A childhood argument ultimately led to one Pokemon fan receiving a rare, unopened copy of Pokemon Crystal about 24 years after it initially hit stores. Many rare Pokemon collectibles exist, from limited-edition Pokemon cards to special merchandise from the franchise’s initial boom in the late 90s and early 2000s. Like legendary Pokemon that trainers search for worldwide, many fans have unearthed valuable treasures from their attics or garages, often discovering those items are worth significant sums.

One collectible is Pokemon Crystal, the 2001 rerelease of Pokemon Gold and Silver for the Game Boy Color. It enhanced previous games with graphical and gameplay improvements, such as animated Pokemon sprites, additional story content featuring legendary Pokemon Suicune, and for the first time in the series, players could choose to play as a female trainer. These enhancements caused fans to reminisce fondly about Pokemon Crystal, with some even rediscovering their copies in unlikely places.

Fan Finds Unopened Copy of Crystal After 24 Years

One remarkable story comes from Facebook user Ash Taraqi, who recently shared a photo of their unopened copy of Pokemon Crystal, still wrapped in plastic. They revealed that as a child, they and their brother were to receive Pokemon Crystal as a gift from their father, but got into a fight during the car ride home. As a consequence, their father took the game away, and it was forgotten until rediscovered while he was cleaning his closet.

Other Facebook users expressed astonishment at the story of Ash Taraqi’s near-mint copy of Pokemon Crystal, suggesting they get it graded to ascertain its value in 2025. One commenter shared a similar childhood experience, contemplating how many Pokemon and Legend of Zelda games could still be hidden in their childhood house.

Ash Taraqi may have a small fortune on their hands with Pokemon Crystal, as mint condition copies are often valued at several thousand dollars online. Regardless of whether they choose to keep the game, they possess an impressive artifact from Pokemon’s glory days to showcase to their friends, provided they resist the urge to open it and make up for the lost time since their father took it away long ago.