Twenty-five years ago Pokémon arrived in Italy, transforming a simple Game Boy video game into a cultural phenomenon that would mark multiple generations. It was 1999 when the first digital adventures conquered players, followed in 2000 by the debut of the Basic Set of collectible cards. Since then, courtyards, schools and squares have been filled with challenges, exchanges and dreams of capturing every imaginary creature. Over time, the passion has evolved to reach the digital world with Pokémon Go, the 2016 app that combined virtual gaming with real experience, leading millions of people to explore cities to find new Pokémon.
To celebrate this anniversary, Mirmex Collectibles is organizing a unique exhibition in its Bergamo headquarters, entitled From 2000 to today: 25 years of Pokémon in Italy. The event, the first of its kind in our country, will open on Saturday 25 October in the new premises of the store in via Bianzana and will remain open to visitors on the weekends of 25-26 October and 1-2 November. The exhibition will occupy two new rooms and will include 70 giant panels with all 18,000 Italian cards, including the expansion packs, the Core Set boxes, the unlimited versions and a first edition Italian Charizard, the only one in the world certified PSA with a rating of 10.
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Mirmex Collectibles: from e-commerce to a point of reference for collectors
Mirmex Collectibles Srl was founded in 2017 as a small e-commerce dedicated to the buying and selling of cards and collectibles. Founded by Antonio Leone and Pietro Pontieri, the company has transformed the passion for Pokémon into a structured business, becoming a reference for Italian and European collectors. In 2024 the first physical store opened in Bergamo, a place designed to transform collecting from a solitary activity to a shared experience. The store also houses a bar, designed to encourage meetings between enthusiasts, and can accommodate up to eighty people.
Mirmex is today the official headquarters of the Pokémon League and the Wizards Play Network for Magic: The Gathering, organizing tournaments and events that fuel a continually growing community. The physical dimension is accompanied by a strong online presence, with an international clientele served through platforms such as Cardmarket and eBay, where the company has collected around ten thousand positive reviews. Since 2022, with the entry of Michele Masseretti among the partners, the team has consolidated a structure that combines competence, passion and capacity for innovation.
Pokémon cards are an investment
Pokémon cards are no longer just a pastime. Some specimens reach dizzying values: the extremely rare Pikachu Illustrator by artist Atsuko Nishida was sold for over four million dollars, while another copy was purchased in 2021 for more than five million by YouTuber and wrestler Logan Paul. The growing interest in these cards has transformed collecting into a real investment, supported by international certification systems that attest to their quality and value.
Even celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Fedez, Charles Leclerc and Federico Chiesa have admitted their passion for Pokémon cards. An emblematic episode is the one between Jannik Sinner and Terence Atmane, when the French tennis player gave the Italian a Pokémon card for his 24th birthday, shortly before the semifinal of the Cincinnati Open.
Pokémon between art, fashion and food
The Pokémon world is now an icon of pop culture and has intertwined collaborations with art and fashion. The one with is memorable The Scream by Edvard Munch, which inspired a series of special cards, or the one with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, where Pokémon were integrated into the Dutch painter’s masterpieces.
The brand has also conquered the world of fashion, collaborating with brands such as Balmain, Fendi, Levi’s, Puma and Converse, and even with Tiffany & Co., which together with the artist Daniel Arsham created a line of Pikachu-themed sterling silver jewellery. In the food sector, the partnerships with McDonald’s and Estathé confirm the brand’s ability to renew itself and reach a transversal audience.
Information about the exhibition
The exhibition will be open to the public on the following days: 25-26 October, 1-2 November and 8-9 November. Access is regulated by three time slots – morning, afternoon and evening – and requires the purchase of the ticket online at a cost of 10 euros via the official link https://pupx.it/ef6924d.
