In the heat of summer 2022, SlabCave sprang into existence, carving out a unique niche in the world of Pokémon trading cards. With its inaugural card graded on August 21, 2022, this was the brainchild of the founder who brought the company life.
After being an avid Pokemon collector and trader in the late 1990s, Jay maintained a loose connection to Pokemonover the years. However, as the Covid-19 pandemic cast its shadow over 2020, a surging demand for Pokémon swept across the globe. Embarking on a deep dive into the world of Pokémon, Jay conducted rigorous research, scrutinizing everything from card artworks to market prices and exploring foreign releases before once again becoming a collector and trader while analyzing his place in the industry.
On one hand, the Pokémon card niche was brimming with dedicated hobbyists opening packs to trade and sell while a tsunami of businesses engaged in selling sealed product. Both were spaces that presented little room or need for additional players.
On the other hand, the graded card market unveiled a slightly different landscape. This field led Jay to delve deep into its intricacies, quickly recognizing the market leaders, as well as a surge of newcomers.
Jay recognized that the market wasn't in need of another grading company merely offering a slight variation of existing services, especially given the stellar work already being carried out by established grading powerhouses. However, through careful examination, he spotted a specific void that hadn't been filled: the absence of a grading company dedicated exclusively to Pokemon and trading cards. With PSA building their empire from baseball and sports cards, Beckett from high end sports cards, and CGC from comic book grading, there was room for Slabcave to enter the TCG market and position itself to be the leader in the industry.
After tapping into a vast entrepreneurial skillset and having pinpointed the necessary ingredients for a successful Pokémon and TCG-dedicated grading business, Jay initiated the initial design and manufacturing process. Starting modestly, the initial batch of 2,500 SlabCave graded cards was introduced to the market between August 2022 and April 2023. The instant sellout of these test run cards confirmed the effectiveness of the concept.
SlabCave is now primed for rapid expansion with hundreds of thousands of slabs set to hit the market. The company is geared towards meeting the needs of collectors and hobbyists across the globe, setting the stage for a new era in the world of Pokémon and trading card grading.
As for the very first card graded by SlabCave? The identity of this card remains a closely-guarded secret as it awaits a special day when it will be auctioned off with its own very unique story. The entire proceeds from this unique piece of SlabCave history will go to charity, underlining the company's commitment not just to the Pokémon and TCG hobby, but also to making a positive impact in the world.