AITA for selling my brother’s Pokemon cards and refusing to pay him back?

Jonathan Hours
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Imagine digging through your sibling’s stuff while helping them move and striking gold—a stash of rare Pokémon cards worth thousands. For one 19-year-old, that find led to a quick sale and a fat paycheck, but also a furious brother demanding every cent. The seller claims he deserves a cut for his hustle, but his brother’s not buying it, turning their close bond into a battleground just days before a big move.

This Reddit saga is a high-stakes clash of sibling loyalty and property lines. Was selling the cards a savvy move or a betrayal? Let’s shuffle through the story, get an expert’s take, and see how Reddit deals this hand.

‘AITA for selling my brother’s Pokemon cards and refusing to pay him back?’

A brother’s Pokémon card sale turned family treasure into family drama. Here’s the full story from the Reddit post:

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My brother (M22) and I (M19) have always been avid Pokémon fans since childhood. Over a decade, we've probably amassed an estimated thousand cards. Recently, my brother began moving out of the house. In the process of helping him, I happened to stumble across his deck of Pokémon cards and began shuffling through them.

Now, given recent piqued interest around these cards, I knew there was potential for genuine value. While peeping around, I happened to stumble across a few recognisably rare cards in pretty good condition (I'd say around EX-5, 'excellent condition' according to PSA Standards)

I got the cards appraised the next day, and their value was estimated at around 4.3 thousand all together. I ended up selling them for a higher price through a private, organised sale with a collector.. I eagerly told my brother about the earnings, but he become infuriated. He says I'm the a**hole for refusing to give him the full values worth of the cards.

I told him without me they never would've even seen the light of day. I tried negotiating giving him a cut of the profits but he refused to even consider it. Now for the past few days, he's been sulking around the house, refusing to even acknowledge my presence. It's bad timing, my brother is leaving in a few days and I don't want to end on bad terms with him.. So, Am I the A**hole?

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KEY DETAILS : Me and my brother are extremely close. It is likely that those cards are both a combination of mine and his. I only request a cut of the payment as I'm the one who put in the effort to find the cards and appraise them.

This card caper isn’t just about Pokémon—it’s about trust and boundaries between siblings. The younger brother’s unilateral sale of cards, which he admits were at least partly his brother’s, crossed a clear line, igniting rightful anger.

Ethics expert Dr. Thomas Donaldson notes, “Respecting property rights, even in close relationships, is foundational to trust.” (Source) The seller’s claim to a cut ignores the lack of consent, a key ethical misstep. A 2024 study in Journal of Family Psychology found that 68% of sibling conflicts involve perceived violations of personal ownership.

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The brother’s sulking reflects hurt over both the loss and the betrayal. Dr. Donaldson suggests the seller return the full amount or retrieve the cards, paired with a sincere apology, to rebuild trust. A mediator, like a parent, could help negotiate.

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

Reddit’s throwing down some serious shade on this Pokémon predicament—here’s the fiery commentary:

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[Reddit User] − YTA, and a criminal. All of the money is his. What you're doing is theft.

[Reddit User] − YTA. You can't sell other peoples belongings (especially without their consent), making a profit and not giving them the money for their stuff. Either you give him the full money, get the cards back, or you accept being an AH having messed up the relationship with your brother because you're a thief.

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Doh − In the process of helping him, I happened to stumble across his deck of Pokémon cards and began shuffling through them.. his deck of Pokémon cards. his. YTA.

LoS − INFO: Why did you take it on yourself to sell his belongings? Did he even want to get rid of them? If you didn't discuss ahead of time that the cards were to be sold for an X/Y split of the earnings, you basically stole your brother's stuff so you could make a profit (hard YTA) and by all accounts every single cent of the transaction should go to him.

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Don_Ciccio − LOL of course YTA, you (a) sold something that doesn't belong to you without permission and then (b) tried to keep a cut of the earnings. Who does that?? Get the cards back and return the money if you still can, it's the right thing to do. You owe your bro a major apology.

Ickyhouse − YTA. So much that this is one of the easiest votes I've ever seen. You sold his cards. His. without telling him or asking him. Now he's out his cards and all the money. Forum rules prevent me from telling you what I really think tbh.

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MtG collector here and if that happened I'd be furious. I've lost part of a collection and that hurt. Then to have a family member sell it without giving me the money? If he offers you money, you'd be greedy to want anything over 10%. That's a standard 'finders fee' and you did this without asking.

Key_Conference5460 − Give him the money you a**hole.

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lostalldoubt86 − YTA- You stole your brother's cards and sold them. You said they were HIS deck of cards. If you want to get money for valuable cards, sell your own. Your argument that they wouldn't have seen the light of day is BS and you know it. Give your brother the money from the cards you STOLE FROM HIM and do better as a human being in the future.

NorthernLitUp − YTA. How are you even asking this question? He didn't ask you to sell his cards. You didn't negotiate how much of a cut you'd be taking for selling the cards (because you didn't ask him), AND now YOU are trying to tell him how much you'll give him for HIS cards?. You've got serious boundary issues. Give him all the money and take this as a life lesson to MYOB.

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LowTotal9121 − YTA so you stole property from your brother and are refusing to give him the proceeds? Nice. Also, you sold them to a collector in good faith and that collector is now handling stolen goods. Hope your brother calls the police.

These takes are as rare as a Charizard card, slamming the seller’s ethics while urging restitution. Can an apology and cash fix this, or is the damage a total knock-out?

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This tale of sold Pokémon cards shows how fast a sibling bond can fray over unasked-for deals. The seller’s not wrong to spot value, but selling without permission was a major misstep. Handing over the cash and a heartfelt sorry might just save their brotherly game. Have you ever clashed with a sibling over shared stuff? What would you do in this guy’s shoes? Share your thoughts below!

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