the purchase,” they elaborated. “I successfully acquired six packs of card sleeves for my personal collection.
“When I arrived home, parked near the garage, I immediately saw the destruction… Then I searched the area and located the remaining pieces, conducting a full assessment of the damage.”
The combined efforts of the pig, turkeys, and goats had resulted in the box being ripped apart and the rare cards scattered throughout the property. After reaching out to FedEx customer support and filing an official complaint, no resolution was achieved. But what became of the animals involved?
Mrpuffpuff clarified that these farm creatures remain outdoors permanently, stating: “They don’t belong to me and I’m not particularly fond of them… they prefer staying outside and seem perfectly content with that arrangement!”
When questioned about the animals’ future, he revealed: “There are two turkeys in that same yard that we plan to prepare for our Thanksgiving meal.”
The collector retained all the damaged cards from the collection and estimated the animals destroyed approximately $300 worth of merchandise from the set. Regarding scalping issues affecting the Pokemon TCG community, Mrpuffpuff believes these practices particularly harm the primary target audience – children and young collectors.
Protecting Your Valuable Collectibles
This unfortunate incident provides important lessons for all collectors. Always specify delivery instructions requiring signature confirmation for valuable items. Consider using package lockers or pickup locations for high-value collectibles. Document your collections with photographs and keep purchase records for insurance purposes. For items exceeding certain value thresholds, explore specialized collectibles insurance policies that cover damage and loss scenarios beyond standard shipping protections.
When expecting valuable deliveries, make arrangements to receive packages personally or have trusted individuals present. For rural residents with outdoor animals, consider installing secure package receptacles near delivery areas. Communicate directly with local delivery drivers about specific property concerns. Remember that most standard shipping insurance has limitations, so additional protection may be necessary for truly irreplaceable collectibles.
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