8-year-old gives friend Pokémon card, parents demand it back 2 years later when they realize it's worth $300: 'Am I unreasonable for saying 'tough luck'?'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 14, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

Nobody even knew how much it was worth at the time.

Is there ever a point when it is acceptable to take back something gifted to someone else? It is fair to say that giving a present to somebody, however low-key, can be a risky endeavor. They may not appreciate it in the way that the gift-giver hoped they would, or the giver may have had second thoughts about whether they wanted to transfer the ownership of that particular item. Circumstances can change and leave somebody who felt like being generous wondering if they were too quick to share that generosity.

At the same time, there is a strong argument to be made that once something has changed hands, it is up to the person who has received the gift to do what they want with it. This might be painful to watch for the individual who gave it to them, but it is ultimately a point where it is out of their control. It's a lesson that most of us have to learn at one point or another, and some might say that the earlier that happens, the better. It allows us to react in a more grounded way if the situation happens to repeat itself.

Advertisement
  • An out-of-focus boy leaning on a counter and using a red phone.
    via Ivan Prokhorov

    An out-of-focus boy leaning on a counter and using a red phone. Actor performance of story events.
     

  • A boy received some trading cards from his friend's Pokémon collection when his friend wasn't interested in them anymore. The boy grew out of this phase also, and forgot about the cards for two years.

    However, another friend took a look at his collection and told him that one of the cards he had been given was relatively valuable. 

    Once the original friend found out about this, both he and his parents were insistent that he needed to give the card back to be a ‘good friend’. The boy's mom stood firm, feeling like this was an unnecessary demand. 

  • Am I wrong 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).
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw

  • He made a fortunate discovery.

    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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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."
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw

  • The boy was feeling the pressure.

    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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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."
    via CupcakeMcGraw

  • They didn't take it seriously then, so why should they now?

    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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • The $$ is whatever- honestly the implication that our values are 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.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • 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?
    via CupcakeMcGraw

  • He was feeling deflated.

    Full disclosure: my son has been friends with this kid for years, but I have often overheard him trying to put down my son (and others) to build himself up. He's just the type of boy who always has to tell other people they aren't doing something well, and that he can do it better (even when he can't). So I don't have the most wonderful opinion of this kid, and that may be playing into my feelings here.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • Full disclosure #2: My son's response was "I'll just give it back, I don't want to lose a friend over it." Which I applaud, and is generally probably the stance we'd take. But the way they've gone about approaching us on this, and the transparency of only suddenly caring 2 years later when the card is valuable, just really makes me feel like I'm giving into a bu y.
    via CupcakeMcGraw
  • A pile of Pokémon trading cards with a Poké ball sitting on top of them.
    via Thimo Pedersen

    A pile of Pokémon trading cards with a Poké ball sitting on top of them. Still frame for contextual reference only.
     

  • This was a teaching moment that the friend's parents ignored.

    yellohello1001 NTA. As a kid, I could understand wanting it back, but his parents should have used this to teach their kid gifts shouldn't be taken back.
    via yellohello1001
  • Spirited-Ad6144 Don't give the card back. You'll only perpetuate any nonsense the other kid has that he's better that everyone so he should have everything he wants.
    via Spirited-Ad6144
  • Initial-Comedian-797 NTA. Gifts do not need to be given back. That kid is toxic and is no friend. It's better that your son learn about dropping toxic friends rather than continuing to allow them years of ab e opportunities. He'll fo worse stuff as they grow up. Guaranteed. Keep or sell the card, but don't give it or the proceeds back.
    via Initial-Comedian-797

  • It wasn't good etiquette.

    PaleontologistOk7359 NTA, that kid would've become a social pariah if this had happened in my days at my old school. You don't go back on trades cause you, years later, realize you lost out on that trade. In this case it wasn't even a trade, but a gift.
    via PaleontologistOk7359
  • SILLYXPROGRAM NTA. This happens when you let kids trade freely. It's just for fun; not an investment.
    via SILLYxPROGRAM
  • knoxcos NTA "No take-backs" is childhood law. Sometimes we make bad decisions. That was theirs. They didn't have to give away all their cards, they chose to do so instead of just putting them away.
    via knoxcos

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

friendship Pokémon parenting trading cards
Scroll Down For The Next Article