The family of the late Pokémon content creator known widely as Avery the Poké Kid is speaking out publicly after opportunistic scalpers reportedly began exploiting his tragic passing to artificially inflate the market value of a specific collectible card.
Avery passed away at the age of 12 in late September following a courageous and grueling seven-year battle against pancreatic cancer. A devoted and lifelong enthusiast of the Pokémon franchise and its globally popular trading card game, Avery’s final moments with the hobby captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands online. Shortly before his passing, his parents recorded him opening a final pair of trading card packs, capturing the heartwarming moment he excitedly pulled a rare 30th Anniversary Jirachi Special Illustration Rare (SIR) card.
The emotional footage was subsequently shared on Instagram, quickly going viral across the broader Pokémon community. The poignant video struck a profound chord with fans, collectors, and creators alike, even drawing the personal attention of the artist behind the Jirachi card, who delivered a tearful and deeply moving public response on social media. However, what began as a touching tribute and a celebration of a young fan’s enduring passion has taken a dark turn as bad-faith actors move in to capitalize on the grief.
According to reports from TCG tracking communities and outlets like Dexerto, Pokémon trading card collectors noticed a sudden and unwarranted spike in the market price of the 30th Anniversary Jirachi SIR card. Social media users tracking secondary market trends on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that the card’s average asking price rapidly climbed from around $70 to nearly $100. Community members have widely attributed this artificial price inflation to the viral posthumous video of Avery pulling the card, accusing scalpers and predatory resellers of weaponizing a child’s death for financial gain.
The situation has triggered an immediate and furious wave of backlash across the tabletop gaming community, with collectors expressing outright disgust at the exploitation. One user wrote on X, "So, what, we’re using a 12-year-old child’s death as a way to increase the price of a f**king Pokémon card? I’m utterly disgusted."
Another collector echoed the sentiment, expressing frustration over the state of the secondary market: "I’m so glad I was able to get this card before these losers jack up the price. It would’ve been so much sweeter to make it so everyone could get it to remember him, but nothing matters more than money I guess…"
The intense fervor surrounding the card and the predatory pricing practices eventually grew loud enough to demand a response from Avery’s grieving family. Addressing the community directly, the family published an official statement via Avery’s dedicated Instagram account. In the post, they firmly distanced themselves from any cards or listings currently being sold in his name, while issuing a direct demand for scalpers to remove any references to their son from marketplace listings.
"We are not involved in or benefiting from any cards being sold in Avery’s name or likeness. We have not approved these sales. We have asked sellers to take their listings down. Please do so immediately. This does not honor Avery’s generous heart. We are mourning our son and caring for our children. Please let us do that in peace," the family wrote in their statement.
The response section of the Instagram post was quickly flooded with messages of condolence, profound sorrow, and intense condemnation of the scalpers responsible for the distress. Supporters rushed to offer comfort to the family as they navigate their loss while dealing with unwanted public exploitation.
"I can’t believe scalpers are trying to profit off your pain. I’m so sorry, I can’t even imagine how this all is weighing on you guys when you’re just trying to live and heal," one supporter commented on the post.
Another commenter added, "Horrible that you have to even talk about this. Just know that there are decent humans praying for your family and not involved with this."
While the actions of unscrupulous resellers have drawn widespread condemnation, scalpers have not entirely had their way with the broader market. The Pokémon Company anticipated high demand and prepared robust manufacturing numbers for its 30th Anniversary collection. By printing enough supply to meet the overwhelming public interest, the company directly impacted the business models of speculative resellers. The strategy even caused complaints from scalpers who went viral online after moaning that the special set was not profitable enough for them, as rare cards had been made significantly easier for everyday fans to find at standard retail prices rather than inflated secondary market rates.