In the niche world of collectables, nostalgia has overcome the new generation of bidders at online auction platforms, such as the European online auction platform, Catawiki.
Collectables from pop culture, comic books and trading game cards have become the hot cakes on the market, with record prices people are willing to pay for the gems.
But the trends have also been shifting. Over the last year, Pokémon has officially surpassed LEGO in popularity on Catawiki. The trend points to a new wave of nostalgic collecting, according to Catawiki.
Nostalgia fewer
"Millennials and Gen Z bidders, who grew up with Pokémon cards, games and series thirty years ago, are now reaching their financial peak and investing in the icons of their youth," explained Mickael Mole, the platform's Pokémon expert.
Fierce competition for rare trading cards and first editions, combined with a 30th anniversary, makes Pokémon one of the most interesting categories to keep an eye on in 2026, the platform said.
On February 16, 2026, a new world record was set for the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold at a US auction platform – a Pikachu Illustrator (PSA Grade 10), which was sold for about $16,492,000 (about €13.9 million). The card was sold by American social media influencer Logan Paul, who had held the private sale record for the same card, acquiring it for $5.275 million in 2021 (about €4.47 million).
On Catawiki, the number of Pokémon items sold in Belgium rose by nearly 60% last year. LEGO, on the contrary, has dropped out of the top ten fastest-growing categories in Belgium.
Other nostalgic items are on the rise, too, from music, figurines and merchandise to comic-related items. Last year, Belgians bought 55% more Disney items on Catawiki. Sales of vinyl records also grew by almost 40%.
Such items are seen as a "perfect combination of an emotional purchase and an alternative investment," according to the platform.
Remembering Tintin
Belgium's vintage comic books also thrive on the local auction platform, Hergé's works in particular.
Georges Prosper Remi, known as Hergé, was a Belgian comic artist who created the series of comic albums beloved both in Belgium and abroad – The Adventures of Tintin.
Picture taken during the presentation of the new temporary exhibition in China with Tintin at the Musée Herge to mark the 90th anniversary of the release of the album The Blue Lotus, in Louvain-la-Neuve, Friday 10 January 2025. Belga / Axel Cleenewerck
On Catawiki, Tintin comics grew by almost 30% in 2025. A copy of Tintin in the Congo (story originally released in 1931) found the new owner in just 21 seconds, becoming the fastest-selling item last year.
A copy of Hergé's album Men on the Moon (reprint, 1962), signed by Hergé and six Apollo astronauts, sold for € 71,000, double the estimated price.
More Belgian bidders
Catawiki reported that the number of new Belgian bidders rose by 20% in 2025. "With ongoing economic uncertainty continuing to influence purchasing behaviour, bidders are not only looking for rare finds but also for smart investments," the platform wrote in a press release.
Apart from that, Bullion - precious metal bars, coins, or rounds - was the fastest-growing category in Belgium on Catawiki last year.
Belgians bought twice as much bullion in 2025 compared to the year before, and "bullion" was the most used search alert in French-speaking Belgium.
Catawiki experts attributed the increase to "rising gold prices and a renewed interest in tangible assets," and a broader shift towards "real assets."
"More and more people are looking for tangible investments that retain their value, especially in economically uncertain times," said Ugo Leca, bullion expert at Catawiki.
Luxury watches have also peaked last year, showing 35% year-on-year growth among Belgian buyers. It still remains the category in which Belgians spend the most money on Catawiki, with the most expensive watch sold in 2025 being a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona for 33,290€.
"We are seeing a sharp increase in the popularity of bullion and other valuable liquid items in Belgium, as buyers prioritise security and long-term value retention," Leca concluded.
