How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist With Corner Wear
The Pikachu Illustrator card stands out as one of the rarest and most valuable Pokemon cards ever made. Only 39 of these cards were produced back in 1998 as promo items for a Japanese art contest winners. Out of those, just a handful remain in top shape today. But what about cards showing corner wear, that common ding collectors see from years of handling or storage?
Corner wear means the edges, especially the corners, look frayed or bent. It happens a lot with old cards stored in sleeves or binders without perfect protection. For Pikachu Illustrator cards, exact numbers with this issue stay tricky because no full public census tracks every copy’s condition. Experts and auction houses like Goldin Auctions track sales, but private owners often keep details quiet.
From sales records, at least a few Pikachu Illustrators have surfaced with visible corner wear. Logan Paul owns one of the best known copies, bought in 2021 for almost 5.3 million dollars. That card hit a Guinness World Record as the priciest Pokemon card sold. Recent news shows Paul set up a deal to auction it through Goldin Auctions after taking a 2.5 million dollar advance. Ken Goldin, the auction boss, once offered 7.5 million dollars for it but got turned down. Paul’s card grades high with minimal flaws, so it likely avoids heavy corner wear.[1]
Other Pikachu Illustrators pop up less often. Some past auctions list copies with light corner dings, graded around 7 or 8 out of 10 by services like PSA. These fetch hundreds of thousands, way below pristine ones that top millions. Dealers guess maybe 5 to 10 of the 39 total show some corner wear, based on graded populations and seller photos. Raw ungraded cards could push that higher, as owners fix minor issues before selling.
Why track corner wear? It hits value hard. A perfect Pikachu Illustrator can sell for millions, but corner wear drops it to mid-six figures or less. Collectors chase these for the thrill, but condition rules the price. Pokemon’s 30th anniversary in 2026 might heat up the market, drawing more eyes to worn copies as entry points for fans.
Check recent auctions on sites like Goldin or eBay for fresh listings. Photos there reveal corner details better than grades alone. If you spot one, compare to top sales to gauge worth. Keep your own cards sleeved topper style to dodge future wear.
