Rare Pikachu Card Sells for Over $600,000
The Japanese Pikachu Illustrator Promo card is considered one of the greatest Pokémon cards ever! The card was awarded to winners of the CoroCoro Comic Illustration contest in Japan in 1997 and 1998. Since it was never released in packs and was only given to contest winners, it is one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence, with only 39 copies believed to exist, the total number of contest winners.
As Pokémon and Pikachu remain among the world's most popular collectibles, this card has become a pop culture symbol for collectors to flex their wealth and passion. WWE Superstar Logan Paul famously wore his Pikachu Illustrator PSA 10 as a part of his walk-out attire at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
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This past week, a PSA 8.5 version of the Pikachu Illustrator sold on Goldin for $610,000 doallars. Just over one year ago, a card with the same PSA 8.5 grade sold for $300,000. With the value of a PSA 8.5 doubling in such a short period, it's safe to say that the high-end Pokémon market is keeping pace with the sports and non-sports high-end sales in 2025.
Price Doubled in Just Over one Year!
Will more of these cards show up on the secondary market?
The Pikachu Illustrator remains the '52 Mantle of Pokémon cards. As its celebrity status continues to live on, we will see if this recent sale brings forward any of the other 38 versions of this card, or if other high-end Pokémon cards come out of private collections and go on sale in 2026. One thing is for sure: the overall health of the high collectibles market is very, very healthy at the moment.
P. Arvin Parker is a lifelong collector of all things sports and pop culture. He is a Minnesotan, a Veteran, and an Ojibwe man who lives and dies by all things Minnesota. After spending the last 20 years working in the mental health field, he has reignited his love for collecting. His passion for the hobby centers on the people and stories of the world of collectibles.