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“A small group of individuals has created an undesirable situation.”
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has confirmed that it will not be restocking its promotional Pokémon card following “safety and security concerns” for its staff and customers.
The card was initially a free add-on for Pokémon Center customers, given out at a rate of one card for each item in the Van Gogh collection bought, but scalpers descended onto the store in droves, wiped out the supply, and then immediately put their wares on internet auction sites at grossly inflated prices.
“The Van Gogh Museum and The Pokémon Company International take the safety and security of visitors and staff very seriously,” the museum said in a statement, as spotted by our pals at VGC.
“Recently, a small group of individuals has created an undesirable situation that has led us to take the difficult decision to remove the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promo card from the museum.
“In this way, visitors will be able to experience this special collection of Pokémon paintings and the rest of the museum in a safe and enjoyable manner.”
Following the quick sell-out of the exclusive Pokémon Van Gogh merchandise, and subsequently the Pikachu trading card, on Pokémon Center websites, The Pokémon Company recently announced it’ll be giving fans another opportunity to get Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat.
This time around, however, only orders with Pokémon Trading Card Game products will be eligible for a card. A minimum purchase of £30/$30 is required, and the giveaway is limited to one card per order.
