It is known on the Internet under the name Rayquamaster. Mathias Escofier from Lille, a recognized expert in the world of Pokémon card games, has a collection estimated at more than a million euros. A former philosophy professor, he left everything to make a living from his childhood passion and in 2025 he is one of the largest sellers of cards on an online platform.
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He is only 29 years old and yet he is one of the world’s experts in his field: Pokémon cards. Happy owner of a collection estimated at more than a million euros, Mathias Escofier, alias Rayquamaster, makes a living in 2025 from his activity of purchasing and reselling cards. “Combining my passion and my job, I couldn’t dream of better.”
His apartment is an Ali Baba’s cave. Here, objects from a collection on the theme of Star Warsthere, models of 20th century liners… But the preference of Lille resident Mathias Escofier is the Pokémon universe. This 29-year-old former philosophy professor left everything in 2021 to make a living from his childhood passion.
“I started very earlyhe remembers. In 1999, it was Pokémania. I was very little when it landed in Japan, then in the United States and France. It was a surge. In the courtyard, everyone was exchanging cards without me really understanding what was happening.”
“I wanted to be like them and one thing led to another and I bought video games. It became a passion and I never gave up. Even when my friends stopped being interested in it in middle school, I never left the ship.”
In his apartment, Lille resident Mathias Escofier, aka Rayquamaster, displays a very small part of his collection of Pokémon cards and games, estimated at more than a million euros. The rest is in a safe at the bank.
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© Rayquamaster
Known as Rayquamaster, in reference to Rayquaza, his favorite Pokémon, he has one of the most impressive collections in France. After starting with French cards, he gradually opened up to the Japanese and English markets, becoming a recognized expert in the world of Pokémon TCG (collectible card games).
“Everything is in the bank in a secure safe otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly!“, he admits. Coming from a modest background, he obviously did not spend this sum to acquire his collection, the value of which fluctuates between 800,000 and 1.5 million euros depending on the period.
Lille resident Mathias Escofier, aka Rayquamaster, today makes a living from his passion by buying and reselling Pokemon cards all over the world.
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© Rayquamaster
“I gleaned all this as I went alonghe explains. My very first card was a Pitch from the Jungle series. In 2016, the Pokémon Go mobile application revolutionized the market and there, my cards increased in value. Popularity and rarity are the two pillars that guide the value of Pokémon cards.”
-“During Covid, there was also a period of very significant increase, remembers Mathias. Many influencers started talking about Pokémon and brought out their childhood cards. We also expect a peak at the end of the year with the 30th anniversary of this universe.”
Today, he makes a living from his purchase – resale activity, in particular on the American live shopping platform Whatnot, which arrived in France a few years ago. It combines live sales, interactive auctions and communities of enthusiasts, particularly Pokémon fans. More than 200 products are sold there every minute and one in ten sellers sell full time.
“As soon as I see that fifty people are looking at meexplains Mathias, I’m launching an auction. Live shopping allows me to create a real relationship of trust with my communitylike this time when a viewer drew his favorite card, the Amphinobi Alternate Art, during his first purchase on my live!”
“What I like about this platformhe continues, First of all, the auctions do not last for days, but for a minute. And then it allows you to interact. People can chat on the chat, we don’t just connect to sell. We talk about our passion, video games, cartoons…“
For his purchase – resale activity, Mathias obtains his supplies via social networks and auction sites. 100% entrepreneur, he does not pay himself a salary. “Every month is different. December for example always works very well with the holidays. I have a gross turnover of 4500 – 5000 euros. I also do months at 1500. I don’t pay myself a minimum wage, I live off what I have left after the passage of Urssaf.”
And then, still under the name Rayquamaster, the Lille resident has managed a YouTube channel since 2011 which has nearly 10,000 subscribers, on which he posts videos corresponding to several sections. “Pokénews breaks down the latest news on cards, series and video games. Pokédollar is interested in the financial aspect.”
“There is also a section devoted exclusively to Shiny Pokémon, highly sought after in video games. You come across a Shiny once in 8192. There is a whole community of players who are only interested in that. My favorite section is the mythology, the concepts around religion in Pokémon. As someone who studied philosophy, it fascinates me!“
Nostalgia works!
Mathias EscofierAlias Rayquamaster
Today, it is difficult for Mathias to increase his collection of old maps (“I have almost everything!“). But he continues to buy recent pieces. “For old series, the more the years pass, the rarer they become. There are new series of cards that come out every three months since Pokémon continues to be published.”
Of course, there are other kinds of trading cards, but “Pokémon remains the spearheadrejoices Mathias. There is also Lorcana, a Disney adaptation. Magic remains the best known, because it is the oldest, dating from the early 90s. Nostalgia works!“
