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The demand for rare and valuable Pokémon cards has gone through the roof in the past decade. Cards that didn’t cost more than a few dollars are not worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We’re at a point where the record of the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold has been broken numerous times. With celebrities and influencers jumping in, the hype train for Pokémon cards isn’t slowing down anytime soon. If you’re just catching on and wondering what are the most expensive Pokémon cards? You’re at the right place, as we’ve rounded up the top 5 most expensive Pokémon cards of all time.
The Most Expensive Pokémon Cards
5. 1998 2nd Tournament Trophy Pikachu No.3
Value: $192,000 USD
Obviously, we’ve seen many more Pokemon TFC tournaments in Japan than in the West. As a result, there are a lot more promo cards in Japan, including a trio of 1998 Trophy Pikachu cards, which were given to participants in the year’s 2nd major tournament. The more surprising thing is that the 3rd-place version stands as the most expensive of these cards.
4. Ishihara GX Promo
Value: $247,230 USD
You might be surprised to see this card in this list, as it isn’t actually a Pokemon. The card depicts Tsunekazu Ishihara, the founder and president of The Pokemon Company. This special card was printed in 2017 and given to the company’s staff to celebrate Ishahara’s 60th birthday.
3. 1998 Pokémon Commission Presentation Galaxy Star Holo Blastoise
Value: $360,000 USD
This card is one of the rarest as it was never officially sold to the public. Only two exist, and they were created Wizards of the Coast, who are the creators of Magic: The Gathering, in an attempt to win the rights to make the English version of the Pokémon TCG. In January 2021, one of two cards was sold for $360,000 USD.
2. 1999 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard
Value: $420,000 USD
It wouldn’t be an expensive Pokémon cards list without a Charizard card. According to the PSA website, there are just 54 GEM-MT 10 copies of this card in existence, which explains why it’s so rare. The card was sold for $420,000 USD in early 2022
1. 1998 Pikachu Illustrator
Value: $6,000,000 USD
This card stands at the top of Pokémon TGC. It’s an adorable Pikachu drawing over other Pokémon cards; who wouldn’t want that? The card was a prize in an art competition in the 90s, and there are less than 20 copies in existence. Prices of this card have been climbing over time and peaked at $6,000,000 USD.
