The Value of "Touch" as Seen Through Trading Cards
Trading cards are assets. While this is how they're viewed among enthusiasts, let's shed light on why paper cards acquire asset value—starting with the concept of "touch."
When you hear the term "card game," some of you might think of poker or memory games played with a standard deck of cards, while others might picture trading cards featuring athletes or characters from anime and video games. Recently, you may have even heard the argument that "trading cards are assets." In this article, I'd like to take a closer look at the "real-world" value of trading cards.
As the name suggests, trading cards are designed to be collected and exchanged. Because their purpose is collection and exchange, manufacturers intentionally create "rare cards" by varying the pull rate (pack inclusion rate) for each card. This is a major difference from traditional playing cards. Furthermore, when game elements are added to these trading cards, the result is known as a trading card game. According to the Japan Toy Association's "FY2025 Domestic Toy Market Size" report¹⁾, the "card game and trading card market" for FY2025 is estimated at 338.4 billion yen—approximately three times the 113.3 billion yen recorded in FY2019²⁾. This indicates that the market has experienced remarkable growth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the trading card market is experiencing such rapid growth, the main factors behind this are thought to be the growing presence of "kidults" in society (adults who seek out products and content typically aimed at children) and the increase in inbound tourists visiting Japan. Consumption is being driven primarily by these two groups, leading to an increase in the unit price of cards being bought and sold and, consequently, the growth of the market size. On the other hand, I believe that for trading cards to become so-called "assets," it takes more than just a rise in the unit price of the cards themselves; the value that can only be created through "actual physical contact"—that is, the "real" experience—is crucial. Physically handling the actual cards should create a sense of authenticity, the reassurance of their tangible existence, and the satisfaction that comes from ownership. I believe that the values of "authenticity," "reassurance," and "satisfaction" must lie at the foundation of the acts of "collecting" and "exchanging (buying and selling)" that define trading cards—and are essential to their elevation from "toys" to "assets." That is why it is fair to say that paper—a tangible, physical medium—remains the mainstream format for trading cards even today.
In this article, I've used trading cards as a starting point to dig a little deeper into the value of "touch." And the value of "touch" isn't limited to card games—it applies equally to travel and other experiences. For example, touching soil or water while immersed in nature during a trip leaves a lasting impression and can dramatically elevate the quality of that experience. In a world where so many products and services are going digital, perhaps now is the perfect moment to rediscover the value of "touch."
References
1) Japan Toy Association, “FY 2025 Domestic Toy Market Size” (Last accessed: June 24, 2026)
2) Japan Toy Association, “FY 2020 Domestic Toy Market Size” (Last accessed: June 24, 2026)
