A Fire, a 1-of-1, and the Spirit of Collecting
Written by Vedran Babic View featured product
“Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it.”
The Notorious B.I.G.
That line has always stuck with me and last month it proved true. Even the most carefully planned launches can surprise you, and this one reminded us what truly matters.
The moment that sparked the fire
Our South Park Trading Coins release in October was set to go live through the EQL platform, giving collectors a fair and transparent way to register for the drop.
Two hours before the EQL registration window closed, we got word that something big had happened. Someone had gone live early, and during that livestream, the 1-of-1 Gold 1oz Agoro had been pulled.
That’s the ultimate chase. The holy grail of the set.
Suddenly, we had to figure out what to do.
Do we leave things as they are?
Do we intervene?
And if so, how do we do that while upholding our integrity and protecting our partners at EQL, Paramount, South Park, and our reseller network?
Integrity in the heat of the moment
We knew we had to move fast. Within hours, we tracked down the person who had unknowingly pulled the 1-of-1 ahead of the official go-live.
They couldn’t have been more understanding. They acknowledged the oversight, cooperated immediately, and accepted our offer to reward them differently, while allowing us to return the 1-of-1 to circulation.
We then needed to figure out how to bring the chase back into the fold. The 1-of-1 is pulled via a redemption card contained in each set, with only one being the winner. The beauty of this setup is that every collector experiences the thrill of the reveal, even though there’s only one true winner.
After a few ideas, we decided that selecting a character from the Emerald tier (which makes up half of every set, given how our rarity tiers work) was the fairest way to go. We then used a randomiser app to pick both a character and a number, and the result was Craig Tucker #139/250.
We felt this approach was not only fair but also added an extra layer of excitement for everyone opening a set, as each collector now has that additional moment of anticipation when revealing their Emerald Agoro.
The 1-of-1 was back in the mix within just a few hours of us uncovering this fire.
A reminder of why we do this
Collecting isn’t just about owning something rare. It’s about the experience, the suspense, and the connection.
The thrill of the chase is one of the most powerful parts of collecting. But delivering that thrill with care, fairness, and transparency is just as important.
Our purpose isn’t just to create collectibles. It’s to spark joy in the hearts of collectors around the world.
To live that purpose every day requires consistency, honesty, and the resolve to do right by collectors, even when it’s not the easiest path.
Collectors always tell you the truth
We knew immediately that the true test of our decision wouldn’t come from within Agoro, but from the collector community.
They didn’t hold back, in the best possible way.
“They sent a forceful message to the world last night while reinforcing the integrity of the brand.”
“Agoro handled this exactly how a brand should, protecting the chase and the collectors.”
Moments like these show that integrity travels fast and that collectors recognise when you do the right thing, even under pressure.
Turning fires into fuel
In the end, we made the best of a tough situation.
We protected the collector experience.
We did right by the individual who pulled the 1-of-1.
And we reinforced what Agoro stands for: community, fairness, and joy.
We’ll never eliminate the unexpected. That’s part of what makes collecting exciting. But we can promise this: when things go sideways, we’ll always meet it with transparency and heart.
Because collecting, when done right, is more than a product.
It’s a feeling.
Vedran Babic
CEO, Agoro
