TAG-Graded Pikachu Illustrator and Exclusive Rayquaza Set New Records

Technical Authentication & Grading (more commonly known as TAG) has been on the rise since last year, and just recently history was made for the grading company thanks to an iconic Pokémon card. A Pikachu Illustrator that received a TAG 8 grade just hit the auction block at Goldin and sold for a new all-time price that eclipses the previous record by almost five times the amount.

In addition to that sale, a new all-time high price was paid for a single Rayquaza card. Limited to a total population of 12 on the PSA database, the Play! Pokémon Rayquaza VMAX just shot up to the top of the list, far surpassing any previous sale for the character.

Another History-Making Pikachu Illustrator

This Pikachu Illustrator that received a TAG 8 grade just sold through Goldin for a whopping $488,000. The sale made this piece the most valuable card graded by TAG ever by a wide margin, as the previous record sale was for a TAG 10 copy of the 2015 Art Academy Gourgeist that ultimately sold for $105,710.

This TAG 8 Pikachu Illustrator is the 14th most expensive sale of the same card of all time. It's also the most amount of money ever paid for an Illustrator that received a grade of 8, regardless of the grading company.

Rayquaza's Shining Moment

Play! Pokemon Rayquaza VMAX PSA 10 — This extremely rare Rayquaza Play! Pokemon exclusive sold for $628,999 | CardLadder

The TAG 8 Pikachu Illustrator is not the most valuable Pokémon card of April 2026, as that title (as of the time of writing) belongs to a Play! Pokemon exclusive Rayquaza VMAX that received a perfect PSA 10 grade.

This particular Rayquaza VMAX card sold for $628,999 on eBay, a new all-time record for the character. Prior to that sale, the record for any single card was only $49,000, the amount paid for a PSA 10 Gold Star Rayquaza from 2005's EX Deoxys set.