Have you ever wondered how many Pikachu Illustrator cards are sitting in corporate vaults instead of private collections? The Pikachu Illustrator is one of the rarest Pokemon cards ever made, given out as prizes in a 1998 Japanese illustration contest run by CoroCoro magazine and the Pokemon Card Lab. Only 39 of these cards were produced in total, first confirmed by official sources back in the early 2000s[2][4].
Out of those 39, a handful are known to be owned by corporations rather than individuals. Specifically, at least five Pikachu Illustrator cards are held by companies and organizations tied to the contest. These include the original creators: Creatures Inc., the Pokemon Card Lab, and Media Factory, each believed to have kept one as an archival prize[2]. CoroCoro magazine, which hosted the event, also holds one in its collection. That brings the confirmed corporate count to four or five, depending on how you group the affiliates[2][4].
Why do corporations own them? These cards were top prizes for contest winners, but extras or samples stayed with the organizers for records and display. They rarely hit the market, which keeps their value sky-high. For example, Logan Paul bought a PSA 10 graded one for over $5 million in 2022, making headlines worldwide[2][3][4]. Private owners have sold a few others at auctions, but the corporate-held ones stay locked away, safe from trading.
Prices for Pikachu Illustrator cards in top condition hover in the millions, far above common promos like the recent Pikachu #214 from the 2024 Illustration Contest, which sells for $15 to $20 ungraded[1]. If a corporate owner ever decides to sell, it could shake up the market big time. For now, these five corporate copies help explain why the card feels so mythical, with only about 34 potentially in private hands[2]. Collectors dream of spotting one at auction, but corporate keepers mean most will never trade.
