Pokemon popsicle sticks are being sold for more than 140 times their original value

There's no doubt Japan loves the Pokemon brand. From video games to card games and toys, Japanese fans are eager to snatch up everything Pokemon they can. Now their latest obsession is popsicle sticks.

A series of Pokemon-branded Garigari-kun popsicles released in Japan back in June, and now fans are taking to third party reseller sites to snag select popsicle sticks. Believe it or not, people are paying over $470 just to get some of these branded sticks.

The Pokemon Garigari-kun popsicles cost 350 yen for a box of 6, so why are people paying nearly $500 for just sticks? Turns out some of those sticks have special marks on them, which you can then exchang for a free Garigari-kun at convenience stores. Furthermore, mailing in a winning stick will get you an exclusive Pokémon trading card game card featuring Mythical Pokémon Zarude. Now it's all starting to make sense!

Along with that, some people who've already won the Zarude cards are putting them up for sale as well, and they're going for anywhere from $250 to $500. Why are the sticks going for more on average than the cards themselves? Turns out people want to make sure their card is professionally handled, and when they turn in a stick for a card, the popsicle company takes the utmost care in shipping.