Mudkip Leads Pokémon Sales Bonanza to Sweep Weekly TCG Sales

Pokémon collectors delivered another extraordinary week of sales, with the five highest TCG transactions combining for $10,650,600—or nearly double last week's $5.35 million total.

All five cards sold through Goldin on October 25, led by a $4.88 million Mudkip. Three cards from the 2015 Pokémon Art Academy competition accounted for more than $6.8 million of the total, showing that the biggest sales aren't always dominated by the most popular characters.

Here are the five highest TCG sales in our latest weekly roundup, with sales data courtesy of Card Ladder.

5. 2007 Pokémon POP Series 5 Gold Star Umbreon #17 PSA 10

One of the most sought-after Gold Star Pokémon cards rounds out this week's rankings. A 2007 POP Series 5 Umbreon, graded PSA 10, sold for $738,100 through Goldin.

Unlike traditional booster-pack releases, POP Series cards were distributed through Pokémon Organized Play promotional packs. The sale demonstrates that classic Gold Star cards remain major attractions for high-end collectors, even alongside multimillion-dollar promotional rarities.

4. 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Art Academy Iwaiya Sableye #XY-P PSA 10

The first of three Art Academy cards on this week's list is a Sableye featuring artwork by contest participant Iwaiya. Graded PSA 10, the Japanese promotional card sold for $976,000 through Goldin.

The Art Academy cards originated from a 2015 Pokémon-themed art competition that invited participants to create original Pokémon illustrations. Winning designs became promotional cards, producing collectibles that look very different from conventional Pokémon releases. Their unusual artwork and limited availability have made them highly desirable among serious collectors.

3. 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Art Academy Rina Gourgeist #XY-P PSA 10

Matching Sableye's price was another Art Academy winner, a Gourgeist illustrated by Rina. The PSA 10 card also brought in $976,000 through Goldin, putting two of the competition's less conventional Pokémon characters just shy of the million-dollar mark.

Sales like these demonstrate the appeal of rare promotional releases featuring characters that don't usually command headline prices.

2. 1997 Pokémon Japanese Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu #1 PSA 8

One of Pokémon's earliest competitive trophies claimed second place, with a 1997 Japanese Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu selling for $3,080,500 through Goldin. Awarded during Pokémon's early tournament era in Japan, these trophy cards represent a different kind of rarity. They weren't pulled from packs but were awarded for competitive achievement.

Remarkably, this example was graded PSA 8, making it the only card in this week's top five that wasn't a PSA 10. The result highlights how historical significance and scarcity can outweigh the pursuit of a perfect grade.

1. 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Art Academy Daisuke Ochiai Mudkip #XY-P PSA 10

Topping the list is a 2015 Pokémon Art Academy Mudkip featuring artwork by Daisuke Ochiai, which sold for an astonishing $4,880,000 through Goldin. The PSA 10 card accounted for nearly 46% of the top five's combined sales, outperforming even the historic Trophy Pikachu by nearly $1.8 million.

The sale represents a remarkable jump from just one month earlier, when another PSA 10 example of the same Mudkip sold for $3.72 million through Fanatics Premier. The latest result is $1.16 million higher—an astounding 31% increase in just 30 days.

With only three PSA 10 examples reported in PSA's population reports, the card's rarity and distinctive artwork have elevated an unlikely Pokémon into the upper reaches of the collecting market.

Another Remarkable Week for Pokémon

For another week, Pokémon swept all five spots in the TCG sales countdown, combining for more than $10.65 million.

After a rare Japanese Pokémon telephone card topped last week's rankings, the spotlight shifted to the Art Academy series, with three cards accounting for nearly two-thirds of this week's total. And with Mudkip commanding $4.88 million, it's clear that some of Pokémon's biggest sales are coming from its most unexpected collectibles.

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