Her Son’s Friend Gave Him A Pokémon Card, But The Friend’s Parents Want It Back After Learning It’s Worth A Lot
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Childhood friendships often involve trading toys, collectibles, and other little treasures, but things can get surprisingly complicated when one of those items turns out to be worth a lot of money.
One parent is dealing with exactly that after her 10-year-old son discovered that a Pokémon card he’d received as a gift two years earlier could be worth around $300.
And now the original owner of the card, who gave away his entire collection, wants this card back.
Now even the parents of the original owner are getting involved in this fight because they think that the poster’s family has doubtful morals for not giving back this card.
What would you do?
Check out the story below.
AITAH for not making my kid give back a Pokémon card traded to him 2 years ago?
So I’m looking for a vibe check here- I know how I feel about it, but I do want to make sure I’m not being wildly out of pocket (and I am mortified that I have found myself in such a stupid bit of drama regarding a Pokémon card).
Here it is: My son’s friend group had a brief obsession with Pokémon cards when he was around age 6-7.
When they were were about 8, one of his friends decided to he was apparently done with Pokémon, and gave away all of his cards.
A few he gave to my son.
My son was kind of waning on Pokémon himself, and I think they got tossed into a binder with the rest where they sat forgotten for the next two years.
But then something happened nobody was expecting.
Fast forward two years, my son is 10 now, and recently had a different friend over who’s still really into cards, and they started looking at my son’s Pokémon binder.
They identify one card that potentially has a bit of value ($300).
My son thought that was really cool, he was excited. We put it in a protective case and set it aside to keep safe.
Apparently this was one of the cards his friend gave him 2 years ago, and word makes its way back to that friend that the card could be worth something.
Suddenly he needs it back, and he’s insisting that “if (my son) were a good friend, he’d give it back.”
But should he?
What’s more, he’s complaining to his parents and they have gotten involved now, trying to make us feel guilty for not immediately returning the card to this kid upon finding its worth, texting that now they “see our values” because we’re not stepping in to force its return.
That we don’t view fairness and friendship the same way.
This is wild to me. This isn’t a card that my son knew had value and he tricked his friend into an unfair trade. It’s not a card that has sentimental value for the original owner.
Both of which are situations in which I would intervene.
It’s different.
This was a card freely given two years ago, and has never been thought of or mentioned again until suddenly there were dollar signs attached to it.
And now it’s imperative that we return it because the kid “didn’t know he was giving away a card that would eventually be valuable.”
Elementary grade kids trade cards and comics all the time- some of those MAY eventually be worth something.
I’m sure I gave away comics when I was a kid that turned out to be valuable, I cannot fathom turning around 2 years later and demanding the item back.
She also feels pressured and judged.
The $$ is whatever- honestly the implication that our values are bad because we didn’t immediately step in and hand over the card at the first bit of societal pressure from them just makes me want to dig my heels in on this.
This kid got rid of his card, my kid held it/kept it safe for two years, and now maybe it’s worth a few bucks- am I being unreasonable for saying “tough luck?”
For feeling like the statute of limitations has run out on making these demands for the card back?
AITA?
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What did Reddit think?
Uuuh altruistic burn.
A reader shares their opinion.
Yikes.
Another reader chimes in.
More to consider.
Another commenter chimes in.
Should a gift be deemed as such despite changes in its value? I think so.
The card was apparently gifted two years ago for free, and there is nothing to suggest that the poster’s son cheated his friend out of it or that he knew that he was being given something of great value.
It is natural that the original owner would feel regretful about giving it up when learning how much the card actually costs, but feeling regret alone does not make one automatically eligible to take back a gift.
Sometimes you just gotta take the L with dignity and not nuke perfectly healthy relationships.
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